1.5micron InP/In/GaAsP linear laser-array with twelve individually addressable elements.

Linear arrays of twelve individually addressable InP/InGaAsP channeled-substrate buried-heterostructure lasers emitting at lambda = 1.5micron were fabricated. Spacing between active elements (250micron) was made to match the fiber spacing in a 12-fiber ribbon. Individual arrays were epoxy bonded, p- side up to metallized BeO carriers. Best case uniformity of laser characteristics within an array is indicated by tight distributions of lasing threshold (9.8 +- 0.9 mA at 30C) and output powers of (8.6 +- mW at 100 mA). While no significant optical crosstalk could be detected, small increases (~10%) in device lasing thresholds were observed when two adjacent elements were operated cw simultaneously, probably due to the thermal impedance of the epoxy-bond employed and the resultant heating of operating nearest- neighbor devices. Such arrays offer the potential for reduced fiber alignment time per element thus reducing packaging costs per source. In addition, reduced space requirements per source is realized.