Low-Threshold Native-Oxide Confined Narrow-Stripe Folded-Cavity Surface-Emitting InGaAs-GaAs Lasers

Narrow-stripe folded-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs-GaAs lasers are demonstrated. AlAs native-oxide layers above and below waveguide region are employed for current and optical confinement to form narrow-stripe InGaAs-GaAs quantum-well lasers. A low-temperature (400 °C) selective wet-oxidation technique and an ion-beam-etching technique are used to fabricate insulator confined narrow-stripes and internal 45° deflectors, respectively. Continuous-wave threshold currents as low as 4.5 mA and 59% surface-emitting quantum efficiencies are achieved on the devices with a 2-µm-wide aperture and a 420-µm-long cavity.