Phonon-assisted stimulated emission in strained-layer AlyGa1−yAs-GaAs-InxGa1−xAs quantum-well heterostructures

Nam, D. W., Holonyak, N., Hsieh, K. C., Gavrilovic, P., Meehan, K., Stutius, W. and Williams, J. E. (1989) Phonon-assisted stimulated emission in strained-layer AlyGa1−yAs-GaAs-InxGa1−xAs quantum-well heterostructures. Journal of Applied Physics, 66(3), p. 1347. (doi: 10.1063/1.344434)

Abstract

Data are presented demonstrating phonon‐assisted laser operation (77 and 300 K) of photopumped strained‐layer Al y Ga1−y As‐GaAs‐In x Ga1−x As (x∼0.15) quantum‐well heterostructures (QWHs) grown using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. When a cleaved rectangular sample (10–50 μm×100–500 μm) of the QWH, with GaAs substrate removed, is imbedded in In under a sapphire window (for 77‐K data), and the In is folded upward along the cleaved edges to provide high edge reflection and high cavityQ, closely spaced end‐to‐end laser modes (9000 Å) occur along the sample at an energy one LO phonon below the lowest confined‐particle transition (ΔE=ℏωLO≊36 meV), and widely spaced edge‐to‐edge laser modes occur across the sample on confined‐particle transitions. For comparison, the experiment is repeated with rectangular QWH samples clamped on Au with a sapphire window, but with no metal folded onto the sample edges, thus insuring low reflectivity at the cleaved edges (low Qcavity). In the low Q resonator configuration, all of the high‐energy modes (transitions on confined‐particle states) disappear, and only the low‐energy phonon‐assisted laser modes are evident. This comparison (high Q versus low Q photoexcitation), as well as the abrupt turn‐on of laser operation in a narrow spectral range one phonon (ΔE=ℏωLO≊36 meV) below the lowest confined‐particle transitions, leads to unambiguous identification of phonon‐assisted laser operation of a strained‐layer Al y Ga1−y As‐GaAs‐In x Ga1−x As QWH. In addition, bandfilling is demonstrated through the entire well depth of an L z ≊125 Å In x Ga1 − x As QW to well above 150 meV into the GaAs QW containing the strained layer.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Meehan, Professor Kathleen
• Authors: Nam, D. W., Holonyak, N., Hsieh, K. C., Gavrilovic, P., Meehan, K., Stutius, W., and Williams, J. E.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering
• Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics
• ISSN: 0021-8979
• ISSN (Online): 1089-7550