GaN Optoelectronics

The GaN optoelectronics business area is concerned with the development of innovative light emitters on the basis of group III-nitrides. The material system AlN-GaN-InN covers an extremely wide wavelength range reaching from the far ultraviolet (UV) to the near infrared including the entire visible spectrum. This extraordinary property makes InAlGaN semiconductors interesting for numerous new application fields. In particular we are working on the realization of high-power laser diodes, laser diodes for the blue-green spectral region and light emitting diodes (LED) in the near and far UV. Beyond that we are interested in the development of application specific light emitters, e.g. Distributed Feedback (DFB) laser diodes or superluminescence LEDs. The research activities include device simulation and design, metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) of InAlGaN heterostructures, as well as the fabrication and characterization of laser diodes and LEDs.

The target of our initial research activities was to establish a technology base in the area of GaN optoelectronics, with the realization of 405 nm laser diodes being the main focus. Besides these elementary activities our research program is currently concentrating on the development of LEDs in the near UV (350 nm - 375 nm), GaN-based 405 nm disk lasers and edge-emitting laser diodes for the blue spectral region (440 nm - 460 nm).