Observation of bistability in GaAs quantum-well vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Author

Tang, Xuefei ; Van Der Ziel, Jan P. ; Chang, Bing ; Johnson, Ralph ; Tatum, Jim A.

Author_Institution

Erik Jonsson Sch. of Eng. & Comput. Sci., Texas Univ., Richardson, TX, USA

Volume

33

Issue

6

fYear

1997

fDate

6/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

927

Lastpage

932

Abstract

Two different types of bistability in proton-implanted GaAs quantum-well (QW) vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been observed. The first type of bistability has a small hysteresis width (~50 μA) in the light versus current and voltage versus current characteristics. Light-induced large negative differential resistance, random fluctuations, and self-pulsations are observed at the switching point. The emission patterns show that the bistability occurs at a spatially localized area under the output facet that covers only a small fraction of the N1S-μm-diameter aperture. The bistability stems from spatially localized saturable absorption. The second type of bistability has a large hysteresis width (~1 μA) in the L-1 characteristics and is observed well above the threshold current. In this case, no observable bistable loop exists in the voltage versus current characteristics, and the bistability is associated with transverse mode-hopping

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; electro-optical switches; fluctuations; gallium arsenide; hysteresis; laser cavity resonators; laser modes; optical bistability; quantum well lasers; surface emitting lasers; 1 muA; 50 muA; GaAs; GaAs quantum-well vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers; GaAs:H; VCSELs; bistability; emission patterns; large hysteresis width; light versus current characteristics; light-induced large negative differential resistance; proton-implanted; random fluctuations; self-pulsations; small hysteresis width; spatially localized area; spatially localized saturable absorption; switching point; transverse mode-hopping; voltage versus current characteristics; Apertures; Fluctuations; Gallium arsenide; Hysteresis; Quantum well lasers; Quantum wells; Surface emitting lasers; Surface resistance; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.585478

Filename

585478