Assessment of lithographic process variation effects in InGaAsP annular Bragg resonator lasers

Optical microresonators based on an annular geometry of radial Bragg reflectors have been designed and fabricated by electron-beam lithography, reactive ion etching, and an epitaxial transfer process. Unlike conventional ring resonators that are based on total internal reflection of light, the annular structure described here is designed to support optical modes with very small azimuthal propagation coefficient and correspondingly large free spectral range. The effect of lithographic process variation upon device performance is studied. Laser emission wavelength and threshold optical pump power are found to vary between similar devices given different electron doses during electron-beam lithography. As the resonance wavelength and quality factor of these resonators are very sensitive to environmental changes, these resonators make ideal active light sources that can be integrated into large arrays for gas and liquid sensing applications and are easily interrogated. © 2004 American Vacuum Society. [DOI: 10.1116/1.1808740]