Martin Feneberg

Reliable polarization control of VCSELs through monolithically integrated surface gratings: a comparative theoretical and experimental study

Vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with a well-defined and predictable polarization of the emitted light are sought for a number of applications. In this paper, we show that one can define and stabilize the polarization of single- and multimode oxide-confined VCSELs with a monolithically integrated dielectric surface grating. In recent years, we have developed a three-dimensional, fully vectorial model for VCSELs, which proved to nicely reproduce the experimental results of quite complex structures, such as noncircular devices and phase-coupled VCSEL arrays. This software allows for the first time to analyze the effects of a dielectric grating in the output facet cap layer and its capability to fix the polarization of the emitted light. It is here employed as a design tool, yielding excellent agreement with the experimental data. Since the simulations predict the polarization behavior to be sensitively dependent on the grating parameters, hundreds of VCSELs with 99 different parameter sets, two grating orientations and active diameters of 4 and 7 /spl mu/m have been analyzed. Even VCSELs with eight or more coexisting modes turned out to be linearly polarized with an orthogonal polarization suppression ratio in excess of 15 dB. Theoretical and experimental emission far-fields are compared, and it is shown that diffraction side lobes can be prevented with properly chosen grating parameters which simultaneously ensure full polarization stability.

Polarization fields of III-nitrides grown in different crystal orientations

This article reviews the piezoelectric properties of III-nitrides with emphasis on GaN, InN, and their ternary alloys. After a short literature survey we concentrate on semipolar and nonpolar quantum wells grown on crystal planes other than the commonly used c plane ({0001}). The electrostatic field within a quantum well causes a quantum confined Stark effect and thus lowers the radiative transition probability as well as the transition energy. The basic impact of the quantum confined Stark effect on the optical properties of GaInN/GaN quantum wells is discussed in detail. Some routes to determine the magnitude of the electric field are described, and recent results are considered. The measured values are compared to published piezoelectric tensor elements.

Growth and Characterization of AlN and AlGaN Epitaxial Films on AlN Single Crystal Substrates

AlN and AlGaN epitaxial films were deposited by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on single crystal AlN substrates processed from AlN boules grown by physical vapor transport. Structural, chemical, and optical characterization demonstrated the high crystalline quality of the films and interfaces.

Bright semipolar GaInN∕GaN blue light emitting diode on side facets of selectively grown GaN stripes

The authors demonstrate the fabrication and evaluation of bright semipolar GaInN∕GaN blue light emitting diodes (LEDs). The structures are realized by growing five GaInN∕GaN quantum wells on the {11¯01} side facets of selectively grown n-GaN stripes with triangular shape running along the ⟨112¯0⟩ direction covered with a Mg-doped GaN top layer. The growth was done by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy using a conventional [0001] sapphire substrate. The devices have circular mesa structures with diameters between 70 and 140μm. Continuous wave on-wafer optical output powers as high as 700μW and 3mW could be achieved under dc conditions for 20 and 110mA, respectively. The current dependent blueshift of the peak emission wavelength caused by screening effects of the piezoelectric field was only 1.5nm for currents between 1 and 50mA. This is less than half the value measured on c-plane LEDs and confirms the reduced piezoelectric field in our LED structures.

Piezoelectric fields in GaInN∕GaN quantum wells on different crystal facets

Direction and strength of piezoelectric built-in fields of GaInN quantum wells have been experimentally determined. The quantum wells have been grown either on the conventional {0001} crystal plane of GaN or on {11¯01} facets of selectively grown GaN stripes. The emission peak position of the electric-field-dependent photoluminescence can be modeled and yields value and sign of the piezoelectric field dependent on the strain of the quantum wells. On the semipolar {11¯01} facets, the quantum wells show a much weaker field (−0.1MV∕cm) compared to quantum wells grown on polar {0001} planes (−1.9MV∕cm), consistent with theoretic predictions.

Conductivity of single ZnO nanorods after Ga implantation in a focused-ion-beam system

ZnO nanorods were implanted with Ga+ ions in a combined scanning-electron-microscope/focused-ion-beam system with doses from 1011to1017cm−2. Electrical resistance measurements performed on single ZnO nanorods yield first an increase of the resistance due to defect formation which lowers the electron mobility. Implantation doses exceeding 1015cm−2 yield a strong decrease of the resistance to values significantly below the resistance before Ga+-ion implantation. Low specific resistivities of about 3×10−3Ωcm are reached without additional annealing treatment after high-dose implantation.

Au-catalyzed growth processes and luminescence properties of ZnO nanopillars on Si

ZnO nanopillars are often grown on various substrates by catalytic growth processes through a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. However, on silicon substrates, even with the catalyzed growth processes, it is still very difficult to obtain highly oriented ZnO nanopillar arrays. In this work, it was found that in most cases the actual growth process of ZnO on Si catalyzed by Au was not of real VLS character. In the initial growth stage, the substrate surface is partially melted and then oxidized into a very thin layer of SiO2. Zn-rich alloys instead of ZnO are first deposited on the SiO2∕Si substrates and form polycrystalline hillocks in an atmosphere with low O2 partial pressure. The difficulty for ZnO to nucleate on SiO2∕Si is another reason preventing ZnO nanopillars from growing epitaxially on the substrates. Defects, steps, and∕or stress on the substrate surfaces may support the nucleation process and thus may influence the initial growth stage and the control of the growth orientation of the pillars...

Optical properties of MgZnO alloys: Excitons and exciton-phonon complexes

The characteristics of the excitonic absorption and emission around the fundamental bandgap of wurtzite MgxZn1−xO grown on c-plane sapphire substrates by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy with Mg contents between x = 0 and x = 0.23 are studied using spectroscopic ellipsometry and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The ellipsometric data were analyzed using a multilayer model yielding the dielectric function (DF). The imaginary part of the DF for the alloys exhibits a pronounced feature which is attributed to exciton-phonon coupling (EPC) similar to the previously reported results for ZnO. Thus, in order to determine reliable transition energies, the spectral dependence is analyzed by a model which includes free excitonic lines, the exciton continuum, and the enhanced absorption due to EPC. A line shape analysis of the temperature-dependent PL spectra yielded in particular the emission-related free excitonic transition energies, which are compared to the results from the DF line-shape analysis. The ...

Cathodoluminescence, photoluminescence, and reflectance of an aluminum nitride layer grown on silicon carbide substrate

Aluminum nitride (AlN) has an ultrawide direct band gap of approximately 6.1 eV at low temperature and is fully miscible with gallium nitride. This makes AlN a promising material for ultraviolet optoelectronic applications. Here, we apply cathodoluminescence, photoluminescence, and reflectance spectroscopies to the same AlN layer grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on silicon carbide. In cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence, we observe strong near band edge emission at ≈6 eV. The contribution appearing at an energetic position of 5.983 eV could be identified as A free exciton recombination, strongly redshifted due to strain effects. The spectra obtained by reflectance measurements show features at 5.985 eV and ≈6.2 eV which we assign to the A exciton—in accordance to our luminescence measurements—and a combination of the B and C free excitons, respectively.

Direct determination of the silicon donor ionization energy in homoepitaxial AlN from photoluminescence two-electron transitions

We report on the identification of a two-electron transition for the shallow donor silicon in homoepitaxial aluminum nitride (AlN). One c-oriented sample was analyzed by low temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy on multiple excitation spots. We find a unique correlation of one single emission band, 76.6 meV below the free excitonic emission, with the luminescence of excitons bound to neutral silicon proving the identity as a two-electron transition. The assignment is confirmed by temperature dependent photoluminescence investigations. We find a donor ionization energy of (63.5 ± 1.5) meV for silicon in AlN.