Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gvh9x Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-17T05:54:54.176Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Comparative Study of Emission from Highly Excited (In, Al) GaN Thin Films and Heterostructures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

B. D. Little
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
S. Bidnyk
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
T. J. Schmidt
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
J. B. Lam
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
Y. H. Kwon
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
J. J. Song
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
S. Keller
Affiliation:
Computer Engineering and Materials Departments, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
U. K. Mishra
Affiliation:
Computer Engineering and Materials Departments, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
S. P. DenBaars
Affiliation:
Computer Engineering and Materials Departments, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
W. Yang
Affiliation:
Honeywell Technology Center, Plymouth, MN 55441
Get access

Abstract

The optical properties of (In, Al) GaN thin films and heterostructures have been compared under the conditions of strong nanosecond excitation. The stimulated emission (SE) threshold from AIGaN epilayers was found to increase with increasing Al content compared to GaN, in contrast to InGaN epilayers, where an order of magnitude decrease is observed. Optically pumped SE has been observed from AIGaN films with aluminum concentrations as high as 26%. Room temperature SE at wavelengths as low as 327 nm has been achieved. In contrast to the increase of SE threshold seen for AlGaN films, we found that AlGaN/GaN heterostructures which utilize carrier confinement and optical waveguiding drastically enhance the lasing characteristics. We demonstrate that AIGaN/GaN heterostructures are suitable for the development of deep ultraviolet laser diodes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Nakamura, S. and Fasol, G., The Blue Laser Diode, (Springer, Berlin, 1997).10.1007/978-3-662-03462-0Google Scholar
2. Akasaki, I., Sota, S., Sakai, H., Tanaka, T., Koike, M., and Amano, H., Electron. Lett. 32, 1105(1996).10.1049/el:19960743Google Scholar
3. Schmidt, T. J., Cho, Yong-Hoon, Song, J. J., and Yang, Wei, Appl. Phys. Lett. 74, 245(1999).10.1063/1.123269Google Scholar
4. Keller, S., Abare, A. C., Minsky, M. S., Wu, X. H., Mack, M. P., Speck, J. S., Hu, E., Coldren, L. A., Mishra, U. K., and DenBaars, S. P., Mater. Sci. Forum 264268, 1157 (1998).Google Scholar
5. Bidnyk, S., Schmidt, T. J., Park, G. H., and Song, J. J., Appl. Phys. Lett. 71, 729(1997).10.1063/1.119627Google Scholar
6. Yang, X. H., Schmidt, T. J., Shan, W., Song, J. J., and Goldenberg, B., Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 1 (1995).10.1063/1.114222Google Scholar
7. Bidnyk, S., Schmidt, T. J., Little, B. D., and Song, J. J., Appl. Phys. Lett. 74, 1 (1999).10.1063/1.123114Google Scholar
8. Cho, Yong-Hoon, Schmidt, T. J, Bidnyk, S., Song, J. J., Keller, S., Mishra, U. K., and DenBaars, S. P., Proc. MRS Fall G6.54, 161, Boston (1998).Google Scholar
9. Bidnyk, S., Schmidt, T. J., Cho, Y. H., Gainer, G. H., Song, J. J., Keller, S., Mishra, U. K., and DenBaars, S. P., Appl. Phys. Lett. 72, 1623(1998).10.1063/1.121133Google Scholar
10. Song, J. J., Fischer, A. J., Schmidt, T. J., Bidnyk, S., and Shan, W., Nonlinear Optics 18 (2–1), 269 (1997).Google Scholar