Fabrication and characterization of GaSb-based monolithic resonant-cavity light-emitting diodes emitting around 2.3 μm and including a tunnel junction

In this paper, the process of fabrication of GaSb-based electrically injected resonant-cavity LEDs near 2.3 mu m is detailed. The electrical and optical properties of these diodes operating in continuous wave at room temperature are also presented. The different tested monolithic structures have similar designs with two doped AlAsSb/GaSb Bragg mirrors and an active region with eight GaInAsSb quantum wells. Performances of devices containing or not an n(++) -InAsSb/p(++)-GaSb tunnel junction (TJ) can be compared. The large improvements of electrical resistance as well as output power, observed when a TJ is included, demonstrate all the advantages to use such a technology for the realization of electrically injected vertical cavity structures emitting in the mid-IR on GaSb substrate.