Temperature Dependence of the Refractive Index for AlAsGaSb

Abstract

Accurate design and optimization of photonic multilayer structures like distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) require precise knowledge of material optical constants, particularly the temperature dependence of the refractive index. While these parameters are well established for widely used semiconductors, for emerging materials such as antimonides they are often limited to room-temperature data, especially for new spectral ranges of interest. Antimonide compounds, in particular GaSb-based alloys, are promising for quantum photonics applications. In this work, we investigated DBRs lattice-matched to GaSb and designed for operation in the third telecommunication window. Reflectivity spectra were measured in the temperature range from 11.5 K to 300 K, and then fitted using the transfer matrix method (TMM), combined with a dedicated recursive numerical fitting algorithm. Initial parameters included layer thicknesses determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and literature values of refractive indices at room temperature. This approach enabled extraction of the temperature-dependent refractive indices of two AlGaAsSb alloys suitable for forming DBR mirrors for 1.5 um wavelengths. The obtained results provide essential input for reliable DBR design, ensuring proper stopband positioning and high reflectivity under cryogenic operating conditions required for efficient quantum emitter performance.