KEYWORDS: Semiconductor lasers, Near field, Near field optics, Gallium nitride, Laser damage threshold, Cladding, Spectroscopy, Semiconductors, CCD cameras, Imaging systems
One of the most desired features of the semiconductor blue/near UV laser diodes (LDs) is the possibility to obtain
high output powers from the devices. This can be realized by means of multi emitter structures. We demonstrate
the construction of violet blue multi-quantum-well (MQW) InGaN/GaN laser mini - bars, yet quite novel system
in nitride-based devices. It consists of three laser stripes (3 μm wide), closely spaced with 40 μm pitch. The
structures were fabricated on high pressure grown, low dislocation density substrates. Under cw operation
the measured spectra demonstrate sharp, almost single line emission (FWHM around 1.43 Å at λ = 406 nm).
Measurements of the optical far field pattern revealed that when operated below threshold the device was emitting
light from all three stripes, whereas during lasing we observed the optical mode only in the area of the middle
laser stripe. The behavior of optical mode suggests the formation of the so called supermode (coherent emission
from all three devices) which was observed also in case of structures fabricated with wider ridges (of 7 μm with
20 μm pitch).
KEYWORDS: Near field, Modes of laser operation, Superposition, Near field optics, Waveguides, Semiconductor lasers, Gaussian beams, Refractive index, Laser beam propagation, Near field scanning optical microscopy
For broad ridge (Al,In)GaN laser diodes, which are inevitable for high output power applications in the near-UV
to blue spectral region, filaments appear, which influence the far-field beam quality. We present an extensive
study of the optical mode profile of conventional c-plane LD test structures with ridge widths from 1.5 to 10
micrometers. The broad ridge samples are optimized to reach several hundred milliwatt of cw output power.
Spectral and spatial resolved near- and far-field measurements show, that the characteristic lateral multi-lobed
far-field pattern can be interpreted as superposition of interfering phase-locked filaments in the ridge waveguide.
KEYWORDS: Waveguides, Refractive index, Semiconductor lasers, Temperature metrology, Modes of laser operation, Near field optics, Near field scanning optical microscopy, Optical simulations, Thermal effects, Superposition
For broad ridge (Al,In)GaN laser diodes, which are inevitable for high output power applications in the UV
and blue spectral range, filaments or higher order lateral modes build p, which influence the far-field beam
quality. We investigate the lateral profile of the optical laser mode in the waveguide experimentally by temporal
and spectral resolved scanning near-field optical microscopy measurements on electrically pulsed driven laser
diodes and compare these results with one-dimensional simulations of the lateral laser mode in the waveguide.
We present a model that describes the optical mode profile as a superposition of different lateral modes in a
refractive index profile which is modified by carrier- and
thermal-induced effects. In this way the mode dynamics on a nanosecond to microsecond time scale can be explained by thermal effects.
We investigate two types of 405 nm (In, Al)GaN test laser structures (TLSs), one of them grown on SiC substrates,
the other grown on low dislocation density freestanding GaN substrates. Measuring the lasing spectra of these
structures, we observe an individual behavior depending on the substrate. TLSs on GaN substrates show a
broad longitudinal mode spectrum above threshold, whereas TLSs on SiC are lasing only on one mode with
various jumps of the laser emission at certain currents. Estimating the gain of each longitudinal mode with the
Hakki-Paoli method, we find minute variations of the gain for TLSs on GaN substrate. In contrary, TLSs on
SiC substrate show much larger fluctuations of the gain for individual longitudinal modes. Using a rate equation
model with nonlinear gain effects, we simulate the longitudinal mode spectrum of both types of TLSs. Once we
modify the gain of each longitudinal mode as observed in the gain measurements, the simulated spectra resemble
the SiC or GaN substrate TLS spectra.
The internal quantum efficiency as a function of the internal electric field was studied in InGaN/GaN based quantumwell
heterostructures. Most striking, we find the IQE to be independent of the electron hole overlap for a standard green-emitting
single quantum-well LED structure. In standard c-plane grown InGaN quantum wells, internal piezo-fields are
responsible for a reduced overlap of electron and hole wavefunction. Minimization of these fields, for example by
growth on non-polar m- and a-planes, is generally considered a key to improve the performance of nitride-based light
emitting devices. In our experiment, we manipulate the overlap by applying different bias voltages to the standard c-plane
grown sample, thus superimposing a voltage induced band-bending to the internal fields. In contrast to the IQE
measurement, the dependence of carrier lifetime and wavelength shift on bias voltage could be explained solely by the
internal piezo-fields according to the quantum confined Stark effect. Measurements were performed using temperature
and bias dependent resonant photoluminescence, measuring luminescence and photocurrent simultaneously.
Furthermore, the doping profile in the immediate vicinity of the QWs was found to be a key parameter that strongly
influences the IQE measurement. A doping induced intrinsic hole reservoir inside the QWs is suggested to enhance the
radiative exciton recombination rate and thus to improve saturation of photoluminescence efficiency.
We measure gain spectra for commercial (Al,In)GaN laser diodes with peak gain wavelengths of 470 nm, 440 nm,
405 nm, and 375 nm, covering the spectral range accessible with electrical pumping. For this systematic study we
employ the Hakki-Paoli method, i.e. the laser diodes are electrically driven and gain is measured below threshold
current densities. The measured gain spectra are reasonable for a 2D carrier system and understandable when
we take into account homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening. While inhomogeneous broadening is almost
negligible for the near UV laser diode, it becomes the dominant broadening mechanism for the longer wavelength
laser diodes. We compare the gain spectra with two models describing the inhomogeneous broadening. The first
model assumes a constant carrier density, while the second model assumes a constant quasi Fermi level. Both
are in agreement with the experimental gain spectra, but predict very different carrier densities. We see our
measurements as providing a set of standard gain spectra for similar laser diodes covering a wide spectral range
which can be used to develop and calibrate theoretical manybody gain simulations.
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