Annealing of the deep recombination center in GaInP/AlGaInP quantum wells grown by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy

Time resolved photoluminescence and deep level transient spectroscopy have been used to monitor the effect of rapid thermal annealing on bulk GaInP an d GaInP/AlGaInP quantum wells grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy similar to those used in 650 nm range lasers. Following rapid thermal annea ling at temperatures up to 875 degrees C, reductions in the concentration o f several deep level traps are observed. Correlation of these data with pho toluminescent intensity and lifetime measurements indicate that the defect labeled N3, 0.83 eV below the conduction band, is the dominant recombinatio n center. The combination of these two transient spectroscopy measurement t echniques is therefore not only able to measure the change in deep level co ncentration, but also to correlate this change with improved carrier lifeti mes and, ultimately, reduced threshold current densities in quantum well la sers. There is also evidence to suggest that this same defect, possibly a p hosphorous vacancy or a related complex, plays an important role in other G aInP based devices. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99) 00219-4].