High Performance Phase and Amplitude Modulators Based on GaInAsP Stepped Quantum Wells

ABSTRACT Enhanced electrooptic coefficient of GaInAsP three-step quantum wells (3SQW) for high power electrorefraction modulator applications is reported. Measured electrooptic coefficient of the 3SQW is nearly three times higher than the conventional rectangular quantum well (RQW) at λ=1.55 µm. Higher electrooptic effect, combined with a low optical absorption coefficient α<1 cm -1 in the 3SQW increased the modulator figure of merit by nearly 53 times, and decreased the power consumption by nearly one order of magnitude compared with a conventional RQW design

Quaternary InGaAsSb Thermophotovoltaic Diode Technology

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) diodes fabricated from InGaAsSb alloys lattice-matched to GaSb substrates are grown by Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE). 0.53eV InGaAsSb TPV diodes utilizing front-surface spectral control filters have been tested in a vacuum cavity and a TPV thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency ({eta}{sub TPV}) and a power density (PD) of {eta}{sub TPV} = 19% and PD=0.58 W/cm{sup 2} were measured for T{sub radiator} = 950 C and T{sub diode} = 27 C. Recombination coefficients deduced from minority carrier measurements and the theory reviewed in this article predict a practical limit to the maximum achievable conversion efficiency and power density for 0.53eV InGaAsSb TPV. The limits for the above operating temperatures are projected to be {eta}{sub TPV} = 26% and PD = 0.75 W/cm{sup 2}. These limits are extended to {eta}{sub TPV} = 30% and PD = 0.85W/cm{sup 2} if the diode active region is bounded by a reflective back surface to enable photon recycling and a two-pass optical path length. The internal quantum efficiency of the InGaAsSb TPV diode is close to the theoretically predicted limits, with the exception of short wavelength absorption in GaSb contact layers. Experiments show that the open circuit voltage of the 0.53eV InGaAsSb TPV diodes is not strongly dependent on the device architectures studied in this work where both N/P and P/N double heterostructure diodes have been grown with various acceptor and donor doping levels, having GaSb and AlGaAsSb confinement, and also partial back surface reflectors. Lattice matched InGaAsSb TPV diodes were fabricated with bandgaps ranging from 0.6 to 0.5eV without significant degradation of the open circuit voltage factor, quantum efficiency, or fill factor as the composition approached the miscibility gap. The key diode performance parameter which is limiting efficiency and power density below the theoretical limits in InGaAsSb TPV devices is the open circuit voltage. The open circuit voltages of state-of-the-art 0.53eV InGaAsSb TPV diode are {approx}10% lower than the predicted semi-empirical limit to open circuit voltage for a device having absorbing substrate; the voltages are {approx}17% below that for an Auger-limited device having back surface reflector and two-pass optical design

0.52eV Quaternary InGaAsSb Thermophotovoltaic Diode Technology

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) diodes fabricated from 0.52eV lattice-matched InGaAsSb alloys are grown by Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) on GaSb substrates. 4cm{sup 2} multi-chip diode modules with front-surface spectral filters were tested in a vacuum cavity and attained measured efficiency and power density of 19% and 0.58 W/cm{sup 2} respectively at operating at temperatures of T{sub radiator} = 950 C and T{sub diode} = 27 C. Device modeling and minority carrier lifetime measurements of double heterostructure lifetime specimens indicate that diode conversion efficiency is limited predominantly by interface recombination and photon energy loss to the GaSb substrate and back ohmic contact. Recent improvements to the diode include lattice-matched p-type AlGaAsSb passivating layers with interface recombination velocities less than 100 cm/s and new processing techniques enabling thinned substrates and back surface reflectors. Modeling predictions of these improvements to the diode architecture indicate that conversion efficiencies from 27-30% and {approx}0.85 W/cm{sup 2} could be attained under the above operating temperatures

Highly Linear And Efficient Gainasp-Inp Phase Modulators

Highly linear and efficient InGaAsP phase modulators are presented. These devices show an order of magnitude higher linearity than bulk or quantum well phase modulators, while their efficiency is comparable to the best reported values

Effects of Substrate Surface Defects and Te Dopant Concentration on Crystalline Quality and Electrical Characteristics of AlGaAsSb Epitaxial Layers

Tellurium doped AlGaAsSb epitaxial layers were grown lattice-matched on GaSb substrates and lattice-mismatched on semi-insulating GaAs substrates by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy and Hall data showed that the ratio of carrier concentration to Te concentration decreases from 40% to 5% when the Te concentration increases from 4.8 x 10{sup 17} cm{sup -3} to 1.3 x 10{sup 19} cm{sup -3}. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the material with heavily doped Te generates a high density (about 10{sup 8} cm{sup 2}) of planar defects. Most of the Te-related defects originate at the GaSb buffer layer/AlGaAsSb epilayer interface. In addition, discrete precipitates were observed in the heavily doped AlGaAsSb layer. TEM imaging revealed amorphous defects (likely residual native oxides) along the GaSb substrate/GaSb buffer interface. High resolution TEM imaging revealed high quality growth beyond the GaSb-buffer/GaSb-substrate interfacial defects. The microstructural impact of GaSb-buffer/GaSb-substrate interface defects on the crystalline quality of AlGaAsSb layers is insignificant

Effect of Substrate Surface Defects and Te Dopant Concentration on Crystalline Quality and Electrical Characteristics of AlGaAsSb Epitaxial Layers

The influence of GaSb substrate surface defects such as native oxides on the crystalline quality of epitaxial layers was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cross sectional TEM imaging showed that there are discrete defects at the GaSb-substrate/epilayer interface. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) results revealed high oxygen concentration at the interface, indicating that the defects are likely oxides and presumed to be native oxides since other impurities were not detected. High resolution TEM micrographs showed that the subsequent growth of the epilayer continues beyond the defects without any additional defect generation or propagation. Tellurium doped AlGaAsSb epitaxial layers were grown lattice-matched on GaSb substrates and lattice-mismatched on semi-insulating GaAs substrates by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy and Hall data showed that the ratio of carrier concentration to Te concentration decreases significantly when the carrier concentration increases from 2.5 x 10{sup 17} cm{sup -3} to 6.5 x 10{sup 17} cm{sup -3}. TEM imaging showed that the material with heavily doped Te generates a high density (about 10{sup 8} cm{sup 2}) of planar defects (stacking fault) located on (111) planes. Most of the Te-related defects originate at the GaSb buffer layer/AlGaAsSb epilayer interface. In addition, discrete precipitates were observed in the heavily doped AlGaAsSb layer

Triple-axis X-ray Reciprocal Space Mapping of In(y)Ga(1-y)As Thermophotovoltaic Diodes Grown on (100) InP Substrates

Analysis of the composition, strain-relaxation, layer-tilt, and the crystalline quality of In{sub y}Ga{sub 1-y}As/InP{sub 1-x}As{sub x} thermophotovoltaic (TPV) diodes grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) is demonstrated using triple-axis x-ray reciprocal space mapping techniques. In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As (E{sub gap} = 0.74eV) n/p junction diodes are grown lattice matched (LM) to InP substrates and lattice mismatched (LMM) In{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}As (E{sub gap} = 0.6eV) TPV diodes are grown on three-step InP{sub 1-x}As{sub x} (0 < x < 0.32) buffer layers on InP substrates. X-ray reciprocal space maps about the symmetric (400) and asymmetric (533) reciprocal lattice points (RELPs) determine the in-plane and out-of-plane lattice parameters and strain of the In{sub y}Ga{sub 1-y}As TPV active layer and underlying InP{sub 1-x}As{sub x} buffers. Triple-axis x-ray rocking curves about the LMM In{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}As RELP show an order of magnitude increase of its full width at half maximum (FWHM) compared to that from the LM In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As (250asec vs. 30asec). Despite the significant RELP broadening the photovoltaic figure of merits show that the electronic quality of the LMM In{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}As approaches that of the lattice matched diode material. This indicates that misfit-related crystalline imperfections are not dominating the photovoltaic response of the optimized LMM In{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}As material compared with the intrinsic recombination processes and/or recombination through native point defects which would be present in both LMM and LM diode material. However, additional RELP broadening in non-optimized LMM In{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}As n/p junction diodes does correspond to significant degradation of TPV diode open circuit voltage and minority carrier lifetime demonstrating that there is correlation between x-ray FWHM and the electronic performance of the LMM TPV diodes