Abstract

The use of the graded barrier quantum well laser stucture to obtain low threshold current density devices has been well established.^1,2 However, little work has been performed on the integration of this structure into index-guided devices, particularly in the visible region. Laser structures which rely exclusively on quantum size effects have been operated as laser diodes with emission wavelengths as short as 7040 Å for devices with 13 Å quantum wells.³ However, the growth of smaller well sizes to obtain higher energy emission is difficult to achieve. The use of all binary AlAs/GaAs quantum well structures eliminates difficulties assiciated with alloy clustering and allows high energy emission to be obtained without having to utilize extremely small quantum well widths.⁴ In these structures, short wavelength emission can be obtained, without the need for Al_xGa_1-xAs, exclusively from quantum size effects in relatively wide wells (L_z>20Å) due to the large AlAs potential barrier heights on either side of the quantum well.

© 1987 Optical Society of America