InGaAsP double-channel- planar-buried-heterostructure laser diode (DC-PBH LD) with effective current confinement

A new high-performance 1.3-μm InGaAsP semiconductor laser is described, in which effective current confinement into the active region has been realized. A p-n-p-n current blocking structure is made by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) on both sides of the active-stripe mesa which is defined by a pair of channels in the double-heterostructure wafer. The double-channel-planar-buried-heterostructure laser diodes (DC-PBH LD's) exhibit high-laser performances, such as a high differential quantum efficiency of 78-percent maximum, which results in high electrical to optical power conversion efficiency 43 percent, and high light output power of over 50 mW, as a result of the improvement in the current blocking structure. The threshold current temperature sensitivity is found experimentally to be reduced remarkably by increasing the doping concentration in the p-cladding layer. Characteristic temperature as high as 100 K has been obtained. CW operation is possible up to 130°C.