Voltage and Current Modulation at 20 Gb/s of a Transistor Laser at Room Temperature

Data are presented showing open-eye 20-Gb/s transmission for a quantum-well transistor laser operating at room temperature (25°C). The fast spontaneous recombination lifetime (~ 30 ps) in the base region results in a resonance-free frequency response allowing demonstration of 20-Gb/s transmission with an I/I TH =3. It is shown that higher temperature hastens the transition to the first excited state and improves bandwidth and eye-opening at low bias levels (I/I TH =2). In addition, room temperature 20-Gb/s transmission through voltage modulation of a transistor laser via intracavity photon-assisted tunneling in the base-collector junction is reported.