100/spl deg/C, 10 Gb/s directly modulated InGaAsP DFB lasers for uncooled Ethernet applications

Abstract

Combining an optimised active region based on InGaAsP strained MQW (multi quantum well) and a low parasitic lateral confinement region, we fabricated 10 Gb directly modulated uncooled DFB lasers which represent, we believe, the state of art. Our DFB lasers work up to 100/spl deg/C (substrate base temperature) with eye diagram perfectly open (showing an extinction ratio > 5 dB) and with bit error rate over 10 km without an error floor. Up to 90/spl deg/C our DFBs show threshold current as low as 29 mA. optical power as high as 13 mW and meet perfectly a 10 Gb scaled Ethernet mask with extinction ratio > 6 dB.