Uniform and high coupling efficiency between InGaAsP-InP buried heterostructure optical amplifier and monolithically butt-coupled waveguide using reactive ion etching

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Abstract
We obtained uniform and high coupling efficiency for InGaAsP-InP buried heterostructure (BH) optical amplifiers integrated with butt-coupled waveguides using reactive ion etching (RIE) for mesa definition and low-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (LPMOVPE) for waveguide layer regrowth. Measured average coupling efficiency was over 91% across a quarter of 2-in InP wafer. RIE etched vertical facet and a subsequent chemical etching using HBr-based solution for relief of RIE damage enabled us to reduce the coupling loss due to anomalous regrowth shape at the interface. RIE and selective regrowth processes are promising techniques for the fabrication of the photonic integrated circuit (PIC).