1.55-/spl mu/m DFB lasers utilizing an automatically buried absorptive InAsP layer having a high single-mode yield

We describe 1.55-/spl mu/m distributed feedback laser diodes (DFB LDs) having a single-mode (SM) yield as high as 80% and 93% for as-cleaved and antireflection/high reflection (AR/HR=3%/95%) coated devices, respectively. The high SM yield was achieved by introducing an automatically buried InAsP layer between a concave of InP corrugations and an overgrown layer. The use of the automatically buried InAsP layer implemented by a single step growth makes the device fabrication process much easier than that of conventional loss-coupled DFB LDs. Fabricated DFB LDs with AR/HR-coated facets showed a low threshold current of 8 mA (34 mA) and a high slope efficiency of 0.32 mW/mA (0.22 mW/mA) at 25/spl deg/C (85/spl deg/C). A sidemode suppression ratio better than 40 dB was obtained for the temperature range between -20/spl deg/C and 85/spl deg/C and the injection current range between 20 and 100 mA.