Sb surfactant effect on GaInAs/GaAs highly strained quantum well lasers emitting at 1200 nm range grown by molecular beam epitaxy

A surfactant effect of antimony (Sb) on highly strained GaInAs quantum wells (QWs) was studied by molecular beam epitaxy. Noticeable improvement of the photoluminescence (PL) was observed by adding the dilute Sb. The QWs showed an increased PL intensity and narrow linewidth of 23 meV for the wavelength range up to 1180 nm. An atomic force microscope study showed a flattened surface morphology by the introduction of the Sb. Broad-area lasers with a GaInAsSb/GaAs double-QW active layer emitting at 1170 nm showed a low threshold current density of 125 A/cm2 per well for an infinite cavity length.