SEPARATE LATERAL CONFINEMENT QUANTUM WELL LASER

摘要

A semiconductor quantum well laser having separate lateral confinement of injected carriers and the optical mode. A ridge waveguide 24 is used to confine the optical mode. A buried heterostructure 16/22, 18/22 confines injected carriers. A preferred embodiment laser of the invention is a layered semiconductor structure including optical confinement layers. A buried heterojunction quantum well 22 within the optical confinement layers 16, 18 is dimensioned and arranged to confine injected carriers during laser operation. A ridge waveguide 24 outside the optical confinement layers is dimensioned and arranged with respect to the buried heterojunction to confine an optical mode during laser operation. An index step created by the buried heterojunction is substantially removed from the optical mode.