150-nm tuning range in a grating-coupled external cavity quantum-dot laser

Author

Li, H. ; Liu, G.T. ; Varangis, P.M. ; Newell, T.C. ; Stintz, A. ; Fuchs, B. ; Malloy, K.J. ; Lester, L.F.

Author_Institution

Center for High Technol. Mater., New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM, USA

Volume

12

Issue

7

fYear

2000

fDate

7/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

759

Lastpage

761

Abstract

An antireflection (AR) coated single-stack quantum-dot (QD) laser in a grating-coupled external cavity is shown to operate across a tuning range from 1.095 μm to 1.245 μm. This 150-nm range extends from the energy levels of the ground state to excited states. At any wavelength, the threshold current density is no greater than 1.1 kA/cm². This large tunable range is the product of the rapid carrier filling of the higher energy states under a low pumping current and homogeneous broadening in the QD ensemble. The possibility of a larger tuning range is discussed with the further improvement of the AR-coating.

Keywords

antireflection coatings; current density; diffraction gratings; excited states; ground states; laser beams; laser cavity resonators; laser tuning; quantum well lasers; ridge waveguides; semiconductor quantum dots; waveguide lasers; 1.095 to 1.245 mum; antireflection coated single-stack quantum-dot laser; antireflection-coating; energy level; energy states; excited states; grating-coupled external cavity; grating-coupled external cavity quantum-dot laser; ground state; homogeneous broadening; low pumping current; rapid carrier filling; threshold current density; tunable range; tuning range; Gratings; Laser excitation; Laser modes; Laser tuning; Pump lasers; Quantum dot lasers; Semiconductor lasers; Stationary state; Tunable circuits and devices; Waveguide lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.853491

Filename

853491