Low threshold current operation of 1.3 /spl mu/m BH laser diodes with self-defined AlInAs-oxide current-confinement layer

A self-defined oxide-aperture structure combined with a buried heterostructure (BH) fabricated by simple process is strongly required from the viewpoint of low threshold current, mode control, run-to-run reproducibility, and in-plane uniformity of laser characteristics. A novel structure of 1.3 /spl mu/m BH laser diodes with a self-defined AlInAs-oxide current-blocking layer is proposed and successfully demonstrated. The oxidation of AlInAs was automatically stopped near the active layer buried in InP. This resulted in the lowest threshold current operation ever reported in oxide-confined long wavelength laser diodes, to our best knowledge.