Modeling and experimental study of 780–808-nm AlGaAs/GaAs injection lasers with electron superlattice barriers

Abstract

Electron superlattice barriers (ESBs) were used in AlGaAs/GaAs injection lasers to improve the electron confinement of the active layer by Bragg reflection of electron waves. The design of a separate-confinement heterostructure (SCH) laser with ESBs operating at 780–808 nm was optimized. Conventional SCH and SCH-ESB were prepared by low-pressure MOCVD epitaxy. Oxide stripe lasers with stripe widths of 100 and 200µm were prepared. The threshold current density of 0.3 kA/cm² and the characteristic temperature constantT ₀=220 K were measured at a wavelength of 808 nm for SCH-ESB lasers with an active-layer thickness of 40 nm and a resonator length of 0.4–0.5 mm. For conventional SCH lasers with the same geometry, a threshold current density of 0.42 kA/cm² andT ₀=160 K were obtained. Experimental results on the low-temperature photoluminescence characterizing ESB regions are presented and are compared with the calculated miniband energy spectrum of the superlattice structure. The leakage currents for ordinary SCH and SCH-ESB lasers were analyzed. Experimental verification of a reduction in the leakage current for SCH-ESB lasers was obtained.