Extended wavelength strained layer lasers having strain compensated layers

• US 5,825,796 A
• Filed: 09/25/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lumentum Operations, LLC (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Picolight Inc (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Jewell, Jack L., Temkin, Henryk
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leung, Quyen Phan
• Application Number:
  US08/721,589
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 372/45, 372/46, 257/190, 257/18, 257/17, 257/94, 257/192, 257/194, 117/89, 438/494, 428/426
• US Class Current: 372/45.011
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/105 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/30 containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2302/00 Amplification / lasing wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0211 Substrates made of ternary or quaternary compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1221 Detuning between Bragg wavelength and gain maximum
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18311 using selective oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18358 containing spacer layers to adjust the phase of the light wave in the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2215 using native oxidation of semiconductor layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2231 with inner confining structure only between the active layer and the upper electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3201 incorporating bulkstrain effects, e.g. strain compensation, strain related to polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3202 grown on specifically orientated substrates, or using orientation dependent growth
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3206 ordering or disordering the natural superlattice in ternary or quaternary materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3235 emitting light at a wavelength longer than 1000 nm, e.g. InP-based 1300 nm and 1500 nm lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32366 (In)GaAs with small amount of N
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32383 small amount of Thallum (TI), e.g. GaTIP
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34 comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers H01S5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3403 having a strained layer structure in which the strain performs a special function, e.g. general strain effects, strain versus polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3406 : including strain compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/342 : containing short period superlattices [SPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/343 : in AIIIBV compounds, e.g. AlGaAs-laser , InP-based laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34306 : emitting light at a wavelength longer than 1000nm, e.g. InP based 1300 and 1500nm lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34313 : with a well layer having only As as V-compound, e.g. AlGaAs, InGaAs

Abstract

Several methods are used in novel ways with newly identified and viable parameters to decrease the peak transition energies of the pseudomorphic InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures. These techniques, taken separately or in combination, suffice to permit operation of light emitting devices at wavelengths of 1.3 μm or greater of light-emitting electro-optic devices. These methods or techniques, by example, include: (1) utilizing new superlattice structures having high In concentrations in the active region, (2) utilizing strain compensation to increase the usable layer thickness for quantum wells with appropriately high In concentrations, (3) utilizing appropriately small amounts of nitrogen (N) in the pseudomorphic InGaAsN/GaAs laser structure, and (4) use of nominal (111) oriented substrates to increase the usable layer thickness for quantum wells with appropriately high In concentrations. In all of the above techniques, gain offset may be utilized in VCSELs to detune the emission energy lower than the peak transition energy, by about 25 meV or even more, via appropriate DBR spacing. Gain offset may also be utilized in some forms of in-plane lasers. Increased temperature may also be used to decrease peak transition energy (and therefore the emission energy) by about 50 meV/100° C. All these techniques are furthermore applicable to other material systems, for example, extending the emission wavelength for laser diodes grown on InP substrates. Additionally, structures which utilize the above techniques are discussed.

Claims

1. A light emitting device having at least a substrate and an active region, said light emitting device comprising:

said substrate having a substrate lattice constant between 5.63 Å and

5.67 Å

;

a first strained layer having a lattice constant smaller than said substrate lattice constant and being disposed between said substrate and said active region;

said active region comprising one pseudomorphic light emitting active layer disposed above said substrate, said active layer comprising In, Ga and As, said active layer comprises at least two strained layers, and a third layer disposed between said two strained layers, said active layer having a thickness equal to or less than 80 Å

; and

wherein said light emitting device has an emission wavelength of at least 1.3 μ

m.

2. The device recited in claim 1, wherein said active layer has a concentration of In and Sb of 25% or greater of a semiconductor material in said active layer.

3. The device recited in claim 1, wherein said active layer has a thickness less than 2.5 times CT, where:

CT=(0.4374/f), where f is an average lattice mismatch of said active layer normalized to a lattice constant of 5.65 Å

.

4. The device recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises GaAs.

5. The device recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate consists essentially of GaAs.

6. A light emitting device having at least a substrate and an active region, said light emitting device comprising:

said substrate having a substrate lattice constant between 5.63 Å and

5.67 Å

;

a first strained layer having a lattice constant smaller than a substrate lattice constant and being disposed between said substrate and said active region;

said active region comprising at least one pseudomorphic light emitting active layer disposed above said first strained layer, said active layer comprising In, Ga and As;

said active layer having a combined concentration of In and Sb of 25% or greater of a semiconductor material in said active layer, said active layer having a thickness greater than CT for a given material, where;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">CT=(0.4374/f)(ln (CT/4)+1),

where f is an average lattice mismatch of said active layer normalized to a lattice constant of 5.65 Å

;

wherein said light emitting device has an emission wavelength of at least 1.3 μ

m.

7. The device recited in claim 6, wherein said first strained layer has at least one graded interface.

8. The device recited in claim 6, wherein said first strained layer has at least one stepped interface.

9. The device recited in claim 6, wherein said first strained layer has at least one superlattice interface.

10. The device recited in claim 6, wherein said first strained layer has at least one smoothly graded interface.

11. The device recited in claim 6, wherein said first strained layer comprises GaAs_1-z P_z with 0.01≦

z≦

1.0.

12. The device recited in claim 6, further comprising a second strained layer disposed above said active region.

13. The device recited in claim 12, wherein said second strained layer comprises GaAs_1-z P_z with 0.01≦

z≦

1.0.

14. The device recited in claim 6, wherein said substrate has an orientation between 0°

and 5°

off the (001) orientation.

15. The device recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a first conductive layer having a first conductivity type, said first conductive layer being disposed below said active layer and in electrical communication therewith;

a second conductive layer having a second conductivity type, said second conductive layer being disposed above said active layer and in electrical communication therewith; and

electrical communication means for providing electrical current to said active layer.

16. The device recited in claim 15, further comprising a bottom mirror disposed below said radiation-emitting layer and a top mirror disposed above said radiation-emitting layer, said top and bottom mirrors defining an optical cavity having a cavity resonance at a resonance wavelength corresponding to a resonance energy;

said resonance wavelength in μ

m, as measured in vacuum, being equal to 1.24 divided by said resonance energy, in electron volts.

17. The device recited in claim 16, wherein said bottom mirror comprises alternating high-index layers and low-index layers.

18. The device recited in claim 17, wherein said low index layers comprise oxidized material.

19. The device recited in claim 16, wherein said top mirror, comprises alternating low index layers and high index layers.

20. The device recited in claim 19, wherein said low index layers are selected from the group consisting of:

oxidized material, low-index dielectric material, relatively-low-index semiconductor material, and any combination thereof.

21. The device recited in claim 20, wherein said high index layers are selected from the group consisting of:

high-index dielectric material, high-index semiconductor material and any combination thereof.

22. The device recited in claim 16, further comprising an aperture disposed between said active region and said top mirror, said aperture having a first and second region, said first region exhibits high electrical resistance;

and second region and has an electrical resistance lower that said first region.

23. The device recited in claim 22, wherein said first region is oxidized and said second region is oxidized less than said first region.

24. The device recited in claim 16, wherein said resonance wavelength exceeds a peak transition wavelength of said active region by at least 0.010 μ

m.

25. The device recited in claim 15, further comprising a grating layer disposed above said second conductive layer, said grating layer having grating lines extending at least partially or completely across said active region to form a grating, said grating defining an optical cavity having a cavity resonance at a resonance wavelength corresponding to a resonance energy;

said resonance wavelength in μ

m, as measured in vacuum, being equal to 1.24 divided by said resonance energy, in electron volts.

26. The device recited in claim 25, wherein said grating lines are shifted by approximately least one quarter wave or a multiple thereof to form a phase shift grating.

27. The device recited in claim 6, wherein said active region has a peak transition wavelength of at least 1.24 μ

m.

28. A light emitting device having at least a substrate and an active region, said light emitting device comprising:

said substrate having a substrate lattice constant between 5.63 Å and

5.67 Å

;

a first strained layer disposed between said substrate and said active region, said first strained layer having a first accumulated strain and a first critical accumulated strain associated therewith, said first accumulated strain being less than said first critical accumulated strain;

said active region comprising at least one pseudomorphic light emitting active layer disposed above said substrate, said active layer comprising In, Ga and As;

said active layer having a concentration of In and Sb greater than 25% of a semiconductor material in said active layer, said active layer having a second accumulated strain and a second critical accumulated strain associated therewith, the algebraic sum of said first and second accumulated strains being less than said second critical accumulated strain;

wherein an algebraic sum said first and second critical accumulated strains for a given material equals a strain of said material multiplied by CT for a given material, where;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">CT=(0.4374/f) ln (CT/4)+1!,

where f is an average lattice mismatch of said active layer normalized to a lattice constant of 5.65 Å

;

wherein said light emitting device has an emission wavelength of at least 1.3 μ

m.

29. The device recited in claim 28, further comprising:

a first conductive layer having a first conductivity type, said first conductive layer disposed below said active layer and in electrical communication with said active layer;

a second conductive layer having a second conductivity type, said second conductive layer being disposed above said active layer and in electrical communication therewith; and

electrical communication means for providing electrical current to said active layer.

30. The device recited in claim 29, further comprising a bottom mirror disposed below said radiation-emitting layer and a top mirror disposed above said radiation-emitting layer, said top and bottom mirrors defining an optical cavity having a cavity resonance at a resonance wavelength corresponding to a resonance energy;

said resonance wavelength in μ

m, as measured in vacuum, being equal to 1.24 divided by said resonance energy, in electron volts.

31. The device recited in claim 30, wherein said top mirror, comprises alternating low index layers and high index layers.

32. The device recited in claim 31, wherein said low index layers are selected from the group consisting of:

oxidized material, low-index dielectric material, relatively-low-index semiconductor material, and any combination thereof.

33. The device recited in claim 32, wherein said high index layers are selected from the group consisting of:

high-index dielectric material, high-index semiconductor material and any combination thereof.

34. The device recited in claim 30, further comprising an aperture disposed between said active region and said top mirror, said aperture having a first and second region.

35. The device recited in claim 34, wherein said first region exhibits high electrical resistance;

and second region and has an electrical resistance lower that said first region.

36. The device recited in claim 34, wherein said first region is oxidized and said second region is oxidized less than said first region.

37. The device recited in claim 30, wherein said active region has a peak transition wavelength of at least 1.24 μ

m and said resonance wavelength exceeds a peak transition wavelength of said active region by at least 0.010 μ

m.

38. The device recited in claim 30, wherein said bottom mirror comprises alternating high-index layers and low-index layers.

39. The device recited in claim 38, wherein said low index layers comprise oxidized material.

40. The device recited in claim 29, further comprising a grating layer disposed above said second conductive layer, said grating layer having grating lines extending at least partially or completely across said active region to form a grating, said grating defining an optical cavity having a cavity resonance at a resonance wavelength corresponding to a resonance energy;

said resonance wavelength in μ

m, as measured in vacuum, being equal to 1.24 divided by said resonance energy, in electron volts.

41. The device recited in claim 29, wherein said grating lines are shifted by approximately least one quarter wave or a multiple thereof to form a phase shift grating.

42. A light emitting device having at least a substrate and an active region, said light emitting device comprising:

said substrate comprising having a substrate lattice constant between 5.63 Å and

5.67 Å

;

a first strained layer disposed between said substrate and said active region, said first strained layer having a first accumulated strain and a first critical accumulated strain associated therewith, said first accumulated strain being less than said first critical accumulated strain;

said active region comprising at least one pseudomorphic light emitting active layer disposed above said substrate, said active layer comprising In and Ga, said active layer comprising at least two strained layers, and a third layer disposed between said two strained layers, said active layer having a second accumulated strain and a second critical accumulated strain associated therewith, the algebraic sum of said first and second accumulated strains being less than said second critical accumulated strain; and

wherein said light emitting device has an emission wavelength of at least 1.3 μ

m.

43. The device recited in claim 42, wherein said active layer has a concentration of In and Sb of 25% or greater of a semiconductor material in said active layer.

44. The device recited in claim 42, wherein said active layer has a thickness less than 2.5 times CT, where:

CT=(0.4374/f) ln(CT/4)+1!, where f is an average lattice mismatch of said active layer normalized to a lattice constant of 5.65 Å

.

45. The device recited in claim 42, wherein said first strained layer comprises GaAs_1-z P_z with 0.1≦

z≦

1.0.

46. The device recited in claim 42, further comprising a second strained layer disposed above said active region.

47. The device recited in claim 46, wherein said second strained layer comprises GaAs_1-z P_z with 0.1≦

z≦

1.0.

48. The device recited in claim 42, wherein said substrate comprises GaAs.

49. The device recited in claim 42, wherein said substrate consists essentially of GaAs.

50. The device recited in claim 42, wherein said substrate has an orientation between 0°

and 5°

off the (001) orientation.

51. The device recited in claim 42, wherein said active layers are integral multiples of atomic monolayers.

52. The device recited in claim 42, wherein at least two adjacent superlattice layers differ in at least one constituent element by at least 15%.

53. The device recited in claim 42, wherein said superlattice comprises (InAs)₂ (GaAs)₁ (InAs)₂ (GaAs)₁ (InAs)₂, wherein InAs and GaAs comprise at least 90% of the (InAs) and (GaAs) layers, respectively.

54. The device recited in claim 42, further comprising:

a first conductive layer having a first conductivity type, said first conductive layer disposed in electrical communication with said active layer;

a second conductive layer having a second conductivity type, said second conductive layer being disposed above said active layer and in electrical communication therewith; and

electrical communication means for providing electrical current to said active layer.

55. The device recited in claim 54, further comprising a bottom mirror disposed below said radiation-emitting layer and a top mirror disposed above said radiation-emitting layer, said top and bottom mirrors defining an optical cavity having a cavity resonance at a resonance wavelength corresponding to a resonance energy;

said resonance wavelength in μ

m, as measured in vacuum, being equal to 1.24 divided by said resonance energy, in electron volts.

56. The device recited in claim 55, wherein said active region has a peak transition wavelength of at least 1.24 μ

m and said resonance wavelength exceeds a peak transition wavelength of said active region by at least 0.010 μ

m.

57. The device recited in claim 54, further comprising a grating layer disposed above said second conductive layer, said grating layer having grating lines extending at least partially or completely across said active region to form a grating, said grating defining an optical cavity having a cavity resonance at a resonance wavelength corresponding to a resonance energy;

said resonance wavelength in μ

m, as measured in vacuum, being equal to 1.24 divided by said resonance energy, in electron volts.

58. The device recited in claim 57, wherein said grating lines are shifted by approximately least one quarter wave or a multiple thereof to form a phase shift grating.

59. A light emitting device having at least a substrate and an active region, said light emitting device comprising:

said substrate comprising having a substrate lattice constant between 5.63 Å and

5.67 Å

;

a first strained layer disposed between said substrate and said active region, said first strained layer having a first accumulated strain and a first critical accumulated strain associated therewith, said first accumulated strain being less than said first critical accumulated strain;

said active region comprising at least one pseudomorphic light emitting active layer disposed above said substrate, said active layer comprising In, Ga and As, said active layer comprises at least two strained layers, and a third layer disposed between said two strained layers, forming a superlattice having an average sum of In and Sb concentrations in said superlattice at 25% or greater of a semiconductor material in said active layer, said active layer having a second accumulated strain and a second critical accumulated strain associated therewith, said second accumulated strain being less than said second critical accumulated strain;

wherein said first and second critical accumulated strain for a given material equals a strain of said material multiplied by CT for a given material, where;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">CT=(0.4374/f) ln (CT/4)+1!,

where f is an average lattice mismatch of said active layer normalized to a lattice constant of 5.65 Å

; and

wherein said light emitting device has an emission wavelength of at least 1.3 μ

m.

60. A light emitting device having at least a substrate and an active region, said light emitting device comprising:

said substrate comprising having a substrate lattice constant between 5.63 Å and

5.67 Å and

having a growth plane which has an orientation within 15°

of (111);

said active region comprising at least one pseudomorphic light emitting active layer disposed above said substrate, said active layer comprising In, Ga and As, said active layer having a thickness equal to or less than twice a respective CT, where;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">CT=(0.4374/f) ln (CT/4)+1!,

where f is an average lattice mismatch of said active layer normalized to a lattice constant of 5.65 Å

;

wherein said active layer has an average sum of In and Sb concentrations of equal to or greater than 25% or greater of a semiconductor material in said active layer; and

wherein said light emitting device has an emission wavelength of at least 1.3 μ

m.

61. The device recited in claim 60, further comprising:

a first conductive layer having a first conductivity type, said first conductive layer disposed in electrical communication with said active layer;

a second conductive layer having a second conductivity type, said second conductive layer being disposed above said active layer and in electrical communication therewith; and

electrical communication means for providing electrical current to said active layer.

62. The device recited in claim 61, further comprising a bottom mirror disposed below said radiation-emitting layer and a top mirror disposed above said radiation-emitting layer, said top and bottom mirrors defining an optical cavity having a cavity resonance at a resonance wavelength corresponding to a resonance energy;

said resonance wavelength in μ

m, as measured in vacuum, being equal to 1.24 divided by said resonance energy, in electron volts.

63. The device recited in claim 62, wherein said bottom mirror comprises alternating high-index layers and low-index layers.

64. The device recited in claim 63, wherein said low index layers comprise oxidized material.

65. The device recited in claim 62, wherein said top mirror, comprises alternating low index layers and high index layers.

66. The device recited in claim 65, wherein said low index layers are selected from the group consisting of:

oxidized material, low-index dielectric material, relatively-low-index semiconductor material, and any combination thereof.

67. The device recited in claim 66, wherein said high index layers are selected from the group consisting of:

high-index dielectric material, high-index semiconductor material and any combination thereof.

68. The device recited in claim 62, further comprising an aperture disposed between said active region and said top mirror, said aperture having a first and second region.

69. The device recited in claim 68, wherein said first region exhibits high electrical resistance;

and second region and has an electrical resistance lower that said first region.

70. The device recited in claim 68, wherein said first region is oxidized and said second region is oxidized less than said first region.

71. The device recited in claim 62, wherein said active region has a peak transition wavelength of at least 1.24 μ

m and said resonance wavelength exceeds a peak transition wavelength of said active region by at least 0.010 μ

m.

72. The device recited in claim 61, further comprising a grating layer disposed above said second conductive layer, said grating layer having grating lines extending at least partially or completely across said active region to form a grating, said grating defining an optical cavity having a cavity resonance at a resonance wavelength corresponding to a resonance energy;

said resonance wavelength in μ

m, as measured in vacuum, being equal to 1.24 divided by said resonance energy, in electron volts.

73. The device recited in claim 72, wherein said grating lines are shifted by approximately least one quarter wave or a multiple thereof to form a phase shift grating.