Advanced Characterization and Modeling of Laser Diodes for Silicon Photonics

This thesis deals with the study of the characterization and reliability of laser diodes for silicon photonics. In particular, we analyzed 1.3µm quantum dot laser diodes and 850nm VCSIL (Vertical-Cavity Silicon-Integrated Lasers). The study presents a wide investigation of the electrical, optical, and spectral characteristics of the devices under test via advanced characterization techniques. The lifetime of the devices was evaluated via stress tests in which the lasers were operating in critical conditions in order to observe their degradation in limited time periods. During the aging experiments, the characteristics of the devices were monitored at regular intervals in order to observe their kinetics. Finally, thanks to the study of the degradation and with the employment of a commercial simulator we addressed the root cause of degradation of the devices and we proposed some mitigation strategies to improve the state of the art.