INGAAS/ALGAAS RIDGE WAVE-GUIDE LASERS UTILIZING AN INGAP ETCH-STOP LAYER

An InGaP etch-stop layer was used to control the mesa height in a ridge waveguide InGaAs/AlGaAs strained multiple quantum well laser grown by organometallic vapour phase epitaxy. These 950 nm lasers exhibited internal quantum efficiencies of eta(i) = 0.99 and very low internal losses of alpha(i) = 2.6 cm-1. For a cavity length of 500 mum, a threshold current of 12 mA was obtained. The high performance of these lasers and the improved uniformity of their characteristics demonstrate the utility of InGaP etch-stop layers in improving process yield without detrimental effects.