Formation and characteristics of AlGaN-based three-dimensional hexagonal nanopyramid semi-polar multiple quantum wells.

We demonstrated for the first time the formation and study of semi-polar AlGaN multiple-quantum-wells (MQWs) grown on highly regular hexagonal AlN nanopyramids. The AlN nanopyramids were obtained by a metal-organic chemical vapor phase deposition regrowth method on a well-ordered AlN nanorod array prepared by a top-down etching process. The growth mechanism of the AlN nanopyramids was ascribed to the slow growth of the (101[combining macron]1) semi-polar plane, which resulted from hydrogen passivation.

Stimulated emission at 288 nm from silicon-doped AlGaN-based multiple-quantum-well laser.

We demonstrated stimulated emission at 288 nm from a silicon-doped AlGaN-based multiple-quantum-well (MQW) ultraviolet (UV) laser grown on sapphire. The optical pumping threshold energy density of the UV laser was 64 mJ/cm2, while lasing behavior was not observed in undoped AlGaN MQWs. This means silicon doping could effectively reduce the lasing threshold of UV lasers, and the mechanism was studied showing that the silicon-doped AlGaN MQWs had a 41% higher internal quantum efficiency (IQE) compared with the undoped one.