VISIBLE (0.62 UM) SEMICONDUCTOR DIODE LASERS GROWN BY HYDRIDE VAPOR PHASE EPITAXY

VISIBLE SEMICONDUCTOR DIODE LASERS ARE OF INTEREST FOR OPTICAL RECORDING APPLICATIONS FOR INCREASED DENSITIES AND FOR DIRECT READ AFTER WRITE APPLICATIONS. CURRENTLY AVAILABLE DEVICES BASED ON INGAP/INGAALP HETEROSTRUCTURES GROWN BY MOCVD OPERATE AT WAVELENGTHS OF 0.67 UM. DIFFICULTIES ARISE IN REDUCING THE OPERATING WAVELENGTH OF THESE STRUCTURES DUE TO THE NEED TO INCORPORATE AL INTO THE ACTIVE LAYERS OF THE DEVICES. WE PROPOSE THE USE OF INGAP LATTICE-MATCHED AND STRAINED LAYERS GROWN BY HYDRIDE VPE ON GAASP SUBSTRATES AND BUFFER LAYERS TO ACHIEVE OPERATING WAVELENGTHS AS SHORT AS 0.62 UM. DIODE LASERS GROWN BY VPE WITH GAASP ACTIVE LAYERS AND INGAP CLADDINGS HAVE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED OPERATING WAVELENGTHS AS SHORT AS 0.68 UM. THEUSE OF INGAP QUANTUM WELL STRAINED ACTIVE LAYERS AND WIDE-GAP INGAP CLADDING LAYERS LATTICE-MATCHED TO GAASP INSTEAD OF GAAS WILL ALLOW THE REDUCTION IN OPERATING WAVELENGTHS WITHOUT THE NEED TO ADD AL TO THE ACTIVE LAYERS. THESE STRUCTURES SHOULD PROVIDE AN ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO INGAP/INGAALP DEVICES FOR VISIBLE LASER STRUCTURES.