Integrated optical waveguide devices achieved by the disordering of multiple quantum wells

Summary form only given. A new method of post-growth intermixing of GaAs-AlGaAs multiple quantum wells (MQWs) has been developed. This new technique of impurity-free vacancy induced disordering is area-selective, very reliabile and high reproducible. The surface of the sample is coated with a thin film of spin-on-glass (silicon oxide) and pre-baked for 30 min, at 4000/spl deg/C. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) is then used to induce localized compositional disordering. The intermixing is believed to be due to the group III vacancies that are formed at the surface diffusing into the MQW region. Photoluminescence measurement indicates that the MQW intermixing results in a blue shift of the effective band edge by up to 40 nm.