High gain low reflectivity travelling wave semiconductor optical amplifiers integrated with passive waveguides operating at 1.3 /spl mu/m wavelength

Abstract

The authors report here the realization of InGaAsP/InP traveling wave optical amplifiers operating at /spl lambda/ = 1.3 /spl mu/m integrated with passive waveguides. The fabrication is based on two stage low-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (LP-MOVPE) using thin etch-stop layers for easy fabrication and high reproducibility. The optical amplifiers are butt-jointed to the passive waveguides leading to high amplifier interface coupling efficiencies of over 90% and interface reflectivities below 5 /spl times/ 10/sup -6/. Single pass fiber-fiber gains of +17 dB (TE) and +6 dB (TM) with high saturation output power of -3.8 dBm were achieved.<>