Low-threshold native-oxide confined narrow-stripe folded-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs-GaAs lasers

Narrow-stripe folded-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs-GaAs lasers are demonstrated, AlAs native-oxide layers above and below waveguide region are employed for current and optical confinement to form narrow-stripe InGaAs-GaAs quantum-well lasers. A low-temperature (400/spl deg/C) selective wet-oxidation technique and an ion-beam-etching technique are used to fabricate insulator confined narrow-stripes and internal 45/spl deg/ deflectors, respectively. Continuous-wave threshold currents as low as 4.5 mA and 59% surface-emitting quantum efficiencies are achieved on the devices with 2-μm-wide aperture and a 420-μm-long cavity.