Three-Dimensional Quantum Confinement of Charge Carriers in Self-Organized AlGaN Nanowires: A Viable Route to Electrically Injected Deep Ultraviolet Lasers

S Zhao; S Y Woo; M Bugnet; X Liu; J Kang; G A Botton; Z Mi

doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b02133

Three-Dimensional Quantum Confinement of Charge Carriers in Self-Organized AlGaN Nanowires: A Viable Route to Electrically Injected Deep Ultraviolet Lasers

Nano Lett. 2015 Dec 9;15(12):7801-7. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b02133. Epub 2015 Nov 16.

Authors

S Zhao¹, S Y Woo², M Bugnet², X Liu¹, J Kang¹, G A Botton², Z Mi¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University , 3480 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada.
² Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy, McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada.

PMID: 26539880
DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b02133

Abstract

We report on the molecular beam epitaxial growth and structural characterization of self-organized AlGaN nanowire arrays on Si substrate with high luminescence efficiency emission in the deep ultraviolet (UV) wavelength range. It is found that, with increasing Al concentration, atomic-scale compositional modulations can be realized, leading to three-dimensional quantum confinement of charge carriers. By further exploiting the Anderson localization of light, we have demonstrated, for the first time, electrically injected AlGaN lasers in the deep UV band operating at room temperature. The laser operates at ∼289 nm and exhibits a threshold of 300 A/cm(2), which is significantly smaller compared to the previously reported electrically injected AlGaN multiple quantum well lasers.

Keywords: Anderson localization; GaN; LED; laser; nanowire; quantum dot; ultraviolet.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.