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A comparative study of AlGaN- and GaN-based lasing structures for near- and deep-UV applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2011

Sergiy Bidnyk ,
Jack B. Lam ,
Gordon G. Gainer ,
Brian D. Little ,
Yong-Hwan Kwon ,
Jin-Joo Song ,
Gary E. Bulman  and
Hua-Shuang Kong
Sergiy Bidnyk
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
Jack B. Lam
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
Gordon G. Gainer
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
Brian D. Little
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
Yong-Hwan Kwon
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
Jin-Joo Song
Affiliation:
Center for Laser and Photonics Research and Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
Gary E. Bulman
Affiliation:
Cree Research, Inc., Durham, NC 27713, USA
Hua-Shuang Kong
Affiliation:
Cree Research, Inc., Durham, NC 27713, USA
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Abstract

We report a comprehensive study on the optical properties of GaN- and AlGaN-based lasing structures at high-levels of optical excitation (carrier densities of 1017−1020 cm−3) and identify critical issues necessary for the development of near- and deep-UV light emitting devices. We successfully achieved room temperature stimulated emission (SE) with emission wavelengths ranging from 351 nm to 373 nm in a variety of samples. Through an analysis of the temperature-dependent lasing characteristics, combined with absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, we estimated the carrier density required to achieve the SE threshold in GaN epilayers. We found that in AlGaN epilayers, the onset of SE (∼1019 cm−3) occurs at carrier densities one order of magnitude higher than in thick GaN epilayers, indicating that an electron-hole plasma is the dominant gain mechanism over the entire temperature range studied (10 K to 300 K). A remarkably low lasing threshold was observed in GaN/AlGaN heterostructures over the temperature range of 10 K to 300 K. Our experimental results indicate that GaN/AlGaN heterostructures could be used to efficiently generate laser emission with wavelengths shorter than 373 nm. The implications of this study on the development of UV laser diodes is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 622: Symposium T – Wide-Bandgap Electronic Devices , 2000 , T3.8.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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