Fabrication of dry-etched mirrors in GaAs-based and InP-based lasers using chemically assisted ion-beam etching at low temperatures

We have fabricated dry-etched mirrors in high-speed InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs pseudomorphic multiple quantum well ridge-waveguide lasers at 60°C and in InGaAs/InP bulk lasers at 5°C using enhanced chemically assisted ion-beam etching (CAIBE) technique. The technique allows the etching of laser structures with good surface morphology and excellent anisotropy without cold traps in the etching system. Characteristics of the dry-etched facet lasers match those of cleaved devices. The low sample temperatures for etching allowed the use of standard photoresists as etch masks.