Design and realization of a buried-heterostructure tunable-twin-guide laser diode with electrical blocking regions

An InGaAsP-InP buried-heterostructure tunable-twin-guide (TTG) laser diode is presented, incorporating epitaxially regrown p-n-p-n current blocking regions to minimize current leakage around the active region in the ridge. The laser design is based on a theoretical model describing the mechanism of current leakage and the influence of electrical blocking regions by a two-dimensional computer simulation. The technological realization of the laser device reveals a way to achieve a self-aligned transverse blocking region and a lateral ridge contact in any desired depth by a two-stage epitaxial process. Completely processed TTG laser diodes with buried blocking regions exhibit very good high-temperature performance and a wavelength tuning range of around 4.5 nm under forward bias together with a maximum light output of as much as 25 mW at room temperature.