Photoluminescent and electroluminescent properties of spontaneously forming periodic InGaAsP structures

Photoluminescence and electroluminescence techniques were used to study spo ntaneously forming periodic InGaAsP structures that consisted of two types of alternating solid-solution domains differing in composition and lattice constant. It was found experimentally that the volume of the narrow-gap mat erial domains is smaller than that of the wide-gap domains. Existence of th e inelastic strain caused by the large (2-3%) lattice constant mismatch bet ween the adjacent domains was inferred. Laser diodes with the spontaneously forming periodic InGaAsP structures in the active region were fabricated, and lasing in the long-wavelength electroluminescence spectral band that or iginated from the radiative recombination in the narrow-gap domains was obt ained. Lasing at the threshold current densities of 70 A/cm(2) at 77 K and 700 A/cm(2) at 300 K was observed in the highest-quality samples. (C) 2000 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".