Observation of deep level defects within the waveguide of red-emitting high-power diode lasers

The waveguides of 650nm emitting high-power laser diodes are analyzed regarding the presence of deep level defects by photoelectrical techniques, namely, photocurrent spectroscopy, laser beam induced current, and near-field optical beam induced current (NOBIC). Deep level configurations in pristine devices and the kinetics of defect creation during device operation are monitored and discussed. The localization of the defects within the epitaxial layer sequence is done by NOBIC. We show that light, which is confined within the laser waveguide, interacts with the deep level defects detected. This demonstrates that the presence of deep level defects directly affects the device properties.