MONOLITHIC INTEGRATION OF AN (AL)GAAS LASER AND AN INTRACAVITY ELECTROABSORPTION MODULATOR USING SELECTIVE PARTIAL INTERDIFFUSION

The monolithic integration of an intracavity modulator with a multiple quantum well (Al)GaAs laser has been accomplished with the use of selective partial interdiffusion. Interdiffusion was used to create a blue-shifted and semitransparent modulator section in a ridge laser structure. In measuring the total optical output power from the devices, steady-state extinction ratios of 20 dB were measured at reverse biases of -4.6 and -3.6 V for modulator sections with lengths of 200 and 400-mu-m, respectively. Shifting of the lasing mode towards longer wavelengths (DELTA-lambda almost-equal-to 0-50 angstrom) was also observed making the structure useful as a tunable device and for frequency modulation applications.