Proton damage effects on GaAs/GaAlAs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

Abstract : A series of proton irradiations of GaAs/GaAlAs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) has been carried out for the purpose of assessing the suitability of these devices for space applications. The irradiations were performed on biased and unbiased devices at energies of 30, 40, 50, and 60 MeV. Both current versus voltage (I–V) and optical power versus current (P–I) characteristics were measured before and after each irradiation phase. A simple circuit equivalent model for the VCSEL has been developed to analyze proton damage effects through the extraction of electrical parameters. The current threshold of VCSEL is shown to be the only important parameter modified by a high fluence (up to 1012 protons/cm2) irradiation. Changes in the threshold current show radiation generated recombination centers to be the main cause of degradation. Due to carrier injection annealing related effects, we observed that unbiased devices show the greatest relative threshold increase (between 15% and 20% at 1013 protons/cm2). The threshold current damage factor was also calculated. The analysis of the I–V characteristics shows that in the range of low fluences (1010–1012 protons/cm2) radiation induced ordering effects may compete with the usual radiation degradation that we observed at higher fluences. Consequently, the nonionizing energy loss approach, which is extensively used to predict the degradation of electronic devices under a full spectrum of energetic particles, is deemed to be not yet applicable for prediction of end-of-life performances of VCSELs.