Applied Physics Letters · 1973 · 96 citations · 2 references
EngineeringElectrical EngineeringMaterials ScienceOptoelectronicsSemiconductor DevicesSemiconductor MaterialsLaser DiodesOptical Properties Of SemiconductorsSemiconductor HeterostructuresSemiconductor LasersSemiconductor ReliabilityStrain EngineeringBirefringenceBondingBonding ProcessesDegradationDouble HeterostructuresHeterostructure LasersStrain EffectsStrain Fields
This letter shows that strain is a controlling factor in the rapid degradation of GaAs double-heterostructure junction lasers. A birefringence study of these lasers reveals extensive strain fields introduced during the bonding procedure resulting from the different thermal-expansion coefficients of the materials involved. A new bonding procedure was developed which does not introduce significant strains. Lasers fabricated with the old and new bonding procedures were subjectively categorized as low, moderate, or high strained. A direct correlation was measured between low-strain and room-temperature cw laser lifetime. Lasers fabricated with the new bonding procedure have operated cw for as long as 880 h.
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