MOVPE growth and polarisation dependence of (dis-)ordered InGaAsP PIN diodes for optical fibre applications

Ga/sub x/In/sub 1-x/As/sub y/P/sub 1-y/ layers grown by LP-MOVPE at reduced growth temperatures exhibit a high degree of ordering. This effect is used to fabricate polarization dependent devices in the optical fibre wavelength regime. A nongaseous source configuration (ngs) based on the group-V precursors TBAs and TPB enables the growth of up to 700 nm thick lattice matched quaternary absorption layers. The highest degree of ordering is observed at a growth temperatures of T/sub g/=575/spl deg/C with nearly the same phosphorous to arsenic content in solid phase. This indicates a strong additional contribution of group-V ordering. The ordered Ga/sub x/In/sub 1-x/As/sub y/P/sub 1-y/ absorption layer results in high quantum efficiency of up to 0.2 A/W with up to 50% anisotropy for polarized light. A first polarization switch is fabricated combining a PIN-diode and an FET exhibiting 55 dB polarization contrast. These results indicate the high potential of this approach for on-line polarisation mode dispersion (PMD) compensation circuits.