Highly uniform operation of high-performance 1.3-μm AlGaInAs-InP monolithic laser arrays

We describe the fabrication of monolithically integrated 112 arrays of 1.3- mu m strain-compensated multiquantum-well AlGaInAs-InP ridge lasers. The laser array shows highly uniform characteristics in threshold current, slope efficiency, and lasing wavelength with a standard deviation of 0.08 and 0.27 mA, 0.012 and 0.007 W/A, and 0.59 and 0.57 nm, respectively, at 20 degree C and 100 degree C. Besides, each laser on the array exhibits a low threshold current of 8 mA at 20 degree C and 21 mA at 100 degree C, a characteristic temperature of 92 K, and a slope efficiency drop of 0.7 db between 20 degree C and 80 degree C. A low thermal crosstalk of less than -4 dB can be obtained from one diode as the injected current of other elements is increased to 70 mA. Also, each laser on the array has a negligible degradation after a 24-hr burn-in test at 80 mA and 100 degree C. An expected lifetime of more than 20 years is estimated for the lasers when operating at 10 mW and 85 degree C. The lasers have a small-signal modulation bandwidth of about 9 GHz at 25 degree C and a low relative intensity noise of -155 dB/Hz without an isolator at 2.5 GHz. It can transmit a 2.5-GHz signal to 50 km through standard single-mode fiber and to 308 m through multimode fiber, with a clear eye opening in OC-48 data-rate tests