High-Reliability Semiconductor Lasers for Optical Communications

InGaAsP/InP buried heterostructure (BH) lasers emitting at 1.3 μm have continued to operate stably for more than3.3 times 10^{4}h (3.8 years) at 50-60°C and at an output power of 5 mW/facet. A statistically estimated median lifetime exceeds 10⁶at 50°C. A relatively low activation energy of 0.32 eV is obtained for slow degradation. The saturable behavior of the aging characteristics is observed in many of the lasers. This mode is explained by the increased leakage current through the buried regions, and can be eliminated by electroluminescence (EL) mode aging at high temperature and current. Distributed feedback (DFB) lasers emitting at 1.55 μm are also subjected to accelerated aging at 60°C with a 3 mW/facet output after EL-mode aging. These DFB lasers demonstrate stable aging characteristics, for more than 2000 h of operating time being currently achieved.     

Single mode operation of buried heterostructure lasers by loss stabilization

A loss-stabilized buried heterostructure (LSBH) laser is reported that is much simpler to grow than conventional BH lasers, but has similar, near ideal, laser characteristics. Typical lasers, which incorporate an optical guide have active stripe widthsapprox 2.5 mum determined by the initial mesa etching, have a laser threshold of 25 mA, and exhibit stable single transverse mode operations up to 60 mA and higher currents. The simplicity in growth results from not attempting to grow a single mode guide by carefully choosing the composition of the regrown burying layers, but instead simply forming a multiple mode guide by growing a cladding layer with a high aluminum composition. The large index discontinuity between the layer and the central mesa and the roughness of the etched mesa walls cause losses when interface scattering couples light from the initial mode into other modes. The losses rapidly increase with the mode number and, we believe, provide the selection mechanism which causes the laser to operate in the lowest mode. Calculations show that the observed variations in mesa width of 0.3 μm over distances of 10μm are adequate to explain the observed lowest mode stability.     

Reliability in InGaAsP/InP buried heterostructure 1.3 µm lasers

A study was conducted of aging-induced Sn whisker growth at the surface of Au-Sn bonding solder layers around a laser chip, as well as metallurgical reactions, especially in p-side down lasers, at the interface of the solder and laser crystal just below the active layer. These phenomena cause electrical shorts in InGaAsP/InP laser diodes, which occur suddenly in devices operated for long periods without any previous symptoms having appeared in their aging characteristics. To completely eliminate such failures, a novel assembling method in which chips were mounted p-side up on semiinsulating SiC submounts using Pb-Sn solder, was applied to InGaAsP/InP buried heterostructure (BH) lasers emitting at 1.3 μm. BH lasers assembled by this method do not suffer any shorting failure even after 8000 h operation under 60°C and 5 mW/facet output conditions. The small degradation rates obtained, for example, 3 percent/kh (median) at 60°C, certify the reliability of these improved lasers. As long as the stripe width of the active layer was optimized to be in the range of1.5-2.5 mum necessary for obtaining kink-free light output versus current properties, no detrimental changes in laser characteristics, including transverse and longitudinal modes and dynamic output response, were observed in aged lasers. In this paper, the long-term degradation modes observed are presented, and possible causes are discussed.     

Low-threshold InGaAsP ridge waveguide lasers at 1.3 µm

The ridge waveguide configuration is shown to provide reliable low-threshold fundamental-transverse-mode lasers that are readily fabricated. Two variants are described: in the simple ridge laser, the 1.3 μm bandgap active layer is sandwiched between InP layers and in the cladded ridge, the active layer is surrounded by 1.1 μm bandgap InGa AsP. Thresholds as low as 34 mA and efficiencies as high as 66 percent are observed. Output power is linear to more than 12 mW. Several lasers have been operated at 30°C for over 1500 h without measurable degradation. Selected lasers exhibit stabilized longitudinal mode behavior over extended temperature and current ranges. The potential manufacturability of this device is its most attractive feature.     

12 µm Raman lasers in NH3pumped by low-power CO2laser pulses

We report the operation of optically pumped 12 μm lasers in NH3using peak pumping powers as low as 2 W. These low pumping powers represent a 1-2 order-of-magnitude improvement over previously published threshold values. Measurements of the lasing offset frequency clearly demonstrate that a two-photon Raman process is responsible for optical gain at 12 μm. In light of our results, we discuss the feasibility of an optically pumped CW 12 μm laser.     

GaxIn1-xAsyP1-y/InP injection laser partially loaded with first-order distributed Bragg reflector

GaInAsP/InP distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers with a first-order grating were demonstrated experimentally for the first time at a wavelength of 1.3 μm. Single longitudinal mode oscillation was obtained at low temperature, and the temperature dependence of the lasing wavelength was 0.7-0.8 Å/deg. The equivalent refractive index of GaInAsP at the lasing wavelength of 1.3 μm was 3.50 at 186 K.     

Characteristics of diffused-stripe InP/InGaAsP/InP lasers emitting around 1.55 µm

Fabrication and lasing characteristics of InGaAsP/InP lasers emitting around 1.55 μm are described. Zn-diffused stripe-geometry lasers with emission wavelengths in the1.53-1.60mum range were fabricated from InP/InGaAsP/InP DH epitaxial wafers prepared by a low temperature LPE technique. The dependence of the lasing charaeteristics on the stripe width was examined. The lowest threshold current (≃160 mA under CW operation at 27°C) was obtained for a laser with a 13 μm stripe. CW operation of the laser has been achieved at a heat-sink temperature as high as 53°C. For sufficiently narrow stripe widths (simeq6 mum), fundamental-transverse mode and single-longitudinal mode operation was obtained under CW operation. Moreover, the lasers have good high-frequency performance. The lasers showed excellent dynamic properties without waveform distortion under high-frequency (800 Mbits/s) large-signal pulse modulation. The full width at half maximum of the longitudinal mode envelope was approximately 30 Å at 800 Mbits/s.     

Ultra-High speed InGaAsP/InP DFB lasers emitting at 1.3 µm wavelength

A bandwidth of 13 GHz has been attained in a 1.3 μm DFB laser at 25 °C. A mesa structure was introduced to reduce the parasitic capacitance and the lasing wavelength was detuned from the gain peak to increase the differential gain. This bandwidth is the widest so far reported in 1.3 μm DFB lasers.     

Gain measurements in 1.3 µm InGaAsP-InP double heterostructure lasers

The net gain per unit length (G) versus current (I) is measured at various temperatures for 1.3 μm InGaAsP-InP double heterostructure lasers.Gis found to vary linearly with the currentIat a given temperature. The gain bandwidth is found to decrease with decreasing temperature. The lasing photon energy decreases at 0.325 meV/K with increasing temperature. Also, the slopedG/dIat the lasing photon energies decreases with increasing temperature. This decrease is more rapid forT > sim210K. This faster decrease is consistent with the observed higher temperature dependence of threshold (low T0at high temperatures) of 1.3 μm InGaAsP lasers. A carrier loss mechanism, due to Auger recombination, also predicts thatdG/dIshould decrease much faster with increasing temperature at high temperatures. We also find that the slopedG/dIdecreases slowly with increasing temperature for a GaAs laser, which is consistent with the observed temperature dependence of threshold of these lasers.     

Direct gigabit modulation of injection lasers--Structure-dependent speed limitations

Samples of a large variety of quaternary 1.3- and 1.5-μm injection lasers were directly modulated at bit rates up to 2 Gbit/s using a drive circuit known to have a flat response up to speeds more than twice this high. The resulting optical signals were detected and analyzed for eye degradation and bit error rates. It was found that some lasers were capable of modulation at rates exceeding 2 Gbit/s without degradation while others exhibited significant eye closure at bit rates as low as 300 Mbit/s. A clear correlation was found between high-speed capability and the absence of a current blocking junction. That is, the lasers capable of the fastest modulation were of the simplest geometries: ridge guide and oxide stripe. Buried heterostructure (BH) and buried crescent (BC) lasers both showed significant speed limitations. The modulation bandwidths of the various lasers were also investigated using small-signal sinusoidal modulation and the measured half-power bandwidths were consistent with the large-signal modulation results. The shape of typical modulation transfer characteristics is consistent with a simpleRCrolloff withRCproducts of ≳ 400 ps for buried crescent lasers, ∼ 150 ps for buried heterostructure lasers, and < 60 ps for ridge guide lasers. These results apply also to samples which had been processed to form cleaved-coupled-cavity (C³) lasers for mode stabilization.     

Device characteristics of (Al,Ga)As lasers with Ga(As,Sb) active layers

Device characteristics of double heterostructure lasers with Al0.4Ga0.6As confinement layers and GaAs0.99Sb0.01active layers are presented. Average emission wavelengths have been increased from 0.87 μm for undoped active layers to 0.88 μm for2 times 10^{17}cm^-3Ge doped active layers with a "wash" melt preceding the growth of the active layer and to 0.89 μ for1 times 10^{18}cm^-3Mg doped active layers grown following a "wash" melt. Threshold currents for lasers from 21 wafers are examined for several growth conditions and compared with Al0.08Ga0.92As active layer devices. Device resistance, external quantum efficiency, device degradation, and pulsed and CW threshold currents as a function of temperature are also discussed.     

1.3 µm high-power BH laser on p-InP substrates

In our fabrication of a 1.3 μm band high-power BH laser on a p-type InP substrate, 79 mW CW laser output was obtained, and the spectrum width was 10 nm at 50 mW; it also obtained a high-power pulse output of more than 200 mW at 30 ns pulse width. It shows high-speed pulse response at 2 Gbits/s. These CW and pulse lasing characteristics are reported in this paper, and we also show the output and threshold current distribution of about 1000 samples from six wafers. This high-power laser is very useful for light sources of measuring instruments.     

CW electrooptical properties of InGaAsP(λ = 1.3 µm) buried-heterostructure lasers

The fabrication procedure, electrical properties, optical-bean characteristics, spectral characteristics, and temperature dependence of emission wavelength and threshold of InGaAsP buried-heterostructure (BH) lasers emitting at 1.3 μm are described. The dimensional requirements for fundamental-transverse mode operation have been determined. BH devices are characterized by low threshold currents, fundamental transverse mode operation, linear light output, and narrow spectral width. For 380 μm long devices threshold currents of 40 mA, slope efficiencies of 18 percent, forward resistance of 5 Ω, and T0values of 75 K have been attained.     

Optimum design conditions for AlGaAs window stripe lasers

The maximum available CW optical power from the AlGaAs window stripe laser was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. It is found that a thin third AlGaAs layer thickness and high-quality pulsed lasing characteristics, such as low threshold current density and high external differential quantum efficiency, which are obtained from refractive index guiding and short window-region length, are necessary to increase CW optical power. Stable fundamental lateral transverse mode CW operation was achieved at 55 mW (∼4.7 MW/cm²) in a window stripe (WS) laser with 3 μm stripewidth, which is about five times higher than the typical catastrophic optical damage (COD) threshold in conventional structure lasers. It was also found that a high-quality window stripe laser with 3 μm stripewidth operated at 30 mW (∼2.6 MW/cm²) for more than 3500 h.     

Fabrication and characteristics of ion beam etched cavity InP/InGaAsP BH lasers

A low temperature ion beam etching (IBE) process is successfully applied to facet mirror fabrication of 1.3 μm InGaAsP/InP buried heterostructure (BH) lasers. Ar ion beam etching characteristics of InP are studied and masking conditions are optimized for obtaining low-damage, vertical, and smooth etched facets. Lasers fabricated by this technique have threshold currents and quantum efficiencies comparable to those of lasers with conventionally cleaved mirrors. CW operation at room temperature has been achieved. Initial experimental results of preliminary aging tests are also presented.     

1.3-µm BH laser performance at microwave frequencies

We have studied the performance of In1-xGaxAsyP1-yburied heterostructure (BH) 1.3-μm lasers in the microwave range. This study consisted of small-signal, large-signal, and digital pseudo-random word evaluation of these lasers. The small-signal study pointed out the impact of the oxide stripe capacitance on the laser response at microwave frequencies. The large-signal study uncovered basic laser non-linearities that affect the temporal response, spectral broadening, and wavelength chirp. Finally, digital pseudo-random word tests performed at 1.7 Gbit/s indicated that in spite of these inherent laser nonlinearities, the 1.3-μm BH lasers performed well enough to be considered as promising sources for gigabit optical communication systems.     

1.5-µm λ/4-shifted InGaAsP/InP DFB lasers

A single wavelength light source in 1.5-μm range was developed using InGaAsP/InPlambda/4-shifted distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor heterostructures. Superiority of thelambda/4-shifted DFB structure in terms of stability of the main mode at the Bragg wavelength was shown theoretically, in which the threshold, the output, and the polarization characteristics were taken into account. Alambda/4-shifted corrugated grating was made by a newly developed negative and positive photoresists technique. Buried heterostructure (BH) diode lasers with nonreflective window ends were fabricated and highly stable single-mode operation with a low threshold was obtained reproducibly. Direct modulation properties and life-tests results indicated that thelambda/4-shifted DFB lasers could be a reliable single-mode light source in a long span lightwave transmission system in 1.5-μm range.     

InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback buried heterostructure lasers with both facets cleaved structure

Feasibilities of InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback buried heterostructure lasers in the 1.3 and 1.5 μm wavelength regions with two cleaved facets are shown. Theoretical and experimental examinations show that the kL values ranging between 1 and 2 are sufficient for high-performance operation with the stable single longitudinal mode in a temperature range wider than 100 degrees. Distribution of lasing characteristics is investigated for 140 randomly chosen LD's from two wafers. Approximately 65 percent of the devices are found to be operable in the single longitudinal mode. A CW single longitudinal mode operation power of 20 mW at 25°C for a 1.5 μm device, and that of 40 mW (60 mW with AR coating) at 25°C for a 1.3 μm device with low threshold current are achieved. These characteristics are attained by both first- and second-order grating devices fabricated by the PH3addition LPE technique. The results of the aging test at 70°C and 110 mA in the automatic current control condition are also presented.     

1.5 µm range InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback lasers

Lasing characteristics of InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback (DFB) lasers in the 1.5 μm range were studied theoretically and experimentally. Wave propagation in five-layer DFB waveguides were analyzed to estimate the effect of the structural parameters on threshold conditions. A brief consideration on designing a low threshold laser and its lasing wavelength was made. DFB buried heterostructure lasers with fundamental grating emitting at 1.53 μm were prepared by liquid phase epitaxial techniques. CW operation was confirmed in the temperature rangeof -20° to 58°C, and a CW threshold current was as low as 50 mA at room temperature. A stable single longitudinal mode operation was observed both in dc condition and in modulated condition by a pseudorandom pulse current at 500 Mbits/s. No significant increase in the threshold current was observed after 1400 h continuous CW operation at 20°C.