Physics and characteristics of high performance 1200 nm InGaAs and 1300–1400 nm InGaAsN quantum well lasers obtained by metal–organic chemical vapour deposition

Here we present the physics and device characteristics of high performance strain-compensated MOCVD-grown 1200 nm InGaAs and 1300–1400 nm InGaAsN quantum well (QW) lasers. Utilizing the GaAsP barriers surrounding the highly strained InGaAsN QW active regions, high performance QW lasers have been realized from 1170 nm up to 1400 nm wavelength regions. The design of the InGaAsN QW active region utilizes an In content of approximately 40%, which requires only approximately 0.5–1% N content to realize emission wavelengths up to 1300–1410 nm. Threshold current densities of only 65– 90 A cm−2 were realized for InGaAs QW lasers, with emission wavelengths of 1170–1233 nm. Room temperature threshold and transparency current densities of 210 and 75–80 A cm−2, respectively, have been realized for 1300 nm InGaAsN QW lasers. Despite the utilization of the highly strained InGaAsN QW, multiple-QW lasers have been realized with excellent lasing performance. Methods for extending the lasing emission wavelength up to 1400 nm with InGaAsN QW lasers are also presented. Theoretical analysis and experiments also show suppression of thermionic carrier leakages in InGaAsN QW systems leading to high performance lasers operating at high temperature. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version) 0953-8984/04/313277+42$30.00 © 2004 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK S3277