InP/InGaAlAs distributed Bragg reflectors grown by low-pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition

Abstract Long-wavelength vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) are considered the best candidate for the future low-cost reliable light sources in fiber communications. However, the absence of high refractive index contrast in InP-lattice-matched materials impeded the development of 1.3–1.5 μm VCSELs. Although wafer fusions provided the alternative approaches to integrate the InP-based gain materials with the GaAs/AlAs materials for their inherent high refractive index contrast, the monolithic InP-based lattice-matched distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) are still highly attractive and desirable. In this report, we demonstrate InP/InGaAlAs DBRs with larger refractive index contrast than InP/InGaAsP and InAlAs/InGaAlAs DBRs. The switching between InP and InGaAlAs layers and growth rate control have been done by careful growth interruption technique and accurate in situ optical monitoring in low-pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition. A 35 pairs 1.55 μm centered InP/InGaAlAs DBRs has the stopband of more than 100 nm and the highest reflectivity of more than 99%. A VCSEL structure incorporating 35 pairs InP/InGaAlAs DBR as the bottom mirror combined with a 2 λ thick periodic gain cavity and 10 pairs SiO 2 /TiO 2 top dielectric mirrors was fabricated. The VCSELs lased at 1.56 μm by optical pumping at room temperature with the threshold pumping power of 30 mW.