NONRADIATIVE RECOMBINATION IN GAALAS PROTON-BOMBARDED STRIPE-GEOMETRY LASERS

Nonradiative recombination processes in GaAlAs double-heterostructure lasers are examined using luminescence time-response measurements. Photoluminescence time-decay data for proton-bombarded (PB) isotype (p-type) heterostructures give an effective recombination velocity for the PB region of (7±1) ×105 cm/sec. Electroluminescence decay times of laser devices indicate that the interfacial recombination velocity of the anisotype interface (p-GaAs/N-GaAlAs) is 1500±500 cm/sec compared with 400±100 cm/sec for isotype (p-type) interfaces. The contribution of each important recombination process to the laser threshold current is calculated. For devices in which the PB region penetrates into the active layer, recombination in the PB region and interfacial recombination are the major nonradiative paths.