Abstract

The prime requirement of monolithic photonic integration is that bandgap energies of various devices of differing functionalities on a single wafer be compatible, so that, for example, the bandgap of a laser be smaller than that of an output transparent waveguide with which it is coupled but larger than that in a rear facet monitoring photodetector. Increasing bandgap energies in a quantum well (QW) structure in a spatially selective manner through the use of QW-shape modification using enhanced intermixing is a simple, inexpensive technique for accomplishing this task.¹ A variety of techniques, having varying degrees of success, have been developed over the last decade for achieving enhanced QW intermixing.² A primary consideration is the effect of such processing on device parameters such as waveguide transparency, electrical properties, laser performance, etc. In this paper we report on optical and electrical properties of 1.55-μm InGaAsP/InP QW waveguide laser diodes blue-shifted using high-energy ion implantation and rapid thermal annealing. We demonstrate that, after shifting, waveguide losses are not increased and there is no significant change in the electrical properties of electroabsorptive modulators and laser diodes. Thus, this is a very attractive technique for achieving inexpensive and reliable photonic-integrated circuits (PIC).

© 1996 Optical Society of America