Title :
Experimental and theoretical analysis of argon plasma-enhanced quantum-well intermixing
Author :
Djie, H.S. ; Mei, T. ; Arokiaraj, J. ; Sookdhis, C. ; Yu, S.F. ; Ang, L.K. ; Tang, X.H.
Author_Institution :
Photonics Res. Centre, Nanyang Technol. Univ., Singapore
Abstract :
Plasma-enhanced quantum-well intermixing (QWI) has been developed for tuning the bandgap of InGaAs-InP material using an inductively coupled plasma system. The application of inductively coupled plasma enhances the interdiffusion of point defects resulting in a higher degree of intermixing. Based on a semi-empirical model of QW interdiffusion, the bandgap blue-shift with respect to the plasma exposure time and inductively coupled plasma energy has been analyzed. The theoretical results appear to be in good agreement with the experimental data of the intermixed samples. The model serves as a good simulation tool to explain the intermixing mechanism and further to optimize the intermixing process for the fabrication of the photonic integrated circuits.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; chemical interdiffusion; energy gap; gallium compounds; indium compounds; integrated optics; laser tuning; plasma materials processing; quantum well lasers; semiconductor device models; semiconductor quantum wells; spectral line shift; InGaAs-InP; InGaAs-InP material; QW interdiffusion; argon plasma-enhanced quantum-well intermixing; bandgap blue-shift; bandgap tuning; inductively coupled plasma energy; inductively coupled plasma system; photonic integrated circuits; plasma exposure time; point defects; semiempirical model; simulation tool; Argon; Circuit simulation; Coupled mode analysis; Coupling circuits; Integrated circuit modeling; Photonic band gap; Plasma applications; Plasma materials processing; Plasma simulation; Quantum wells;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JQE.2003.821542
