Passive waveguide structure with alternating GaInAs/AlInAs layers for mid-infrared optoelectronic devices

摘要

Disclosed is a semiconductor optical emitter having an optical mode and a gain section, the emitter comprising a low loss waveguide structure made of two alternating layers of semiconductor materials A and B, having refractive indexes of Na and Nb, respectively, with an effective index N_o of the optical mode in the low loss waveguide between Na and Nb, wherein No is within a 5% error margin of identical to a refractive index of the gain section and wherein the gain section is butt-jointed with the low loss waveguide, and wherein the size and shape of the optical mode(s) in the low loss waveguide and gain section are within a 10% error margin of equal. Desirably, at least one of the semiconductor materials A and B has a sufficiently large band gap that the passive waveguide structure blocks current under a voltage bias of 15 V.