Integration of quantum cascade lasers and passive waveguides

We report on monolithic integration of active quantum cascade laser (QCL) materials with passive waveguides formed by using proton implantation. Proton implantation reduces the electron concentration in the QCL layers by creating deep levels that trap carriers. This strongly reduces the intersubband...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2015-07, Vol.107 (3)
Main Authors: Montoya, Juan, Wang, Christine, Goyal, Anish, Creedon, Kevin, Connors, Michael, Daulton, Jeffrey, Donnelly, Joseph, Missaggia, Leo, Aleshire, Chris, Sanchez-Rubio, Antonio, Herzog, William
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ABSORPTION
CARRIERS
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
FABRICATION
GAIN
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
LASERS
LAYERS
PROTONS
WAVEGUIDES
WAVELENGTHS
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Summary:We report on monolithic integration of active quantum cascade laser (QCL) materials with passive waveguides formed by using proton implantation. Proton implantation reduces the electron concentration in the QCL layers by creating deep levels that trap carriers. This strongly reduces the intersubband absorption and the free-carrier absorption in the gain region and surrounding layers, thus significantly reducing optical loss. We have measured loss as low as α = 0.33 cm−1 in λ = 9.6 μm wavelength proton-implanted QCL material. We have also demonstrated lasing in active-passive integrated waveguides. This simple integration technique is anticipated to enable low-cost fabrication in infrared photonic integrated circuits in the mid-infrared (λ ∼ 3–16 μm).
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4927430