Thermal Analysis of Lateral-Current-Injection Membrane Distributed Feedback Laser

We theoretically investigated the self-heating effect caused by current injection into a membrane distributed feedback laser designed to operate at ultralow-power consumption. By simulating its temperature distribution, the thermal resistance of the laser was estimated to be 6100 K/W. In addition, changes in lasing characteristics owing to the self-heating effect were calculated. An output power of 0.18 mW - which is adequate for an on-chip light source - can be obtained at a driving power of 1 mW. We proved that, owing to its ultralow-threshold operation, the self-heating effect has little effect on the lasing characteristics of the membrane laser.