Continuous (300 K) photopumped laser operation of AlxGa1−xAs-GaAs quantum well heterostructures grown on strained-layer GaAs on Si

Data are presented demonstrating continuous (cw) room-temperature photopumped laser operation of an AlxGa1−xAs-GaAs quantum well heterostructure (QWH) grown on a Si substrate. The QWH is grown in a two-step process with first the GaAs grown on the Si substrate by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and second the QWH grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The MBE GaAs contains a thin 600-Å layer at the Si/GaAs interface that is rich in defects, ‘‘absorbs’’ much of the mismatch, and provides a good surface (specular surface) for the MOCVD growth of the QWH. Although cw 300 K laser operation is obtained, it occurs at high threshold and is short lived, agreeing with earlier results on the cw 300 K laser operation of mismatched III-V QWH’s.