1.3 µm Multiquantum Well Decoupled Confinement Heterostructure (MQW-DCH) Laser Diodes

A 1.3 µm multiquantum well decoupled confinement heterostructure (MQW-DCH) laser diode has been developed. This novel laser structure introduces internal barriers between the active quantum wells and the optical waveguide. It is thus possible to have, at the same time, deep quantum wells to prevent carrier leakage and a strong optical waveguide with a high confinement factor. The barrier parameters have been optimized using numerical modeling tools, and the DCH laser diode has been built using chemical beam epitaxy. The broad-area transparency current density is 140 A · cm⁻², the internal efficiency is 0.83, the waveguide loss is 5 cm⁻¹, and T = 62 K. Ridge waveguide laser diodes have a room temperature threshold of 8 mA and an efficiency of 0.32 mW/mA. © 1993 IEEE