Lasing characteristics of high-performance narrow-stripe InGaAs-GaAs quantum-well lasers confined by AlAs native oxide

High-performance narrow-stripe InGaAs-GaAs quantum-well lasers with integral buried AlAs native-oxide layers have been fabricated. AlAs native-oxide layers above and below waveguide region were employed for current and optical confinement to form narrow-stripe lasers. A low temperature (400/spl deg/C) anisotropic wet oxidation technique was used to selectively oxidize AlAs layers in the epitaxial structure. The devices demonstrated continuous wave threshold currents of 3.5 mA, external quantum efficiencies of 82%, and a characteristic temperature of 133 K for 1.8 μm-wide aperture, 400 μm-long devices. Threshold currents of 1.7 mA were obtained by applying HR/HR coatings.