Low threshold quantum dot lasers directly grown on unpatterned quasi-nominal (001) Si

We achieved high performance 1.3 µm quantum dot (QD) lasers directly grown on planar (001) Si substrates. The direct growth of GaAs on planner (001) Si technique waives the trouble of selective etching of the patterned Si, the cost of growing a well-engineered thin GaP/Ge layer on Si, and the substrate offcut, still producing ultra-low thresholds (34.6 A/cm2 per layer) with reasonable output powers (up to 52 mW) and a maximum cw operating temperature of 80 °C. A bench marking of various monolithic III-V hetero-epitaxy on Si solution shows that QD lasers grown on planar Si template could potentially yield the best material quality at the lowest lifecycle cost.