Strained GalnAs quantum well mid-IR emitters

Strained GalnAs grown on InP offers an alternative to antimonide-based technology for mid-IR light emitting diodes and lasers operating at wavelengths up to approximately 2. 4 microns. Such devices consist of compressively strained GalnAs quantum wells, with either latticematched or tensile-strained GalnAs carrier confinement barriers, and lattice-matched AlInAs optical confinement layers. The paper explores the wavelength limits which are dictated by the requirements for pseudomorphic growth and adequate carrier confinement. The electrical and optical results obtained from structures emitting at 2. 1 and 1. 8 microns at room temperature are reported and the data compared with the results of the Van de Walle model solid theory.