FABRICATION OF DRY-ETCHED MIRRORS IN GAAS-BASED AND INP-BASED LASERS USING CHEMICALLY ASSISTED ION-BEAM ETCHING AT LOW-TEMPERATURES

We have fabricated dry-etched mirrors in high-speed InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs pseudomorphic multiple quantum well ridge-waveguide lasers at 60 degr ees C and in InGaAs/InP bulk lasers at 5 degrees C using enhanced chem ically assisted ion-beam etching (CAIBE) technique. The technique allo ws the etching of laser structures with good surface morphology and ex cellent anisotropy without cold traps in the etching system. Character istics of the dry-etched facet lasers match those of cleaved devices. The low sample temperatures for etching allowed the use of standard ph otoresists as etch masks.