Ingan/Gan Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes with Surface Gratings and Sidewall Gratings
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micromachines Article InGaN/GaN Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes with Surface Gratings and Sidewall Gratings Zejia Deng 1,2, Junze Li 1,2,*, Mingle Liao 1,2, Wuze Xie 1,2 and Siyuan Luo 1,2 1 Microsystems and Terahertz Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Chengdu 610200, China; [email protected] (Z.D.); [email protected] (M.L.); [email protected] (W.X.); [email protected] (S.L.) 2 Institute of Electronic Engineering, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621999, China * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 15 September 2019; Accepted: 12 October 2019; Published: 14 October 2019 Abstract: A variety of potential applications such as visible light communications require laser sources with a narrow linewidth and a single wavelength emission in the blue light region. The gallium nitride (GaN)-based distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD) is a promising light source that meets these requirements. Here, we present GaN DFB-LDs that share growth and fabrication processes and have surface gratings and sidewall gratings on the same epitaxial substrate, which makes LDs with different structures comparable. By electrical pulse pumping, single-peak emissions at 398.5 and 399.95 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.32 and 0.23 nm were achieved, respectively. The surface and sidewall gratings were fabricated alongside the p-contact metal stripe by electrical beam lithography and inductively coupled plasma etching. DFB LDs with 2.5 µm ridge width exhibit a smaller FWHM than those with 5 and 10 µm ridge widths, indicating that the narrow ridge width is favorable for the narrowing of the line width of the DFB LD. The slope efficiency of the DFB LD with sidewall gratings is higher than that of surface grating DFB LDs with the same ridge width and period of gratings. Our experiment may provide a reliable and simple approach for optimizing gratings and GaN DFB-LDs. Keywords: GaN laser diode; distributed feedback (DFB); surface gratings; sidewall gratings 1. Introduction Gallium nitride (GaN) laser diodes (LDs) are potentially used in displays, medical application, visible light communications (VLC), etc [1–4]. Some applications require a single peak and narrow-linewidth laser source. Distributed feedback lasers diodes (DFB-LDs) with these advantages have attracted extensive concern in both academia and the industry. In optical atomic clocks, an extremely narrow-linewidth blue laser is required to aim at atomic cooling transition [5]. In medical diagnostics, the DFB LD is a promising light source for fluorescence spectroscopy, where the emission wavelength can be precisely targeted [6]. GaN-based DFB LDs have been achieved by buried gratings [7–9], sidewall gratings, and surface gratings [10–13]. In the beginning, the first order DFB LD was achieved by establishing the buried gratings [14]. Subsequently, the third and 39th DFB LDs were fabricated by etching sidewall gratings [15–17]. Additionally, the single longitudinal mode emissions of the 10th DFB LDs with surface gratings were realized under optical pumping and electrical impulse driving [18,19]. In contrast to burying gratings, DFB LDs with sidewall and surface gratings do not require high-cost and hard crystal regrowth processing, preventing the device from being damaged in the regrowth process [20,21]. Surface gratings and sidewall gratings are preferred for DFB LDs due to simpler fabrication processes. Though there have been varieties of DFB LDs fabricated using surface gratings or sidewall gratings, Micromachines 2019, 10, 699; doi:10.3390/mi10100699 www.mdpi.com/journal/micromachines MicromachinesMicromachines2019 2019, 10, 10,, 699 x 2 of 210 of 10 are achieved on different epitaxial wafers; there are no reports on GaN DFB-LDs that share growth to the best of our knowledge, all of them, regardless of grating type, are achieved on different epitaxial and fabrication processes and have surface gratings and sidewall gratings on the same epitaxial wafers;substrate. there Therefore are no reports, it is inevitable on GaN DFB-LDsthat there thatare distinct share growth differen andces fabricationin the optical processes and electrical and have surfaceproperties gratings of D andFB LD sidewalls with gratingsdifferent onkinds the sameof grating epitaxial structures substrate.. It isTherefore, difficult to it systematically is inevitable that therecompare are distinct and analyze differences the performance in the optical of DFB and LD electricals with propertiessurface and of sidewall DFB LDs gratings with di, becausefferent kindsthey of gratingare fabricated structures. on diverse It is diffi epitaxialcult to systematically wafers. Hence, compare in order andto further analyze un thederstand performance the performance of DFB LDs withdifferences surface of and DFB sidewall LDs with gratings, different because structures they, it are is necessary fabricated to on fabricate diverse DFB epitaxial LDs with wafers. different Hence, intypes order ofto gratings further on understand the same theepitaxial performance substrate, di whichfferences can of provide DFB LDs some with experimental different structures, evidencesit is necessaryfor the optimal to fabricate design DFB of DFB LDs LD withs. different types of gratings on the same epitaxial substrate, which can provideIn this somework, experimental the finite-difference evidences-time for-domain the optimal (FDTD) design tool was of DFB used LDs. to analyze the influence of theIn thiswidth work, of the the ridge finite-di andff erence-time-domainthe types of gratings (FDTD) on the toolproperties was used of DFB to analyze LDs. Based the influence on the of thedesigned width ofstructure the ridge of and LDs, the DFB types-LDs of with gratings surface on theand properties sidewall gratings of DFB LDs.of different Based onperiods the designed and structureridge widths of LDs, were DFB-LDs fabricated with on surface the same and epitaxial sidewall wafer. gratings Fabry of– diPérotfferent (F– periodsP) LDs andwith ridgethe same widths wereridge fabricated widths were on the also same fabricated epitaxial on wafer. the same Fabry–P epi-waferérot (F–P) for comparison LDs with the. The same well ridge-proportioned widths were alsograting fabricateds were ondefine thed same alongside epi-wafer the p- forcontact comparison. metal stri Thepe by well-proportioned electrical beam lithography gratings were(EBL)defined and alongsideinductively the coupled p-contact plasma metal (ICP) stripe etching. by electrical The morphology beam lithography characteristics (EBL) and of inductivelyall the LDs coupledwere observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an FEI Nova NanoSEM 450. The electrical plasma (ICP) etching. The morphology characteristics of all the LDs were observed by a scanning and optical characteristics of the DFB LDs, including the linewidth, slope efficiency, and threshold electron microscope (SEM) with an FEI Nova NanoSEM 450. The electrical and optical characteristics current, were measured and analyzed. of the DFB LDs, including the linewidth, slope efficiency, and threshold current, were measured and2. Simulation analyzed. and Fabrication 2. SimulationAccording and to Fabricationthe coupled mode theory, the coupling coefficient can be achieved approximately by the following equation [22]: According to the coupled mode theory, the coupling coefficient can be achieved approximately by the following equation [22]: 2n2 - n 1 sin π m = ( ) (π ) (1) 2 n2 n1 sin m γ κ = 1 − m (1) λ1 m where m is the grating order, λ1 is the wavelength, n1 is the effective modal index in the broad area where m is the grating order, λ1 is the wavelength, n1 is the effective modal index in the broad area including the sections of the ridge and grating, n2 is the effective modal index in the section of the including the sections of the ridge and grating, n2 is the effective modal index in the section of the ridge, and γ is the duty-cycle of gratings. ridge, and γ is the duty-cycle of gratings. The effective modal index (neff) of the waveguide in a GaN LD can be calculated using the The effective modal index (n ) of the waveguide in a GaN LD can be calculated using the finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD)eff , where the epitaxial structure and device structure of the finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD), where the epitaxial structure and device structure of the simulation can be found in the parameters displayed in the following sections. Generally, there is a simulation can be found in the parameters displayed in the following sections. Generally, there is decreasing trend in modal index with ridge width at a certain etch depth. Typical optical field adistributions decreasing trend are given in modal in Figure index 1, with with ridge ridge widths width of at 2.5 a and certain 5 µm. etch It is depth. obvious Typical that a reduction optical field distributionsof the waveguide are given width in Figure restriction1, with the ridge optical widths field of 2.5more and, resu 5 µm.lting It isin obviousa decreasing that a reductionin mode of thenumber waveguide. width restriction the optical field more, resulting in a decreasing in mode number. FigureFigure 1.1 OOpticalptical field field profiles profiles for for ridge ridge widths widths of of(a) ( a2.5) 2.5 µmµ mand and (b)( 5b )µm 5 µ. m. TheThe refractive refractive modal modal index index increases increases with with ridge ridge width widt andh gradually and gradually approaches approach the maximumes the valuemaximum when value the ridge when width the ridge is relatively width is relatively large, which large is, which shown is in shown Figure in2 a.Figure It is 2a. worthy It is worthy pointing outpointing that coupling out that lengthcouplingkL lengthhas a greatĸL has influence a great influence on the characteristics on the characteristics of the DFB of the LDs. DFB Figure LDs. 2b shows the coupling length kL as a function of the ridge width when the etch depth was 500 nm and MicromachinesMicromachines2019 2019, ,10 10,, 699 x 3 of3 of10 10 Figure 2b shows the coupling length ĸL as a function of the ridge width when the etch depth was the500 cavity nm and length the cavi wasty 600 lengthµm.