Liqun Zhang

Suppression of thermal degradation of InGaN/GaN quantum wells in green laser diode structures during the epitaxial growth

Local InGaN quantum well (QW) decomposition and resultant inhomogeneous luminescence in green laser diode (LD) epitaxial structures are investigated using micro-photoluminescence, Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The local InGaN QW decomposition is found to happen during p-type layer growth due to too high thermal budget and may initiate at the InGaN/GaN QW upper interface probably due to the formation of In-rich InGaN clusters there. Reducing thermal budget and optimizing InGaN/GaN QW growth suppress the local InGaN QW decomposition, and green LD structures with homogeneous luminescence and bright electroluminescence (EL) intensity are obtained.

GaN-based green laser diodes

Recently, many groups have focused on the development of GaN-based green LDs to meet the demand for laser display. Great progresses have been achieved in the past few years even that many challenges exist. In this article, we analysis the challenges to develop GaN-based green LDs, and then the approaches to improve the green LD structure in the aspect of crystalline quality, electrical properties, and epitaxial layer structure are reviewed, especially the work we have done.

Fabrication of room temperature continuous-wave operation GaN-based ultraviolet laser diodes*

Two kinds of continuous-wave GaN-based ultraviolet laser diodes (LDs) operated at room temperature and with different emission wavelengths are demonstrated. The LDs epitaxial layers are grown on GaN substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, with a 10 × 600 μm2 ridge waveguide structure. The electrical and optical characteristics of the ultraviolet LDs are investigated under direct-current injection at room temperature. The stimulated emission peak wavelength of first LD is 392.9 nm, the threshold current density and voltage is 1.5 kA/cm2 and 5.0 V, respectively. The output light power is 80 mW under the 4.0 kA/cm2 injection current density. The stimulated emission peak wavelength of second LD is 381.9 nm, the threshold current density the voltage is 2.8 kA/cm2 and 5.5 V, respectively. The output light power is 14 mW under a 4.0 kA/cm2 injection current density.

Remarkably reduced efficiency droop by using staircase thin InGaN quantum barriers in InGaN based blue light emitting diodes

The efficiency droop of InGaN/GaN(InGaN) multiple quantum well (MQW) light emitting diodes (LEDs) with thin quantum barriers (QB) is studied. With thin GaN QB (3 nm–6 nm thickness), the efficiency droop is not improved, which indicates that hole transport cannot be significantly enhanced by the thin GaN QBs. On the contrary, the efficiency droop was remarkably reduced by using a InGaN staircase QB (InGaN SC-QB) MQWs structure where InGaN SC-QBs lower the transport energy barrier of holes. The efficiency droop ratio was as low as 3.3% up to 200 A/cm2 for the InGaN SC-QB LED. By using monitoring QW with longer wavelength we observe a much uniform carrier distribution in the InGaN SC-QB LEDs, which reveals the mechanism of improvement in the efficiency droop.

Realization of InGaN laser diodes above 500 nm by growth optimization of the InGaN/GaN active region

Two-step growth was employed to grow GaN quantum barriers (QBs) in InGaN green LD structures. A cap layer was grown at the same temperature as an InGaN quantum well (QW), and the temperature was then raised by around 130 °C to grow GaN QBs. The effects of low-temperature-grown cap (LT-cap) layers on the optical properties and microstructures of green LD structures were investigated. It was found that the LT-cap layer with an optimal thickness can improve the luminescence homogeneity and suppress the thermal decomposition of InGaN QWs. C-plane ridge waveguide laser diodes lasing above 500 nm were realized.

Design Considerations for GaN-Based Blue Laser Diodes With InGaN Upper Waveguide Layer

Effects of an inserted InGaN interlayer between active region and p-AlGaN electron blocking layer on electrical and optical characteristics of GaN-based blue laser diodes are numerically investigated. It is found that the inserted InGaN interlayer reduces the barrier height for hole injection into multiple quantum wells. Moreover, it is found that the background electron concentration of the undoped InGaN plays a critical role in the LD performance. A background electron concentration higher than 1 × 1017 cm-3 may induce undesired electron-hole recombination in this layer. In addition, we have calculated the dependences of optical confinement factor and internal absorption loss (IAL) on location, In composition, and thickness of the InGaN layer. A significant increase in OCF and a decrease in IAL are obtained by inserting the InGaN layer.

Investigation of InGaN/GaN laser degradation based on luminescence properties

Degradation of InGaN/GaN laser diode (LD) is investigated based on the luminescence properties. Gradual degradation of the LD is presented with the threshold current increase and the slope efficiency decrease. The cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence characterizations of the LD show a dislocation independent degradation of the active region under the ridge. Detailed studies on the temperature-dependent micro-photoluminescence and the electroluminescence indicate that the degradation of the LD is attributed to the generation of non-radiative recombination centers in the local multiple quantum well regions with lower indium content. The activation energy of the non-radiative recombination centers is about 10.2 meV.

Green laser diodes with low threshold current density via interface engineering of InGaN/GaN quantum well active region

By observing the morphology evolution of green InGaN/GaN quantum well (QW) and studying the catholuminescence (CL) property, we investigate indium-segregation-related defects that are formed at green InGaN/GaN QW interfaces. Meanwhile, we also propose the approach and suggest the mechanism to remove them for green InGaN/GaN QW grown on both GaN templates and free-standing GaN substrates. By engineering the interface of green InGaN/GaN QWs, we have achieved green laser diode (LD) structure with low threshold current density of 1.85 kA cm-2. The output power of the green LD is 58 mW at a current density of 6 kA cm-2 under continuous-wave operation at room temperature.

Different variation behaviors of resistivity for high-temperature-grown and low-temperature-grown p-GaN films*

Two series of p-GaN films grown at different temperatures are obtained by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). And the different variation behaviors of resistivity with growth condition for high- temperature(HT)-grown and low-temperature(LT)-grown p-GaN films are investigated. It is found that the resistivity of HT-grown p-GaN film is nearly unchanged when the NH3 flow rate or reactor pressure increases. However, it decreases largely for LT-grown p-GaN film. These different variations may be attributed to the fact that carbon impurities are easy to incorporate into p-GaN film when the growth temperature is low. It results in a relatively high carbon concentration in LT-grown p-GaN film compared with HT-grown one. Therefore, carbon concentration is more sensitive to the growth condition in these samples, ultimately, leading to the different variation behaviors of resistivity for HT- and LT-grown ones.

Hole transport in c-plane InGaN-based green laser diodes

Hole transport in c-plane InGaN-based green laser diodes (LDs) has been investigated by both simulations and experiments. It is found that holes can overflow from the green double quantum wells (DQWs) at high current density, which reduces carrier injection efficiency of c-plane InGaN-based green LDs. A heavily silicon-doped layer right below the green DQWs can effectively suppress hole overflow from the green DQWs.