SEMICONDUCTOR LASER INCORPORATING AN ELECTRON BARRIER WITH LOW ALUMINUM CONTENT

1 . A semiconductor laser comprising:

a substrate;

a multi quantum well (MQW) active layer including a quantum well that is tensile strained and a barrier that is compressively strained, where the barrier is formed from an aluminum gallium indium arsenide phosphide alloy having a first Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition; and

an electron stopper layer including an aluminum gallium indium arsenide phosphide alloy having a second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition.

2 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein the content amount x of the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition ranges from 0.20 to 0.55.

3 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein the content amount y of the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition is 0, and the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition has an Al 0.3 In 0.7 As 0.5 P 0.5 composition.

4 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein the content amount y of the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition is 0, and the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition has an Al 0.35 In 0.65 As 0.5 P 0.5 composition.

5 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein the content amount y of the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition is 0, and the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition has an Al 0.4 In 0.6 As 0.5 P 0.5 composition.

6 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein a lattice constant of the electron stopper layer is matched to a lattice constant of the substrate.

7 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein a lattice constant of the electron stopper layer has a lattice mismatch relative to a lattice constant of the substrate.

8 . The semiconductor laser of claim 7 , wherein the lattice constant of the electron stopper layer has a lattice mismatch within ±1% relative to the lattice constant of the substrate.

9 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises indium phosphide (InP).

10 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein the content amount y of the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition is 0, and the second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition is an Al x In (1-x) As z P (1-z) composition.

11 . The semiconductor laser of claim 1 , wherein the multi quantum well (MQW) active layer is arranged adjacent to an n-type cladding layer, a p-type cladding layer is arranged adjacent to the electron stopper layer, the electron stopper layer is arranged between the MQW active layer and the p-type cladding layer, and the p-type cladding layer includes a ridge waveguide structure.

12 . The semiconductor laser of claim 11 , further comprising a hole stopper layer arranged adjacent to the n-type cladding layer, wherein the hole stopper layer includes a third aluminum gallium indium arsenide phosphide alloy having an Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition, where the content amount x ranges from 0.20 to 0.55.

13 . The semiconductor laser of claim 12 , wherein the content amount y of the third Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition is 0, and the third Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition is an Al x In (1-x) As z P (1-z) composition.

14 . The semiconductor laser of claim 11 , wherein a lattice mismatch of the quantum well relative to a lattice constant of the substrate is within 2%, and a lattice mismatch of the barrier relative to the lattice constant of the substrate is within 2%.

15 . The semiconductor laser of claim 11 , wherein a content amount x of the first Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) alloy of the barrier layer ranges from 0.01 to 0.55.

16 . A semiconductor laser comprising:

a substrate;

a multi quantum well (MQW) active layer including a quantum well that is tensile strained and a barrier that is compressively strained, where the barrier is formed from an aluminum gallium indium arsenide phosphide alloy having a first Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition;

a lateral current blocking material; and

an electron stopper layer configured to reduce oxidation and form an interface with the current blocking material, wherein the electron stopper layer includes an aluminum gallium indium arsenide phosphide alloy having a second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition.

17 . The semiconductor laser of claim 16 , wherein a lattice mismatch of the quantum well relative to a lattice constant of the substrate is within 2%, and a lattice mismatch of the barrier relative to the lattice constant of the substrate is within 2%.

18 . The semiconductor laser of claim 16 , wherein a content amount x of the first Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) alloy of the barrier layer ranges from 0.01 to 0.55.

19 . A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser comprising:

arranging an n-type cladding layer on a substrate;

arranging a hole stopper layer on the n-type cladding layer;

arranging a multi quantum well (MQW) active layer on the hole stopper layer, the MQW active layer including a quantum well that is tensile strained and a barrier that is compressively strained, where the barrier is formed from an aluminum gallium indium arsenide phosphide alloy having a first Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition;

arranging an electron stopper layer on a multi quantum well (MQW) active layer; and

arranging a current blocking material adjacent to the n-type cladding layer, hole stopper layer, MQW active layer, and electron stopper layer,

wherein the electron stopper layer is configured to reduce oxidation and form an interface with the current blocking material, and includes an aluminum gallium indium arsenide phosphide alloy having a second Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) composition.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein a content amount x of the first Al x Ga y In (1-x-y) As z P (1-z) alloy of the barrier layer ranges from 0.01 to 0.55.