TEM characterization of oxidized AlGaAs/AlAs nonlinear optical waveguides

E Guillotel (1) , Cyril Langlois (1) , F Ghiglieno (1) , G Leo (1) , C Ricolleau (1)

1 UPD7 - Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7

The internal interfaces of multilayer Al x Ga 1-x As/AlAs nonlinear optical waveguides are investigated by high-angle annular-dark-field and energy-filtered scanning transmission electron microscopy, before and after partial wet oxidation of AlAs layers. Via a simple phenomenological model, the corresponding roughness parameters allow predicting the scattering-induced waveguide optical losses, which are in reasonable agreement with the experimental value of 0.5 cm -1. We also find that Al x Ga 1-x As layers adjacent to oxidized AlAs tend to be oxidized through the interfaces, even for low Al fraction, with typical oxidation depths of 9 nm for x=0.7 and 2 nm for x=0.

Mots clés: Physical Sciences

E Guillotel, Cyril Langlois, F Ghiglieno, G Leo, C Ricolleau. TEM characterization of oxidized AlGaAs/AlAs nonlinear optical waveguides. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2010, 43 (38), pp.385302. ⟨10.1088/0022-3727/43/38/385302⟩. ⟨hal-00569713⟩