Method of strain engineering and related optical device using a gallium and nitrogen containing active region

1. An optical device comprising:

a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate including a surface region and a first lattice constant;

a single or plurality of strained regions acting as an optical confinement region overlying the surface region, the strained region having a second lattice constant, the second lattice constant being larger than the first lattice constant;

a strain control region disposed between or above one or more of the strained regions having a third lattice constant, the third lattice constant being substantially equivalent to the second lattice constant, the strain control region being configured to maintain at least a quantum well region within a predetermined strain state;

a plurality of quantum well regions overlying the optical confinement region, each of the plurality of quantum well regions having a fourth lattice constant, the fourth lattice constant being substantially equivalent to the second lattice constant, whereupon the strain control region has a higher bandgap than the strained region and the quantum well regions.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the optical device comprises a laser device;

the strained region comprises an interface region between the substrate and the strain control region; and

the interface region comprises a plurality of dislocations.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the surface region is configured in a {20-21} semi-polar orientation and the device is a laser diode device.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the surface region is configured to be in an off-set of a {20-21} orientation and wherein the strained region is at least partially relaxed.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of quantum well regions comprises 3 to 7 quantum wells, each of the quantum wells comprising substantially InGaN; and

wherein the plurality of quantum well regions range in thickness from 2 nm to 8 nm.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one barrier region sandwiched between a pair of quantum well regions;

each of the barrier regions comprising GaN, InGaN, AlGaN, or AlInGaN; and

each of the barrier regions ranges in thickness from 1.5 nm to 12 nm.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the strained region comprises a single layer of InGaN;

the strained region has a thickness ranging from 20 to 80 nm with 2 to 20% InN content;

the strained region is overlaid with a single strain control layer comprised of AlGaN;

the strain control layer has a thickness ranging from 2-20 nm with 2 to 40% AlN content.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the strained region comprises a single layer of InGaN;

the strained region has a thickness ranging from 20 to 80 nm with 2 to 20% InN content;

the strained region is overlaid with a single strain control layer comprised of GaN.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the strained region comprises multiple layers of InGaN;

the InGaN layers have a thickness ranging from 10 to 50 nm with 2 to 25% InN content;

the InGaN layers are separated by strain control layers comprises of AlGaN;

the strain control layers have thickness ranging from 2-20 nm with 2 to 40% AlN content.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the strain control region is composed of GaN, AlN, AlInN, or AlGaInN.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of quantum wells are operable for an emission in a 510 to 550 nm range.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of quantum wells are operable for an emission in a 430 to 480 nm range.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the strain control region is configured to maintain an entire growth structure including the plurality of quantum well regions below a defect threshold, the defect threshold being an upper level of defects within the plurality of quantum well regions tolerable to maintain a desired photoluminescence level and a desired electroluminescence level, the defect threshold being above the upper level of defects within the plurality of quantum well regions without the strain control region.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the strained region comprises multiple layers of InGaN;

the InGaN layers have a thickness ranging from 10 to 50 nm with 2 to 25% InN content;

the InGaN layers are separated by strain control layers comprised of GaN.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein:

there are a plurality of pairs of strained and strain control layers;

the thickness of the strained layers are equal;

the composition of strained layers increases in InN with each subsequently deposited layer.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein:

there are a plurality of pairs of strained layers and strain control layers;

the thickness of the strained layers decreases with each subsequently deposited layer;

the composition of strained layers is either equal or increases in InN with each subsequently deposited layer.

17. The device of claim 14 where the composition of one or more of the strained layers is not constant throughout the layer.

18. The device of claim 14 where the composition of the strain control layers changes with each subsequently deposited layer.

19. The device of claim 14 where the thickness of the strain control layers changes with each subsequently deposited layer.

20. The device of claim 14 where the composition and thickness of the strain control layers changes with each subsequently deposited layer.