10 Gb/s operation of novel single-mode, two-contact InGaAsP lasers with low drive current

Summary form only given. We have demonstrated a two-contact operating regime in a high speed, single-mode device and applied it to NRZ modulation schemes. A 3 dB bandwidth of 15 GHz is found for the two-contact device as compared with a maximum of 10 GHz for the single contact device. For a peak current swing of only 30 mA, an extinction ratio of 6 dB is found at 10 Gb/s, indicating a 25% reduction in current swing required, allowing the transceiver drive electronics specifications imposed to be met. We have also shown that introducing a 2D-lattice grating into one of the sections can be used to create high-speed, single-mode lasers, without perturbation of the device dynamics. The SMSR could be improved by AR coating the short section facet. This simple and repeatable post-processing technique could readily be implemented using RIE during fabrication, hence providing promising low-cost devices for data communications applications.