Laser Diode Integrated with a Dual-Waveguide Spot-Size Converter by Low-Energy Ion Implantation Quantum Well Intermixing

A ridge laser diode monolithically integrated with a buried-ridge-structure dual-waveguide spot-size converter operating at 1.58 μm is successfully fabricated by means of low-energy ion implantation quantum well intermixing and asymmetric twin waveguide technology. The passive waveguide is optically combined with a laterally tapered active core to control the mode size. The devices emit in a single transverse and quasi single longitudinal mode with a side mode suppression ratio of 40.0 dB although no grating is fabricated in the LD region. The threshold current is 50 mA. The beam divergence angles in the horizontal and vertical directions are as small as 7.3 degrees ×18.0 degrees, respectively, resulting in 3.0 dB coupling loss with a cleaved single-mode optical fibre.