Evaluation of the properties of hydrogenated InP/InGaAsP double heterostructure waveguides

The potentiality of H passivation in InP-based photonic device technology was investigated by evaluating the properties of hydrogenated InP (Zn)/InGaAsP double heterostructure (DHS) waveguide (WG) samples. Subsequent to plasma exposure, conventional photoluminescence (PL) measurements were employed to monitor the optical quality, and Fabry-Perot damping oscillation measurements at ~ 1.55μm to evaluate the propagation losses. We report here that hydrogenation significantly improves the optical quality of DHS samples and further brings about an efficient (90%) neutralization of Zn acceptors in the upper p-InP confinement layer, and to a lesser extent, also of those that are involuntarily introduced into the nominally undoped InGaAsP quaternary (Q) guiding layer. These two features are shown to be profitable in photon device technology as they can be engineered to reduce propagation losses (due to free-carrier absorption) in the DHS buried WG structures.