Buried-heterostructure quantum-cascade laser overgrown by gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy

Abstract

We describe the realization of buried-heterostructure quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) using gas-source molecular beam epitaxy both for the growth of the active region as well as for the regrowth of InP:Fe. The regrowth of the semi-insulating InP:Fe layer was carried out at 470 °C, which is more than 100 °C below the standard growth temperature during metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy, the standard method for laser overgrowth. The electrical resistivity of the InP:Fe insulation layer, measured in test samples grown on (001) InP, is as large as 2×108Ωcm. High-resistivity InP:Fe is overgrown non-selectively over the etched laser ridge, followed by the top contact alloyed through it to the active region. The processed quantum-cascade lasers show no evidence of parallel leakage current and exhibit lower threshold current density than lasers using SiO2 as an insulator. The ability to fabricate buried heterostructure lasers without exceeding 600 °C is important for strain-compensated AlAs-InGaAs quantum cascade lasers with large internal strain because these devices do not typically withstand temperatures used to grow InP:Fe using vapor-phase epitaxy.