Monolithically integrated AlGaAs double heterostructure optical components

Abstract

Double heterostructure waveguides with contiguous regions of varying composition and dimension in the guiding layer have been grown by a modification of conventional liquid-phase epitaxial growth procedures. This permits integration of active (lasers) and passive (modulators) optical components. Modulation of the laser intensity and envelope spectrum have been observed with a reverse bias applied to an intracavity modulator section. Low-threshold lasers have been fabricated with far-field radiation angles reduced by close to a factor of 3 over those in conventionally grown lasers.