EVALUATION OF THE PROPERTIES OF HYDROGENATED INP INGAASP DOUBLE-HETEROSTRUCTURE WAVE-GUIDES/

The potentiality of H passivation in InP-based photonic device technol ogy was investigated by evaluating the properties of hydrogenated InP (Zn)/InGaAsP double heterostructure (DHS) waveguide (WG) samples. Subs equent to plasma exposure, conventional photoluminescence (PL) measure ments were employed to monitor the optical quality, and Fabry-Perot da mping oscillation measurements at similar to 1.55 mu m to evaluate the propagation losses. We report here that hydrogenation significantly i mproves the optical quality of DHS samples and further brings about an efficient (90%) neutralization of Zn accepters in the upper p-InP con finement layer, and to a lesser extent, also of those that are involun tarily introduced into the nominally undoped InGaAsP quaternary (Q) gu iding layer. These two features are shown to be profitable in photon d evice technology as they can be engineered to reduce propagation losse s (due to free-carrier absorption) in the DHS buried WG structures. (C ) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.