A Novel Selective Growth Process Using Oxidized InAlAs Mask for Fabricating Photonic Devices and Photonic Integrated Circuits

Abstract

We have proposed and realized a novel selective growth technique using an oxidized In0.52Al0.48As mask. An InAlAs layer is selectively grown on top of a double hetero structure and then oxidized by conventional wet thermal method. Another oxidation process with HNO3 solution is also demonstrated. Using oxidized masks, selective growth to form a buried hetero-structure was achieved for the first time. This simple technique, which does not require semiconductor etching, will reduce the cost of fabricating photonic devices and photonic integrated circuits for wavelength-division-multiplexing systems.