A distributed feedback (DFB) laser that includes a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the substrate comprises silicon; a plurality of shallow trench isolations (STIs) located over the second surface of the substrate; a grating region located over the plurality of STIs and the substrate, wherein the grating region comprises a III-V semiconductor material; a non-intentional doping (NID) region located over the grating region; and a contact region located over the NID region.