Characterization and optimization of ion implantation for high spatial resolution quantum well intermixing in GaAs/AlGaAs superlattices

Processes to achieve high spatial resolution ion implantation induced quantum well intermixing in GaAs/AlGaAs superlattices have been developed. Ion implantation has been carried out using various doses of 4 MeV As2+ ion beam, followed by rapid thermal annealing at various temperatures for 60 s. Low temperature photoluminescence measurements reveal a blue-shift up to 90 nm in the energy band-gap. Propagation losses have been characterized in the intermixed waveguides, and losses as low as 0.55 cm(-1) have been observed for 0.5 x 10(13) cm(-2) implantation dose which gives a blue-shift of 68 nm when annealed at 775 degrees C. The spatial resolution of similar to 1.2 mu m has been observed at the depth of 2 mu m inside the epitaxial structure.