Nitride superluminescent diodes with broadened emission spectrum fabricated using laterally patterned substrate.

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.