InP quantum dot lasers: from growth to devices [Invited]

We review progress on the growth and device performance of InP quantum dot lasers emitting in the red spectral region. InAs quantum dot lasers with emission at 1.3 μ m are the most heavily developed quantum dot devices due to their potential for temperature-insensitive operation in optical data communication applications. However, InP quantum dot lasers have become the subject of renewed interest due to the advent of low-loss visible integrated photonic platforms with applications in quantum information, biosensing, and virtual/augmented reality displays. High-performance devices have been grown by both metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and molecular beam epitaxy, and we review the strengths and challenges of each growth technique. Like their InAs counterparts, InP quantum dot lasers have also proven to be tolerant of crystalline defects, making them amenable to monolithic integration on lattice-mismatched substrates such as silicon. Finally, we discuss promising directions for future work in the field, including surface-emitting lasers, mode-locked lasers, and methods of expanding the range of emission wavelengths to both shorter and longer wavelengths.