Stop-cleaved InGaAsP lasers for monolithic optoelectronic integration

We report a novel technique for locally cleaving the mirrors of semiconductor lasers without cleaving the entire substrate. The stop-cleaving technique involves the etching of holes on a substrate prior to the conventional cleaving procedure. The presence of the hole prevents the propagation of the cleavage plane along the entire substrate. The technique permits the fabrication of lasers with cleaved mirrors without imposing any limitation on the size of the substrate; thus, it is suitable for monolithic optoelectronic integration. InGaAsP lasers (λ=1.3 μm) with stop-cleaved mirrors have been fabricated and have threshold currents comparable to those with conventionally cleaved mirrors.