S. Charbonneau

Red-Emitting Semiconductor Quantum Dot Lasers

Visible-stimulated emission in a semiconductor quantum dot (QD) laser structure has been demonstrated. Red-emitting, self-assembled QDs of highly strained InAlAs have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a GaAs substrate. Carriers injected electrically from the doped regions of a separate confinement heterostructure thermalized efficiently into the zero-dimensional QD states, and stimulated emission at ∼707 nanometers was observed at 77 kelvin with a threshold current of 175 milliamperes for a 60-micrometer by 400-micrometer broad area laser. An external efficiency of ∼8.5 percent at low temperature and a peak power greater than 200 milliwatts demonstrate the good size distribution and high gain in these high-quality QDs.

InAs self‐assembled quantum dots on InP by molecular beam epitaxy

We present results of room temperature photoluminescence (PL) emission from a 0‐dimensional system in the ∼1.4 to ∼1.7 μm spectral region. Molecular beam epitaxy was used to grow InAs self‐assembled quantum dots in AlInAs on an InP substrate. Preliminary characterizations have been performed using PL and transmission electron microscopy. The low temperatures PL spectra also display excited state emission and state filling as the excitation intensity is increased.We present results of room temperature photoluminescence (PL) emission from a 0‐dimensional system in the ∼1.4 to ∼1.7 μm spectral region. Molecular beam epitaxy was used to grow InAs self‐assembled quantum dots in AlInAs on an InP substrate. Preliminary characterizations have been performed using PL and transmission electron microscopy. The low temperatures PL spectra also display excited state emission and state filling as the excitation intensity is increased.

Photonic integrated circuits fabricated using ion implantation

Intermixing the wells and barriers of quantum-well (QW) laser heterostructures generally results in an increase in the bandgap energy and is accompanied by changes in the refractive index. A technique, based on ion implantation-induced QW intermixing, has been developed to enhance the quantum-well intermixing (QWI) rate in selected areas of a wafer. Such processes offer the prospect of a powerful and simple fabrication route for the integration of discrete optoelectronic devices and for forming photonic integrated circuits.

QUANTUM-WELL INTERMIXING FOR OPTOELECTRONIC INTEGRATION USING HIGH ENERGY ION IMPLANTATION

The technique of ion‐induced quantum‐well (QW) intermixing using broad area, high energy (2–8 MeV As4+) ion implantation has been studied in a graded‐index separate confinement heterostructure InGaAs/GaAs QW laser. This approach offers the prospect of a powerful and relatively simple fabrication technique for integrating optoelectronic devices. Parameters controlling the ion‐induced QW intermixing, such as ion doses, fluxes, and energies, post‐implantation annealing time, and temperature are investigated and optimized using optical characterization techniques such as photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation, and absorption spectroscopy.

Passivation of InGaAs surfaces and InGaAs/InP heterojunction bipolar transistors by sulfur treatment

The surface properties of InGaAs(100) after ex situ treatment with (NH4)2S solution were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and high-energy resolution x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The As 3d, Ga 2p3/2, and In 3d5/2 core level studies show that the surface is free of native oxides and is terminated by S after treatment. A dramatic increase (∼40 times) in the PL efficiency was observed on undoped InGaAs(100) surfaces after sulfur passivation. This S treatment has also been applied to the passivation of the extrinsic base of InGaAs/InP heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). The effectiveness of the sulfur passivation treatment was confirmed by the resulting devices which exhibited dc current gain values of up to 200 at very low collector currents (nA). Further, the sulfur passivated HBTs do not show any dependence on the perimeter-to-area (P/A) ratio of the emitter junction which is of interest for high frequency characteristics while maintaining high current gain.

Defect diffusion in ion implanted AlGaAs and InP: Consequences for quantum well intermixing

InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAs/InGaAsP/InP laser structures, with InGaAs quantum wells approximately 1.85 μm beneath the surface, were implanted with ions having energies up to 8.6 MeV. Intermixing of the quantum wells, after rapid thermal annealing, was monitored through changes in the energy, linewidth, and intensity of the photoluminescence peak from the quantum wells. Where the defects had to diffuse primarily through Al0.71Ga0.29As, these quantities correlate strongly, for short anneal times, with calculated vacancy generation and ion deposition at the depth of the quantum well prior to annealing. This suggests that the defect diffusion length in the AlGaAs and/or GaAs is quite low. For diffusion primarily through InP, the photoluminescence data correlated well with the calculated total number of vacancies created in the sample, suggesting that defect diffusion is very efficient in InP.

Enhanced degradation resistance of quantum dot lasers to radiation damage

We compare the degradation of InAs/GaAs quantum well (QW) and quantum dot (QD) laser diodes following irradiation by high energy (8.56 MeV) phosphorous ions. Over a fluence range of 108–1011 ions/cm2, the degradation of the low temperature QD photoluminescence and electroluminescence emission is greatly suppressed relative to that of QW based devices (×100 and ×1000, respectively at the highest dose studied). Irradiated QD laser diodes demonstrated lasing action over the entire range of fluences, and 2 orders of magnitude beyond the maximum dose sustainable by QW devices. The improved damage response of QD based structures results from efficient collection and localization of electrons and holes by QDs in the active region, which limit carrier transfer to nonradiative centers. This work suggests the suitability of QD device architectures for use in radiation environments, and in high power applications, wherever nonradiative processes promote the degradation or failure of traditional QW devices.

Band‐gap tuning of InGaAs/InGaAsP/InP laser using high energy ion implantation

The technique of ion‐induced quantum well intermixing using broad area, high energy (1 MeV P+) ion implantation has been used to tune the emission wavelength of an InGaAs/InGaAsP/InP multiple quantum well (MQW) laser operating at 1.5 μm. The optical quality of the band‐gap shifted material is assessed using low‐temperature photoluminescence (PL). The band‐gap tuned lasers are characterized in terms of threshold current density and external quantum efficiency and exhibit blue shifts in the lasing spectra of up to 63 nm. This approach offers the prospect of a powerful and relatively simple fabrication technique for integrating active as well as passive optoelectronic devices.

Two‐dimensional time‐resolved imaging with 100‐ps resolution using a resistive anode photomultiplier tube

A two‐dimensional microchannel plate photomultiplier with a position sensitive resistive anode has been integrated with time‐correlated single photon counting circuitry. The result is a very powerful spectroscopic system which combines the very low dark count and parallel collection capabilities of the imaging tube with simultaneous timing information about the individual photon events. The digital x,y and timing information for each photon event is directly stored onto a hard‐disk in real time. When the detector is placed at the output of a spectrometer, the system provides software‐controllable arbitrary time windowing of complete spectra. When used as an image recorder, the system provides software‐controllable time windowing of entire two‐dimensional images, with ∼100‐ps effective frame times.

ENHANCED GROUP-V INTERMIXING IN INGAAS/INP QUANTUM WELLS STUDIED BY CROSS-SECTIONAL SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY

Cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy is used to study InGaAs/InP quantum-well intermixing produced by phosphorus implantation. When phosphorus ions are implanted in a cap layer in front of the quantum wells (in contrast to earlier work involving implantation through the wells), clear strain development is observed at the interfaces between quantum well and barrier layers after annealing. This is interpreted in terms of enhanced group-V compared to group-III interdiffusion.