Highly strained InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells emitting beyond 1.2 μm

Highly strained InxGa1-xAs quantum wells (QWs) with GaAs barriers emitting around 1.2 mu m are grown on GaAs substrates by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) at low growth temperatures using conventional precursors. The effects of growth temperature, V/III ratio and growth rate on QW composition and luminescence properties are studied. The variation of indium incorporation with V/III ratio at a growth temperature of 510 degrees C is found to be opposite to the results reported for 700 degrees C. By an appropriate choice of the growth parameters, we could extend the room temperature photoluminescence (PL) wavelength of InGaAs/GaAs QWs up to about 1.24 mu m which corresponds to an average indium content of 41% in the QW. The results of the growth study were applied to broad area laser diodes emitting at 1193 mn with low threshold current densities. (C) 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.