Improved performance of 2-mu m GaInAs strained quantum-well lasers on InP by increasing carrier confinement

We have fabricated and analyzed strained GaInAs quantum-well diode lasers emitting at wavelengths above 2 mu m, grown by metal-organic chemical vapor phase epitaxy on InP substrates. To study the effect of carrier confinement on laser performance, lasers grown with nearly lattice matched ternary GaInAs barriers and quaternary GaInAsP barriers were compared. The use of quaternary barriers improves the device performance in terms of output power, emission wavelength, characteristic temperature, differential quantum efficiency, and power efficiency. Internal losses and internal quantum efficiency remain unchanged. At a heat sink temperature of 330 K index guided diode lasers with GaInAsP-barriers emitting at 2.092 mu m showed a continuous-wave (CW) output power of 42 mW/facet.