REALIZATION AND WAFER TEST OF INGAASP/INP DFB LASER MONITOR OEICS

Wafer-testable DFB lasers and monolithically integrated monitor diodes are realized to replace the time consuming and expensive single-chip test procedure in semiconductor laser fabrication process. Laser-end facets and integrated monitor diodes are defined on 1.5-mu-m InGaAsP/InP MQW DFB laser wafers by reactive ion beam etching (RIBE). Using terminal electrical noise (TEN) measurement the lasers are characterized directly on the wafer with respect to threshold current and single mode operation. Threshold currents down to 10 mA have been achieved for the integrated devices.