A digital-alloy AlGaAs/GaAs distributed Bragg reflector for application to 1.3 mu m surface emitting laser diodes

Abstract

A distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) utilizing the digital alloy Al0.9Ga0.1As was grown by using the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method for application in 1.3 mu m optical communications and compared to the analog-alloy AlGaAs/GaAs DBR. The transmission electron microscopic (TEM) image showed a highly abrupt boundary of AlAs and GaAs, which supports the formation of a digital-alloy Al0.9Ga0.1As layer. The measurement showed that the digital-alloy AlGaAs/GaAs DBR had similar reflection spectra with enhanced uniform distribution over the whole substrate surface compared to the analog-alloy one. In the digital-alloy Al0.9Ga0.1As/GaAs DBR cavity, the reflection dip position was measured at around 1273 nm and the standard deviation of the distribution of the reflection dip was 1.31 nm in wavelength over 1/4 of a three-inch wafer. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.