Molecular beam epitaxial growth of group III-nitride-arsenides for long wavelength optoelectronics

Nitride-arsenides are promising materials for long wavelength opto-electronic devices grown on GaAs substrates. The photoluminescence intensity of GaNAs and GaInNAs quantum wells increases drastically and shifts to shorter wavelengths following high temperature anneal. A study of PL after different annealing conditions revealed that the wavelength shift and the intensity increase occur together. We observe a decrease of interstitial nitrogen after annealing, probably resulting in the increased luminescence efficiency. Nitrogen diffusion out of the QWs is responsible for the wavelength shift. To limit nitrogen diffusion, the GaAs barriers surrounding the GaInNAs QWs were replaced by GaNAs barriers. This new active region resulted in devices emitting at 1.3 /spl mu/m.