Implication of rapid thermal annealing-induced cracks on the performance of multiple-quantum-well laser diodes

Abstract

We investigated the effects of rapid thermal annealing (RTA)-induced cracks on the diode performance fabricated with GaAs-AlGaAs microstructures. These effects were examined and characterized after quantum-well intermixing within an epitaxial structure capped by either SiO2 or SrF2 layers. The results show clearly that the density of surface crackes strongly depends on the atomic interdiffusion between the well and the barrier layers and on the quality of the dielectric caps as well. Moreover, surface-crack correlation with the RTA process an dielectric deposition parameters, and the cracking effects on diode performance were observed and analyzed in detail. The results demonstrate that diode characteristics can be greatly improved by good surface morphology. Most importantly, we explored an effective way of reducing the density of RTA-induced cracks for the dielectrics grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, which was beneficial for dielectric-cap quantum-well disordering.

GaAs/AlGaAs- and InGaAs/AlGaAs-heterostructures for high-power semiconductor infrared emitters

“…It is known from the literature that the concentration of defects in A3B5 materials obtained by MBE can be reduced by temperature annealing [26][27][28]. Figure 4, b shows the results of short-term annealing of samples grown at optimal growth temperatures.…”

GaAs/AlGaAs- и InGaAs/AlGaAs-гетероструктуры для мощных полупроводниковых инфракрасных излучателей

“…Из литературы известно, что концентрацию дефектов в A3B5-материалах, полученных методом МЛЭ, можно понизить температурным отжигом [26][27][28]…”

Blueshifting of Ion-Implanted InGaAs/InGaAsP Multiple Quantum Well Structures Using Two-Step Rapid Temperature Annealing Process

“…However, for anneal temperature over 725 C, luminescence strength decreased as the anneal temperature was increased from 725 to 775 C. The decrease may be due to increased out-gassing of phosphorous (P) or asenic (As) at the higher temperature. 13) When the sample annealed at 775 C for 9 min, the outdiffusion of As or P from the sample may introduce poor surface morphology 14) or RTA-induced cracks 15) on the sample surface. As a result, the sample surface becomes hazy due to poor surface morphology and the PL intensity is decreased.…”