Abstract

We have recently reported on the fabrication, for the first time, of GaAs-GaAℓAs injection lasers on semi-insulating substrates [1]. Such lasers will be necessary for integration into complex monolithic optical circuits where individual active components need be electrically insulated from each other [2]. In the reported laser the gain region was limited transversely to a narrow stripe by the current crowding effect. It oscillated in a number of transverse modes making for unstable spatial and spectral characteristics. These instabilities were largely eliminated by resorting to lateral injection of current from a zinc diffused P⁺ region. The resulting lasers, in addition to their stability, have very low threshold currents.

© 1978 Optical Society of America