In this paper, we present the characteristics of high-performance strain-compensated MOCVD-grown 1200-nm InGaAs and 1300-nm InGaAsN quantum-well (QW) lasers using AsH 3 and U-Dimethylhydrazine as the group V precursors. The design of the InGaAsN QW active region utilizes an In-content of approximately 40%, which requires only approximately 0.5% N-content to realize emission wavelengths up to 1315-nm. Threshold current densities of only 65-90 A/cm 2 were realized for InGaAs QW lasers, with emission wavelength of 1170-1233 nm. Room-temperature threshold and transparency current densities of 210 and 75-80 A/cm 2 , respectively, have been realized for In-GaAsN QW lasers with emission wavelength of 1300-nm. Despite the utilization of the highly-strained InGaAsN QW, double-QW lasers have been realized with excellent lasing performance.

Very low threshold-current-density InGaAsN quantum-well lasers with GaAsN barriers, grown using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, have been realized with a room-temperature emission wavelength of 1317 nm. The GaAsN barriers are employed to extend the wavelength, to strain compensate the quantum well, and to improve the hole confinement inside the quantum well. RT threshold current densities of only 210–270 A/cm2 are measured for InGaAsN quantum-well lasers (Lcav=1000–2000 μm) with an emission wavelength of 1317 nm.

Carrier leakage processes are shown experimentally as one of the factors contributing to the temperature sensitivity of InGaAsN quantum well lasers. The utilization of the direct barriers of GaAs 0.85 P 0.15 instead of GaAs, surrounding the InGaAsN quantum-well ͑QW͒-active region, leads to significant suppression of carrier leakage at elevated temperatures of 90-100°C. Threshold current densities of only 390 and 440 A/cm 2 was achieved for InGaAsN QW lasers (L cav ϭ2000 m) with GaAs 0.85 P 0.15 -direct barriers at temperature of 80 and 90°C, respectively.

Here we present the physics and device characteristics of high performance strain-compensated MOCVD-grown 1200 nm InGaAs and 1300-1400 nm InGaAsN quantum well (QW) lasers. Utilizing the GaAsP barriers surrounding the highly strained InGaAsN QW active regions, high performance QW lasers have been realized from 1170 nm up to 1400 nm wavelength regions. The design of the InGaAsN QW active region utilizes an In content of approximately 40%, which requires only approximately 0.5-1% N content to realize emission wavelengths up to 1300-1410 nm. Threshold current densities of only 65-90 A cm −2 were realized for InGaAs QW lasers, with emission wavelengths of 1170-1233 nm. Room temperature threshold and transparency current densities of 210 and 75-80 A cm −2 , respectively, have been realized for 1300 nm InGaAsN QW lasers. Despite the utilization of the highly strained InGaAsN QW, multiple-QW lasers have been realized with excellent lasing performance. Methods for extending the lasing emission wavelength up to 1400 nm with InGaAsN QW lasers are also presented. Theoretical analysis and experiments also show suppression of thermionic carrier leakages in InGaAsN QW systems leading to high performance lasers operating at high temperature.

Extremely low threshold-current-density In 0.4 Ga 0.6 As quantum-well ͑QW͒ lasers have been realized in the 1215-1233 nm wavelength regime. The measured room-temperature threshold current density of the InGaAs QW lasers with a cavity length of 1000 m is only 90 A/cm 2 at an emission wavelength of 1233 nm.