Degradation in short wavelength (AlGa)As light-emitting diodes

Degradation in short-wavelength (AlGa)As lasers is investigated through lifetests of such devices operated in the incoherent mode. It is shown that degradation increases with emission energy for diodes containing zinc in the p-type (AlGa)As bounding region, whereas diodes containing Ge in this region, although not satisfactory as c.w. lasers because of high resistivity, show no degradation. A way out of this difficulty is proposed through double doping with Ge and Zn, in which case degradation appears to be brought down to the Ge level.