1.3 /spl mu/m strained MQW AlGaInAs and InGaAsP ridge-waveguide lasers-a comparative study

Strained multiple quantum wells (MQW) AlGaInAs and InGaAsP ridge-guide lasers operating at 1.3 /spl mu/m are fabricated by using the same process. The comparative investigation shows that AlGaInAs lasers present superior performance in relation to InGaAsP lasers. The characteristic temperature T/sub 0/ for the AlGaInAs lasers, /spl sim/100 K, is twice that of the InGaAsP lasers, /spl sim/500 K, resulting in substantially lower threshold currents, /spl sim/34 mA compared to /spl sim/56 mA at 85/spl deg/C. The modulation bandwidth of AlGaInAs lasers is higher than that of the InGaAsP lasers.