Low-threshold and high efficiency operation of 670 nm lasers grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy

AlGaInP based red-emitting laser diodes have become increasingly attractive as light sources in various applications. Until now metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) has been the prevailing growth technique for producing GaInP/AlGaInP quantum well laser diodes with low threshold currents and high optical output power. An alternative growth method for AIGaInP alloy is solid source molecular beam epitaxy (SSMBE), where phosphorus flux is supplied by a valved cracking cell loaded with elemental red Phosphorus. However, the performance of SSMBE grown red laser diodes has typically been clearly inferior to that attained by MOCVD. In this paper we present our results on development of 670 nm laser diodes and show that high-performance laser diodes can be prepared from SSMBE grown material