Metalorganic c.v.d. growth of GaAs-GaAlAs double heterojunction lasers having low interfacial recombination and low threshold current

Abstract

Double heterostructure laser junctions have been prepared by the metalorganic vapour deposition process and evaluated for threshold current and for nonradiative recombination characteristics. Threshold currents around 850 A cm−2 were obtained, and measurements of carrier lifetime and spontaneous emission efficiency correlate well with a nonradiative lifetime of 20 ns. This value is similar to those obtained in junctions grown by liquid-phase epitaxy and puts an upper limit on interface recombination velocity of 500 cm s−1.