Performance of InGaN based green laser diodes improved by using an asymmetric InGaN/InGaN multi-quantum well active region

Abstract

Series of green laser diodes (LDs) with different (In)GaN barrier layers are investigated. It is found that the optical confinement factor of multi-quantum well (MQW) always increases with increasing indium content of InGaN barrier layer, which results in a decrease of threshold current when indium content of InGaN barrier layer increases from 0 to 5%. However, when a high In content InGaN barrier is used (> 5%), both threshold current and slop efficiency of LDs deteriorate. It may be attributed to the waste of carriers in the potential well at the interface between the last barrier (LB) and the upper waveguide (UWG) layers, which is induced by the piezoelectric polarization effect in high In content InGaN LB layer. Therefore, a new LD structure using a thin thickness of the LB layer to reduce the effect of polarization shows a low threshold current and a high output power even when the In content of barrier layers is as large as 7%.