Yasuharu Suematsu

Gain and the threshold of three-dimensional quantum-box lasers

Gain and threshold current density are analyzed for quantum-box lasers where electrons are confined in quantum well three-dimensionally, based on the density-matrix theory of semiconductor lasers with relaxation broadening. The electronic dipole moment and its polarization dependence are first analyzed, and it is shown that the gain becomes maximum when the electric field of light is parallel to the longest side of the quantum box. Calculated gain is about 10 times that of bulk crystal for 100 A × 100 A × 100 A GaAs/Ga 0.8 Al 0.2 As quantum box, and 15 times for Ga 0.47 In 0.53 As/InP quantum box with the same size, respectively. The threshold current density are 45 A/cm2and 62 A/cm2for GRINSCH GaAs/(Ga 0.8 Al 0.2 As-Ga 0.4 Al 0.6 As) and Ga 0.47 In 0.53 As/(Ga 0.28 In 0.72 As 0.6 P 0.4 -InP), respectively, where for the GaInAs/ GaInAsP/InP system the intervalence band absorption and nonradiative recombinations have been assumed to be the same as those obtained for bulk crystals experimentally. These results show the possibility of remarkable reduction in the laser threshold by the quantum-box structures.

Gain and intervalence band absorption in quantum-well lasers

The linear gain and the intervalence band absorption are analyzed for quantum-well lasers. First, we analyze the electronic dipole moment in quantum-well structures. The dipole moment for the TE mode in quantum-well structures is found to be about 1.5 times larger at the subband edges than that of conventional double heterostructures. Also obtained is the difference of the dipole moment between TE and TM modes, which results in the gain difference between these modes. Then we derive the linear gain taking into account the intraband relaxation. As an example, we applied this analysis to GaInAs/InP quantum-well lasers. It is shown that the effects of the intraband relaxation are 1) shift of the gain peak toward shorter wavelength with increasing injected carrier density even in quantum-well structures, 2) increase of the gain-spectrum width due to the softening of the profile, and 3) reduction in the maximum gain by 30-40 percent. The intervalence band absorption analyzed for quantum-well lasers is nearly in the same order as that for conventional structures. However, its effect on the threshold is smaller because the gain is larger for quantum wells than conventional ones. The characteristic temperature T 0 of the threshold current of GaInAs/InP multiquantum-well lasers is calculated to be about 90 K at 300 K for well width and well number of 100 A and 10, respectively.

Density-matrix theory of semiconductor lasers with relaxation broadening model-gain and gain-suppression in semiconductor lasers

The density-matrix theory of semiconductor lasers with relaxation broadening model is finally established by introducing theoretical dipole moment into previously developed treatments. The dipole moment is given theoretically by the k . p method and is calculated for various semiconductor materials. As a result, gain and gain-suppression for a variety of crystals covering wide wavelength region are calculated. It is found that the linear gain is larger for longer wavelength lasers and that the gain-suppression is much larger for longer wavelength lasers, which results in that single-mode operation is more stable in long-wavelength lasers than in shorter-wavelength lasers, in good agreement with the experiments.

Analysis of gain suppression in undoped injection lasers

This paper gives an analysis and discussion of gain suppression in injection lasers which have an undoped active region and an index guiding structure. In previous papers, we used a semiclassical density‐matrix analysis to show that an injection laser with an updoped active region has a nearly, but not perfectly, homogeneous (or uniform) gain property under operating conditions due to the mode coupling effects by phase synchronization of electrons to the lasing field. The gain of adjacent modes is well suppressed by the oscillating mode, and single‐longitudinal‐mode operation is obtained in undoped injection lasers. However, such suppression depends closely on the spacial distribution of the resonating field and injected carrier density. In this paper, the suppression effect is examined theoretically considering electronic intraband relaxation, effects from the standing wave of the lasing field, spatial diffusion of carriers, etc. When the relaxation time is larger than 3×10−13 sec, the gain shows ’’hole ...

The Temperature Dependence of the Efficiency and Threshold Current of In1-xGaxAsyP1-y Lasers Related to Intervalence Band Absorption

Measurements are presented of the temperature dependence of the differential quantum efficiency ηd and threshold current density Jth of 1.6 µm In1-xGaxAsyP1-y lasers. The observed sharp decrease in ηd near room temperature is interpreted as due to absorption associated with transitions of electrons from the split-off valence band into holes injected into and thermally generated within the heavy hole valence band. Preliminary calculations using conventional laser theory predict a temperature variation corresponding to T0145 K. This together with the influence of ηd, appears to be sufficient to explain most of the observed temperature variation of Jth.

Noise properties of injection lasers due to reflected waves

This paper describes the theoretical investigation of the origin, qualitative, and quantitative properties of the low frequency noise appearing in the light output of the laser diode, which is strongly coupled to optical fibers. This kind of noise has caused serious problems for reliable optical communications, especially for analog-modulation systems. It is shown that there are two different phenomena which generate such noise. One of them is the double cavity state, and the other is the external light injection state. The cause of our noise considered in the double cavity state is the phase variation due to the variation of the equivalent length between the laser and the reflection point generated by mechanical vibrations. On the other hand, the cause in the external light injection state is the random generations of locking and unlocking states due to the frequency variation (or mode jumping) caused by the variation of the internal temperature of the laser diode. We conclude from our theory that an effective method to reduce such noise is to operate the laser diode at well above the threshold current. The complete elimination will be attained by use of the optical isolator inserted between the laser diode and the transmission lines.

Dynamic single-mode semiconductor lasers with a distributed reflector

Recent progress in the dynamic single-mode (DSM) semiconductor lasers in the wavelength of 1.5-1.6\mu m are reviewed and the basic principle of DSM operation is given. Study of the DSM laser is originated for application to the wide-band optical-fiber communication in the lowest loss wavelength region of 1.5 to 1.65 μm. A DSM laser consists of a mode-selective resonator and a transverse-mode-controlled waveguide, such as the narrow-striped distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR) laser, so as to maintain a fixed axial mode under the rapid direct modulation. The technology of monolithic integration for optical circuits is applied to realize some of DSM lasers. Structures, static and dynamic characteristics of lasing wavelength, output power, and reliability of the art DSM lasers are reviewed. The dynamic Spectral width of 0.3 nm, the output power of a few milliwatts, and the reliability over a few thousand hours are reported for experimental DSM lasers.

The temperature dependence of the threshold current of GaInAsP/InP DH lasers

The temperature dependence of the threshold current of GaInAsP/InP lasers was considered in terms of linear gain, loss, and carder lifetime. The linear gain was calculated taking into account electronic intraband relaxation effects. The carrier lifetime, intraband relaxation time, loss in the active region, and dipole moment, all of which determine the threshold condition, were estimated from the experiments. The main loss mechanism which determines the temperature dependence of the differential quantum efficiency appears to be the absorption due to transitions between the split-off and heavy-hole valence bands. The temperature dependence of the theoretical threshold current Ithcalculated in terms of these parameters was compared with the measured results and reasonable agreement was obtained.

Theoretical Gain of Quantum-Well Wire Lasers

Gain is given theoretically for quantum-well wire lasers where electrons are confined one-dimensionally. Maximum gain is obtained for a quantum-well wire perpendicular to light propagation, due to anisotropy of the dipole moment. Although the density-of-states is infinite at subband edges, gain remains finite due to the intraband relaxation. Therefore, high gain can be obtained by reducing intraband scatterings. Gain in 100 A×100 A Ga0.47In0.53As/InP quantum-well wires is about twice that in 100 A thick conventional quantum-wells, and reduction of the laser threshold is expected.

Fundamental transverse electric field (TE0) mode selection for thin‐film asymmetric light guides

TE0 mode selection was observed in an asymmetric dielectric light guide with a metal‐film outer coating. TM0 mode and higher‐order modes could not transmit through the guide, whereas the loss of the TE mode, the insertion loss, was small. The experimental data were in good agreement with the theoretical results given here. Filter action is explained by modal repulsion from the metal wall that is inherent in an asymmetric guide.