Tunable spectral response by hydrogen irradiation of Ga(AsN) superlattice diodes

Patanè, A; Hopkinson, M; Makarovsky, O; Balakrishnan, N; Pettinari, G

Abstract

We report on the tuning of the spectral response of superlattice (SL) diodes based on dilute nitride Ga(AsN) alloys by post-growth hydrogenation. Hydrogen is incorporated into the superlattice where it neutralizes the electronic activity of nitrogen by forming N-H complexes. We exploit the controlled thermal dissociation of the complexes to tune the energy of the SL photocurrent absorption and electroluminescence emission; also, by annealing a submicron spot with a focused laser beam we create a preferential path for the injection of carriers, thus activating a nanoscale light emitting region. This method can be used for fabricating planar diode arrays with distinct optical active regions, all integrated onto a single substrate.

This work was supported by the University of Nottingham, the EU (under Grant Agreement No. PIEF-GA-2010-272612), the Italian MIUR (under FIRB 2012 project DeLIGHTeD, prot. RBFR12RS1W), and the EPSRC. We acknowledge useful discussions with Professor Mario Capizzi and Professor Antonio Polimeni (Sapienza Università di Roma).

• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2014
• Publication Date: Jun 16, 2014
• Journal: Applied Physics Letters
• Print ISSN: 0003-6951
• Publisher: AIP Publishing
• Pages: 242110 - 242110
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4884425
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4884425