Native-oxide-defined coupled-stripe AlxGa1−xAs-GaAs quantum well heterostructure lasers

Abstract

Data are presented on the continuous‐wave (cw) room‐temperature (300 K) operation of multiple stripe Al_xGa_1−xAs‐GaAs quantum well heterostructure (QWH) laser arrays defined with native oxide contact masking. Use of the native Al_xGa_1−xAs(x≳0.7) oxide allows the fabrication of high‐performance devices without depositing foreign oxide or dielectric layers (SiO₂ or Si₃N₄). Arrays of ten 5‐μm‐wide emitters on 7 μm centers are coupled and operate at powers as high as 300 mW per facet, or at wider stripe spacing (5 μm emitters on 10 μm centers) as high as 400 mW per facet. These data indicate that current blocking layers of native oxide, formed from Al_xGa_1−xAs with H₂O vapor in N₂ carrier gas (400 °C, 3 h), can be used in the construction of high‐power multiple stripe QWH arrays with excellent performance characteristics.