1.5 µm range InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback lasers

Lasing characteristics of InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback (DFB) lasers in the 1.5 μm range were studied theoretically and experimentally. Wave propagation in five-layer DFB waveguides were analyzed to estimate the effect of the structural parameters on threshold conditions. A brief consideration on designing a low threshold laser and its lasing wavelength was made. DFB buried heterostructure lasers with fundamental grating emitting at 1.53 μm were prepared by liquid phase epitaxial techniques. CW operation was confirmed in the temperature rangeof -20° to 58°C, and a CW threshold current was as low as 50 mA at room temperature. A stable single longitudinal mode operation was observed both in dc condition and in modulated condition by a pseudorandom pulse current at 500 Mbits/s. No significant increase in the threshold current was observed after 1400 h continuous CW operation at 20°C.