Fabrication of semiconductor lasers with 2D-photonic crystal mirrors usinga wet oxidized Al2O3-mask

We have investigated the integration of 2D-photonic crystals (PC) with acti ve optoelectronic devices by combining PC mirrors with ridge waveguide lase rs (RWG). The 2D PC-mirror was realized by etching a triangular array of ai r holes through the waveguide of the laser at one end of the ridge. Wet oxi dation of an AlAs layer in the upper cladding into Al2O3 was used to define the etch mask for the holes. An etch depth of 600 mn was obtained. The cw characteristics of the lasers show a clear dependence on the period of the PC, including a significant increase of the efficiency in the bandgap. Thes e results are in good agreement with finite difference time domain (FDTD)-c alculations of the PC reflectivity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.