ISSN:
1077-3118
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
In GaAs-AlGaAs single and multiple quantum-well (SQW and MQW) ridge lasers, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, the temperature dependence of the threshold current, expressed by the characteristic temperature T0, is investigated as a function of the cavity length (L) at temperatures between 20 °C and 93 °C. SQW lasers, in contrast to MQWs, show at room temperature a strong decrease in T0 from 250 K to about 100 K when the length is reduced from 400 to 200 μm. We found that by further reducing L to about 130 μm, a strong increase in T0 up to 250 K occurs and T0 decreases again to 80 K for 60 μm SQW lasers. This T0 behavior in SQW lasers is directly correlated to the gain saturation of the n=1 transition and the switch of the laser emission to the n=2 transition. In MQW lasers, T0 is constant at all cavity lengths, even at high temperatures, indicating that no gain saturation occurs.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.106670
Permalink