Double heterostructure lasers with facets formed by a hybrid wet and reactive-ion-etching technique

Double heterostructure lasers were fabricated in which one of the laser facets was produced by a hybrid wet and reactive-ion-etching technique. This technique is suitable for GaAs/GaAlAs heterostructure lasers and utilizes the selectivity of the plasma in preferentially etching GaAs over GaAlAs. Lasers fabricated by this technique are compatible with optoelectronic integration and have threshold currents and quantum efficiency comparable to lasers with both mirrors formed by cleaving. The technique enables the use of relatively higher pressures of noncorrosive gases in the etch plasma resulting in smoother mirror surfaces and further eliminates the nonreproducibility inherent in the etching of GaAlAs layers

Phase-locking characteristics of coupled ridge-waveguide InP/InGaAsP diode lasers

The phase-locking characteristics of two coupled, ridge waveguide InP/InGaAsP diode lasers emitting at 1.2 µm were investigated experimentally. The phase locking of the lasers was verified by the observation of phase-locked modes (supermodes) in the spectrally resolved near fields and distinct diffraction patterns in the far field. By independent control of the laser currents it was possible to vary continuously the mutual phase shift between the two phase-locked lasers and thus steer the far-field diffraction lobes. In addition, the separate current control could be utilized to obtain single longitudinal mode oscillation of the phase-locked lasers. Variation in one of the laser currents resulted then in tuning of the wavelength of this single mode over a range of 90 Å

Mode stabilized terrace InGaAsP lasers on semi-insulating InP

Mode stabilized terrace InGaAsP lasers have been fabricated on semi-insulating InP substrates. The fabrication involves a selective, single-step liquid phase epitaxial growth process, and a lateral Zn diffusion. Two versions of the terrace lasers are fabricated, and threshold currents as low as 35 mA and 50 mA respectively are obtained. The lasers operate with a stable single lateral mode. High power performance is observed. These lasers are suitable for monolithic integration with other optoelectronic devices

Phase-locked InGaAsP laser array with diffraction coupling

A phase-locked array of InGaAsP lasers has been fabricated for the first time. This 50-µm-wide array utilized diffraction coupling between adjacent lasers to achieve phase locking. Threshold current as low as 200 mA is obtained for arrays with 250-µm cavity length. Smooth single-lobe far-field patterns with beam divergence as narrow as 3° have been achieved

Vertical field-effect transistors in III-V semiconductors

Vertical metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors in GaAs/GaAlAs and vertical metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET's) in InP/GaInPAs materials have been fabricated. These structures make possible short channel devices with gate lengths defined by epitaxy rather than by submicron photolithography processes. Devices with transconductances as high as 280 mS/mm in GaAs and 60 mS/mm (with 100-nm gate oxide) for the InP/GaInPAs MOSFET's were observed

Phased arrays of buried-ridge InP/InGaAsP diode lasers

Phase-locked arrays of buried-ridge InP/InGaAsP lasers, emitting at 1.3 µm, were grown by liquid phase epitaxy. The arrays consist of index-guided, buried-ridge lasers which are coupled via their evanescent optical fields. This index-guided structure makes it possible to avoid the occurrence of lower gain in the interchannel regions. As a result, the buried-ridge arrays oscillate mainly in the fundamental supermode, which yields single lobed, narrow far-field patterns. Single lobed beams less than 4° in width were obtained from buried-ridge InP/InGaAsP phased arrays up to more than twice the threshold current

Low threshold InGaAsP/InP lasers with microcleaved mirrors suitable for monolithic integration

Low threshold InGaAsP/InP injection lasers on semi-insulating InP substrates have been developed with mirrors fabricated by the microcleavage technique. Miniature suspended bridges containing the laser channels have been formed and then microcleavage has been accomplished by the use of ultrasonic vibrations. Lasers with current thresholds as low as 18 mA with 140-µm cavity length and with 35–45% differential quantum efficiency have been obtained

Cd diffused mesa-substrate buried heterostructure InGaAsP/InP laser

A new type of buried heterostructure InGaAsP/InP lasers grown by a single-step liquid phase epitaxy on Cd diffused mesa substrate is described. These lasers exhibit excellent current and optical confinement. Threshold currents as low as 15 mA are achieved for a laser with a 2-µm-wide active region

Monolithic integration of a very low threshold GaInAsP laser and metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor on semi-insulating InP

Monolithic integration of 1.3-µm groove lasers and metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MISFET) is achieved by a simple single liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) growth process. Laser thresholds as low as 14 mA for 300-µm cavity length are obtained. MIS depletion mode FET's with n channels on LPE grown InP layer show typical transconductance of 5–10 mmho. Laser modulation by the FET current is demonstrated at up to twice the threshold current