Near-field luminescence measurements on GaInAsP/InP double heterostructures at room temperature

Spatially resolved near-field luminescence spectroscopy was carried out on locally grown InP ridges, overgrown by a GaInAsP layer in metal organic molecular beam epitaxy. For free access to the quaternary layer the cleaved surface was investigated. Two different reflection scanning near-field microscopy setups were used. In the illumination mode we were able to estimate the charge-carrier diffusion in the InP. For improving the spatial resolution, measurements were also carried out in the collection mode. Here a shift of the center wavelength toward lower energy occurs near the side facets. This can be a result of a material composition gradient or of strained growth near the side facets. A second recombination channel at 1115 nm occurs at the growth-nongrowth transition. With the simultaneous recorded topography this recombination channel can be localized in the quaternary layer grown on the side of the InP ridge. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.