Growth and characterization of InNxAsyP1−x−y/InP strained quantum well structures

In this work, we propose the material InNxAsyP1−x−y (InNAsP) on InP for long-wavelength laser applications, where the unique feature of the smaller lattice constant of nitrides together with the large electronegativity of nitrogen atoms has been utilized in reducing the system strain while increasing the conduction-band offset by putting N into a compressively strained material system. InNAsP/In(Ga)(As)P strained quantum well (QW) samples were grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy with a rf nitrogen plasma source. Very sharp and distinct satellite peaks as well as Pendellosung fringes are observed in high-resolution x-ray rocking curves for these QWs, indicating good crystalline quality, lateral uniformity, and vertical periodicity. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements on InNAsP/InP single QWs with different well widths as well as on InNAsP/InGaAsP multiple QWs reveal strong PL emissions in the range of from 1.1 to 1.5 μm, demonstrating their suitability for long-wavelength applications.