Abstract

630-nm-band AlGaInP laser diodes are important for light sources of optical information systems such as optical disks, laser printers, and bar code readers. Such laser diodes have been fabricated by the MOCVD¹ and gas-source MBE² methods, but their threshold current tends to be large because the high A1 composition of the active layer enhances electron leakage from the active layer to the p-cladding layer. Recently, 620-630-nm-band AlGaInP laser diodes with low threshold current density in pulsed conditions were reported.^3,4 However, 630-nm band transverse-mode stabilized AlGaInP laser diodes with low threshold current density (≤3.5 kA/cm²) in room temperature (RT), continuo us-wave (cw) conditions have yet to be developed. In this paper, we report on low threshold current AlGaInP laser diodes that oscillate at 636 nm at 20°C, These were obtained by introducing a buried ridge structure¹ and a MQW to the active layer and using n-(lOO) GaAs substrates with a 7° misorientation toward the (011) direction.

© 1992 Optical Society of America