Optics Express Pre-Print Electrically pumped hybrid AlGaInAs-silicon evanescent laser

An electrically pumped light source on silicon is a key element needed for photonic integrated circuits on silicon. Here we report an electrically pumped AlGaInAs-silicon evanescent laser architecture where the laser cavity is defined solely by the silicon waveguide and needs no critical alignment to the III-V active material during fabrication via wafer bonding. This laser runs continuous-wave (c.w.) with a threshold of 65 mA, a maximum output power of 1.8 mW with a differential quantum efficiency of 12.7 % and a maximum operating temperature of 40 °C. This approach allows for 100’s of lasers to be fabricated in one bonding step, making it suitable for high volume, low-cost, integration. 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