Fabrication technology of spot-size converter integrated laser diodes (SS-LDs)

Laser diodes (LDs), in which the spot-size of the oscillating light can be expanded to match an optical fiber, are attractive devices for system application. These provide low-loss coupling to optical fiber and waveguides without lenses as well as large alignment tolerance in assembling optical modules. Especially for access network application, good high-temperature characteristics and high reliability are strongly required. Several investigations have been carried out to realize this LD. Spot-size converters have been monolithically integrated with conventional Fabri-Perot LDs. We have recently developed 1.3-μm spot-size converter integrated lasers (SS-LDs). Key fabrication technologies are selective butt-jointing for integration and dry etching to form mesa structure in a 2-inch wafer. This paper describes uniform fabrication technologies for 2-inch wafers and demonstrates the stable and reliable high-temperature characteristics of 1.3-μm spot-size converter integrated lasers fabricated using those technologies