Planar disorder- and native-oxide-defined photopumped AlAs–GaAs superlattice minidisk lasers

1089-7550

AIP Digital Archive

Physics

Data are presented on the photopumped laser operation of planar AlAs–GaAs superlattice (SL) minidisk lasers. The SL minidisk (70 A(ring) AlAs, 30 A(ring) GaAs; 100 periods; ∼37 μm diameter) is defined by impurity-induced layer disordering (IILD), followed by wet oxidation (N2+H2O vapor, 400 °C which surrounds the minidisk with a low-refractive-index AlGaAs oxide. The planar minidisks exhibit laser operation at λ∼7540 A(ring), with wider mode separation (Δλ∼13 A(ring)) than disks defined by only IILD (a smaller refractive index step) and cleaved sample edges. The mode separation of Δλ∼13 A(ring) corresponds to disk modes that utilize the perimeter of the oxide-defined disks. In the fabrication of the SL minidisks, IILD forms a structural and doping difference beyond the disk perimeter that acts, in effect, as a p–n junction during etching or wet oxidation. Etch profiles are shown demonstrating this behavior. © 1996 American Institute of Physics.

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