The optimization of a 1300nm buried heterostructure(BH)InGaAsP/InP DFB laser for uncooled directly modulated 10Gbit/s operation is described. The development process as well as the key process parameters are discussed and results are presented on an optimized structure. Bandwidths in excess of 10GHz were measured at 90C chip base temperature. Clean open eye diagrams were recorded over the full temperature range, resulting in error free transmission over 40km. To our knowledge the results represent the current state of the art for uncooled BH DFB lasers operating at 1300nm.
KEYWORDS: Manufacturing, Semiconducting wafers, Temperature metrology, Eye, Optics manufacturing, Laser damage threshold, Photomasks, Local area networks, Modulation, Laser development
Optical communication systems operating at 10Gbit/s such as 10Gigabit Ethernet are becoming more and more important in Local Area Networks (LAN) and Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN). This market requires optical transceivers of low cost, size and power consumption. This drives a need for uncooled DFB lasers directly modulated at 10Gbit/s. This paper describes the development of a state of the art uncooled high speed DFB laser which is capable of being manufactured in high volume at the low cost demanded by the GbE market. A DFB laser was designed by developing technological building blocks within the 'conventional’ InGaAsP materials system, using existing well proven manufacturing processes modules wherever possible, limiting the design risk to a few key areas where innovation was required. The temperature and speed performance of the InGaAsP SMQW active layer system was carefully optimized and then coupled with a low parasitic lateral confinement system. Using concurrent engineering, new processes were demonstrated to have acceptable process capability within a manufacturing fabrication environment, proving their ability to support high volume manufacturing requirements. The DFB laser fabricated was shown to operate at 100C chip temperature with an open eye at 10Gbit/s operation (with an extinction ratio >5dB). Up to 90C operation this DFB shows threshold current as low as 29mA, optical power as high as 13mW and it meets the 10Gb scaled Ethernet mask with extinction ratio >6dB. It was found that the high temperature dynamic behavior of these lasers could not be fully predicted from static test data. A production test strategy was therefore followed where equipment was designed to fully test devices/subassemblies at 100C and up to 20Gbit/s at key points in the product build. This facilitated the rapid optimisation of product yields upon manufacturing ramp up and minimization of product costs. This state of the art laser is now transferred into volume manufacture.
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