Performance characteristics of buried facet quarter-wave shifted distributed feedback lasers

The performance characteristics of quarter-wave shifted GaInAsP distributed feedback lasers emitting near 1.3 mu m are described. The quarter-wave shifted grating is fabricated on a substrate using the double-exposure holographic technique. The low reflectivity required for this quarter-wave shifted DFB laser is obtained using buried facets at both ends of the laser. The lasers have threshold current of 30 mA, quantum efficiency of 0.18 mW/mA/facet, bandwidth of 11.5 GHz at 10 mW and 10 dB chirp width of 2.5 AA under 40 mA modulation current at 5 Gbit/s.<>     

Rate Equations for 1.3-$mu$ m Dots-Under-a-Well and Dots-in-a-Well Self-Assembled InAs–GaAs Quantum-Dot Lasers

A rate-equation model, in which three discrete quantum-dot (QD) energy levels are assumed and all possible relaxation paths and carrier transport in the GaAs barrier are considered, is presented to analyze the steady-state performance of 1.3 mum undoped and doped dots-under-a-well (DUW) and dots-in-a-well (DWELL) InAs-GaAs QD lasers. DWELL QD lasers have higher saturation value of QD level occupation probabilities and characteristic temperature (T₀) than that of DUW QD lasers due to the improvement of hole confinement. The p-doped QD laser shows lower threshold current density than n-doped QD laser at the same threshold condition, and the T₀ of n-doped DWELL laser is higher than that of p-doped DWELL laser at room temperature. Optimized QD layer number of DUW and DWELL QD lasers with different QD density is discussed     

High-frequency modulation characteristics of 1.3-/spl mu/m InGaAs quantum dot lasers

In this letter, we report results of small-signal modulation characteristics of self-assembled 1.3-/spl mu/m InGaAs-GaAs quantum dot (QD) lasers at room temperature. The narrow ridge-waveguide lasers were fabricated with multistack InGaAs self-assembled QDs in active region. A high characteristic temperature of T/sub o/=210 K with threshold current density of 200A/cm/sup 2/ was obtained. Small-signal modulation bandwidth of f/sub -3 dB/=12 GHz was measured at 300 K with differential gain of dg/dn/spl cong/2.4/spl times/10/sup -14/ cm/sup 2/ from detailed characteristics. We observed that a limitation of modulation bandwidth in high current injection appeared with gain saturation. This property can direct future high-speed QD laser design.     

Numerical Analysis of the Frequency Chirp in Quantum-Dot Semiconductor Lasers

We present a numerical model for the analysis of the chirp dynamics of quantum-dot (QD) semiconductor laser under large signal current modulation. The model is based on the multipopulation rate equation formalism, and it includes all the peculiar characteristics of the active QD material such as the inhomogeneous broadening of the gain spectrum, the presence of an excited state confined in the QDs and the presence of nonconfined states due to the wetting layer and the barrier. In this paper the model is applied to the analysis of the chirp of two QD single-mode lasers emitting from the ground state and from the excited state, respectively. In order to make comparisons of the chirp in various operating conditions, we define some equivalent parameters for quantifying the adiabatic and transient contributions to the chirp. These parameters are then used to analyze the chirp as function of the bias current, of the modulation depth and of the modulation frequency. All the various simulation results show that the carrier accumulation in the QD states, poorly involved in the stimulated emission process and the carrier dynamics in these states, can cause a nonzero chirp under current modulation even for the ideal condition of zero linewidth enhancement factor (or -parameter) at the laser threshold.     

Rate equation model for nonequilibrium operating conditions in aself-organized quantum-dot laser

A nonequilibrium rate equation model is presented and analyzed for the self-organized quantum dot (QD) laser. The model assumes the QD zero dimensional levels are coupled to a thermal electron distribution in the wetting layer through reservoir rate equations. By including the energy dependence of the wetting layer reservoir versus temperature, the model accounts for the spectral narrowing of the gain with increasing temperature, the negative temperature coefficient of the lasing threshold, and a reduction of the spectral hole burning with increasing temperature, all found experimentally in QD lasers     

Butt joint integrated extended cavity InAs/ InP (100) quantum dot laser emitting around 1.55 μm

The first butt joint integrated extended cavity InAs/InP (100) quantum dot (QD) Fabry-Perot laser emitting around 1.55 mum is demonstrated. Continuous wave lasing at room temperature on the QD ground state transition is achieved. The threshold current is comparable to that of all-active QD lasers. The Butt joint reflectivity for straight waveguides is below -40 dB.     

Performance comparison of gain-coupled and index-coupled DFBsemiconductor lasers

Comprehensive numerical simulations with the transmission-line laser model (TLLM) are used to compare the behavior of gain-coupled DFB lasers with index-coupled DFB lasers fabricated from identical materials. These simulations compare slope efficiency, threshold current, spectra, small-signal modulation bandwidth, maximum-intrinsic modulation bandwidth, large-signal transient response and chirp, relative-intensity-noise (RIN) spectra, and feedback sensitivity for coherence collapse. In most cases gain-coupled lasers with additional index coupling have better performance than index-coupled lasers for a given material. However, high-coupling factor index-coupled lasers do have lower threshold currents, lower RIN levels, and lower sensitivity to external feedback than gain-coupled lasers, although spatial hole burning in these devices can be disadvantageous     

Threshold currents for AlGaAs quantum well lasers

The threshold currents for AlGaAs quantum well lasers are studied theoretically. The structure dependent gain coefficient is obtained by taking into account the electron distribution inLvalleys. Theoretical threshold current densities calculated using the gain coefficient agree well with reported experimental results for separate-confinement heterostructure lasers. A design procedure for low threshold current laser is elucidated. The lowest threshold currents are 570 and 53 μA per 1 μm stripe width for modified multiple quantum well lasers with 32 percent and 90 percent reflectivity facet mirrors, respectively.     

Theory of threshold characteristics of semiconductor quantum dot lasers

A comprehensive theory of threshold characteristics of quantum dot (QD) lasers, which provides a basis for optimization of their design, is reviewed. The dependences of the gain, transparency current, threshold current, characteristic temperature, and multimode generation threshold on the parameters of the QD ensemble (surface density and size dispersion of QDs), cavity (stripe length and thickness of the waveguide region), heterocontacts (band offsets), and temperature are considered in detail. The limiting characteristics of the laser (optimum structure parameters, minimum threshold current density, and characteristic temperature of the optimized structure) are discussed at length. The results of the analysis may serve as direct recommendations for the development of QD lasers that significantly outperform the semiconductor lasers currently in use.     

Scaling of GaAs/AlGaAs laser diodes for submilliampere threshold current

GaAs/AlGaAs lasers grown by a single-step MBE on grooved substrates have been used to investigate the scaling of lasers for very low threshold current. By tuning the facet reflectivity and the laser length, to keep the photon lifetime constant, it has been possible to scale down the threshold current to 0.65 mA without changing the external efficiency.<>     

Analysis and application of theoretical gain curves to the design of multi-quantum-well lasers

Gain/current curves for a single quantum well are calculated. The optimum well number, cavity length, threshold current, and current density of multi-quantum-well (MQW) lasers are derived in terms of this gain curve. The limiting performance of MQW lasers is found to be better than that of graded refractive index (GRIN) lasers, assuming comparable efficiencies and spontaneous emission linewidths. The optimum threshold current for an MQW laser with a 7 μm cavity and 90 percent facet reflectivity issim50 muA/μm.     

Dynamics and Temperature-Dependence of 1.3-μm GaInNAs Double Quantum-Well Lasers

We have measured the small-signal modulation response of 1.3-mum ridge waveguide GaInNAs double quantum-well lasers over a wide range of temperatures (25 degC-110 degC) and analyzed the temperature dependence of the modulation bandwidth and the various bandwidth limiting effects. The lasers have low threshold currents and high differential efficiencies with small temperature dependencies. A short-cavity (350 mum) laser has a modulation bandwidth as high as 17 GHz at room temperature, reducing to 4 GHz at 110 degC, while a laser with a longer cavity (580 mum) maintains a bandwidth of 8.6 GHz at 110 degC. We find that at all ambient temperatures the maximum bandwidth is limited by thermal effects as the temperature increases with current due to self-heating. The reduction and subsequent saturation of the resonance frequency with increasing current is due to a reduction of the differential gain and an increase of the threshold current with increasing temperature. We find large values for the differential gain and the gain compression factor. The differential gain decreases linearly with temperature while there is only a weak temperature dependence of the gain compression. At the highest temperature we also find evidence for transport effects that increase the damping rate and reduce the intrinsic bandwidth     

Temperature dependence of gain saturation in multilevel quantum dotlasers

The temperature dependence of quantum dot (QD) optical gain is analyzed using a multilevel model and compared with experiment. The maximum gain is found to have a surprisingly strong temperature dependence that causes level switching and can limit laser performance in QD lasers. The model based on multiple discrete levels elucidates general design criteria that should be satisfied to obtain a stable threshold versus temperature in QD lasers. Good agreement is obtained between calculations and experiment for level switching in 1.3-μm QD lasers     

Carrier distribution, gain, and lasing in 1.3-/spl mu/m InAs-InGaAs quantum-dot lasers

In this paper, we present the results of a theoretical model built to describe the temperature-dependent lasing characteristics of InAs-InGaAs quantum-dot (QD) lasers operating at 1.3 /spl mu/m. From the model, we find that traditional carrier distribution theories are inadequate to describe the performance of these lasers. We therefore introduce an improved model that allows for both free carriers and excitons in the dots. The new model provides threshold current and characteristic temperature T/sub 0/ values that are in good agreement with experimental data. The results of our modeling reveal that, while it is the excitons that mainly contribute to the gain, the ratio of excitons to free carriers significantly affect the T/sub 0/ of QD lasers. Our model results also indicate that the wetting layer current plays little role in QD laser performance. In addition, the model correctly predicts other experimental observations such as; increased T/sub 0/ for increased number of QD layers and p-doped structures, and the oscillatory behavior of T/sub 0/, lending further credibility to the model.     

GaAs/GaAlAs diode lasers with angled pumping stripes

Operation of DH GaAs/GaAlAs stripe contact lasers with stripes oriented nonorthogonally to the cleaved end facets of the laser is described. Such lasers, with misalignment angles ofsim2deg, do not exhibit "kinking" behavior to power levels greater than 90 mW/facet, and do not exhibit relaxation oscillations under pulsed operation. Data showing the dependence of laser wavelength, spectral half-width, transverse mode structure, facet reflectivity, and output beam angle on both stripe angle and pump current level are also presented.     

Effects of the spatial nonuniformity of optical transverse modes on the modulation response of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We present detailed numerical simulations to clarify the important role that the nonuniformity of the transverse optical mode plays for the high-speed response of oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). The comprehensive laser diode simulator, Minilase, as well as a one-dimensional rate equation model are used as simulation tools. It is demonstrated that, due to the nonuniform optical intensity, carriers at different locations in the quantum well have different stimulated recombination rates, and therefore exhibit different dynamic responses to small signal modulation. This nonuniformity causes an overdamping of the relaxation oscillation, as well as a low-frequency roll-off of the modulation response. Due to this nonlinear effect, the intrinsic maximum bandwidth of VCSELs with oxide confined apertures is shown to be much smaller than predicted by the conventional rate equation model which assumes uniform optical intensity. We further demonstrate that this damping effect can be greatly reduced by restricting the current injection to be well within the transverse optical field. This is achievable by using tapered oxides to make the electrical aperture smaller than the optical aperture, which thereby improves the modulation bandwidth significantly.     

Optical properties of reactive ion etched corner reflectorstrained-layer InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs quantum-well lasers

The optical properties of strained-layer InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs quantum-well lasers with a cavity comprised of a single cleaved facet and a dry etched corner reflector (CR) is described. For comparison, these data are contrasted with data for Fabry-Perot lasers made from the same material and having either two cleaved facets or one cleaved and one straight-etched facet. The etched CR exhibits higher overall reflectivity than the straight-etched and cleaved facet structures, resulting in lower threshold current density and higher efficiency. However, near-field measurements indicate that improvement in reflectivity from the etched CRs is offset by their tendency to favor off-order transverse modes     

Above-threshold analysis of loss-coupled DFB lasers: threshold current and power efficiency

The threshold current and power efficiency of loss-coupled DFB lasers have been calculated numerically using an above-threshold model. Compared with perfectly AR-coated devices, lasers with asymmetric facet coatings have substantially lower threshold current. However, significantly higher front-facet power efficiency is only possible at small grating-coupling coefficients. In particular, the range of loss-coupling coefficients for higher efficiency becomes narrower with larger grating duty cycle and larger index-coupling coefficient. These results can be explained by the interdependence of the reflectivity and extra loss associated with loss-coupled gratings.     

Temperature dependence of lasing characteristics forlong-wavelength (1.3-μm) GaAs-based quantum-dot lasers

Data are presented on the temperature dependence of 1.3-μm wavelength quantum-dot (QD) lasers. A low-threshold current density of 90 A/cm² is achieved at room temperature using high reflectivity coatings. Despite the low-threshold current density, lasing at the higher temperatures is limited by nonradiative recombination with a rapid increase in threshold current occurring above ~225 K. Our results suggest that very low threshold current density (⩽20 A/cm ²) can be achieved at room temperature from 1.3-μm QD lasers, once nonradiative recombination is eliminated     

Effects of optical feedback on the light-current characteristics ofsemiconductor lasers

Theoretical and experimental investigations of the continuous wave (CW) output-power current characteristics of semiconductor lasers with optical feedback are reported. An analytical expression is presented which accounts for the external reflection in the form of an effective facet reflectivity. The coherence properties of the compound cavity laser field are incorporated by the correlation function of the optical field. An experimental setup was established to adjust and to control for different feedback levels. The normalized threshold current variation, due to feedback shows a dependence on the laser structure. This results from different confinement factors of the various waveguide structures. Up to reflection levels well within the coherence collapse regime the change of the slope of the light versus current curve is higher than calculated from incoherent feedback