Very Low Threshold AlGaAs/GaAs Quantum Well Lasers Fabricated by Self-Aligned Impurity Induced Disordering

Threshold current as low as 1.2 mA has been achieved in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well (QW) laser diodes. The low threshold current reflects the high quality of the QW crystal and the low level of leakage current attained in the buried heterostructure. This heterostructure was fabricated with a novel self-aligned mesa etching and Si diffusion process on a molecular beam epitaxy grown planer QW structure. Both the low threshold current and the precisely controllable fabrication process make these lasers quite suitable for optoelectronic integration.