Low-Threshold 1.5 μm Quaternary Quantum Well Lasers Grown by Solid Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy

We report the growth and characterization of low-threshold 1.5 µ m wavelength strained-layer InGaAsP/InP separate confinement heterostructure multi-quantum well lasers grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy. Valved crakcer cells were used to supply group V fluxes of As2 and P2. A threshold current density of 387 A/cm2 was achieved for a 1440 µ m long broad-area laser having 5 QWs. A low threshold current of 18.5 mA was measured for a 5×280 µ m2 as-cleaved ridge waveguide laser. These results are fully comparable to the results for similar devices grown by other techniques.