Role of dangling bonds and antisite defects in rapid and gradual III-V laser degradation

Abstract
Based on calculations of deep trap energies, it is proposed that the rapid (∼1 h) degradation of high‐radiance (≳1018 carriers/cm3) Ga‐rich III‐V semiconductor lasers proceeds through self‐reproducing dangling bond deep traps generated as a result of nonradiative recombination. This degradation mechanism can be inhibited by constructing lasers from alloys whose dangling bond energy levels do not lie within the fundamental band gap. The gradual (∼106 h) III‐V laser degradation is tentatively associated with recombination events at an anion‐on‐cation‐site deep trap.