Highly-reliable, high-performance 1.3 μm low-cost laser diodes for fiber-to-the-home applications

The high cost of laser transmitters has prevented the realization of FTTH in the foreseeable future. The authors have developed high-performance 1.3 μm laser diodes which have the potential to render the high-cost components inside the transmitter dispensable and greatly reduce the cost of transmitters. Low-cost fabrication, tight lot-to-lot control, excellent device yield, and uniform parameter distributions have been simultaneously achieved. With further structure and process optimizations, we have reduced threshold currents to as low as 6 mA at 25°C, while maintaining high T₀ of 85 K