Nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are well known to suffer from a high built-in electric field in the quantum wells (QWs). In this paper we determined to what extent the electric field is screened by injected current. In our approach we used high pressure to study this evolution. In LEDs with a narrow QW (2.6 nm) we found that even at a high injection current a large portion of built-in field remains. In LEDs with very wide QWs (15 and 25 nm) the electric field is fully screened even at the lowest currents. Furthermore, we examined LEDs with a tunnel junction in two locations – above and below the active region. This allowed us to study the cases of parallel and antiparallel fields in the well and in the barriers.

We have fabricated two types of InGaN superluminescent diodes applying two different concepts of cavity suppression: a tilted waveguide geometry and passive absorber solution. Both types of devices showed superluminescence behavior, but both eventually lased under the application of high enough current. The lasing threshold turned out to be higher for tilted waveguide devices. By using long (2 mm) waveguides, we managed to demonstrate the power in superluminescent mode exceeding 100 mW in blue/violet part of the spectrum.

We demonstrate blue-violet InGaN superluminescent diodes (SLDs) with bent-waveguide (j-shape) geometry, emitting optical power exceeding 200 mW for SLD with 1-mm-long waveguide. The adopted j-shape geometry prevents devices from lasing, even at the highest applied currents (450 mA). However, high-resolution measurements reveal the appearance of spectral ripples at currents on the order of 250 mA. The maximum output power increases with the waveguide length.

Superluminescent diodes represent a device type which can fill the gap between light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes. The light generation based on Amplified Spontaneous Emission promotes high brilliance of the light source (better than in case of LEDs), and by this efficient light harnessing e.g. coupling to optical fibers. At the same time the low time coherence of the light reduces the interference effects, unfavorable in applications such as Optical Coherence Tomography or in direct image projection. This article reviews the development process and the current status of nitride superluminescent diodes, from their first introduction in 2009 until present.

We demonstrate InGaN/GaN superluminescent diodes with broadened emission spectra fabricated on surface-shaped bulk GaN (0001) substrates. The patterning changes the local vicinal angle linearly along the device waveguide, which results in an indium incorporation profile in InGaN quantum wells. The structure was investigated by microphotoluminescence mapping, showing a shift of central emission wavelength from 413 nm to 430 nm. Spectral full width at half maximum of processed superluminescent diodes is equal to 6.1 nm, while the reference chips show 3.4 nm. This approach may open the path for using nitride devices in applications requiring broad emission spectrum and high beam quality, such as optical coherence tomography.