Deep ultraviolet distributed Bragg reflectors based on graded composition AlGaN alloys

Distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) with peak reflectivity at approximately 280 nm, based on compositionally graded AlxGa1−xN alloys, were grown on 6H-SiC substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. DBRs with square, sinusoidal, triangular, and sawtooth composition profiles were designed with the transfer matrix method. The crystal structure of these DBRs was studied with high-resolution x-ray diffraction of the ( 1¯015) reciprocal lattice point. The periodicity of the DBR profiles was confirmed with cross-sectional Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy. The peak reflectance of these DBRs with 15.5 periods varies from 77% to 56% with corresponding full width at half maximum of 17–14 nm. Coupled mode analysis was used to explain the dependence of the reflectivity characteristics on the profile of the graded composition.