Comparison of performance of GaAs-AlGaAs and InGaAs-AlInAs quantum cascade lasers

Author

Wilson, L.R. ; Keightley, P.T. ; Cockburn, J.W. ; Skolnick, M.S. ; Clark, J.C. ; Hill, G. ; Grey, R. ; Hopkinson, M.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys. & Astron., Sheffield Univ., UK

Volume

35

Issue

23

fYear

1999

fDate

11/11/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2034

Lastpage

2036

Abstract

The authors present the lasing characteristics of a dry etched GaAs-AlGaAs quantum cascade laser (λ=9.5 μm) and compare its temperature performance with that of a similar InGaAs-AlGas laser (λ=8.3 μm). In pulsed operation, the maximum peak power measured for the GaAs-AlGaAs device is 400 mW at 10K and lasing is observed up to 190 K. The threshold current density (J_th) measured for this sample increases rapidly above 120 K, in contrast to the InGaAs-AlInAs laser, which exhibits a gradual increase of J_th up to 270 K. Temperature-dependent studies of a slightly modified GaAs-AlGaAs laser, in which the confinement of the upper laser level is increased, indicate that this aspect of the design does not limit the high temperature performance

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; current density; gallium arsenide; indium compounds; laser transitions; quantum well lasers; 10 K; 120 K; 400 mW; 8.3 mum; 9.5 mum; GaAs-AlGaAs; GaAs-AlGaAs quantum cascade lasers; InGaAs-AlGas laser; InGaAs-AlInAs; InGaAs-AlInAs quantum cascade lasers; dry etched; high temperature performance; lasing characteristics; maximum peak power; pulsed operation; temperature performance; temperature-dependent studies; threshold current density; upper laser level;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electronics Letters

Publisher

iet

ISSN

0013-5194

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/el:19991380

Filename

819044