Microscopic modelling of equilibrium and nonequilibrium gain in optically pumped semiconductor lasers

This study developed a microscopic laser theory with predictive character which can be used in principle for nonequilibrium calculations. However, due to the high expense in calculation time, it is not applicable for parameter studies or the modelling of laser switch-on. Thus, this work developed a procedure of extracting effective scattering rates from microscopic calculations and using them in a rate approximation for the scattering terms in the semiconductor Bloch equations. With this new model, calculation time is drastically reduced while still microscopically calculating effective scattering rates. As an example, the switch-on of an optically pumped long-wavelength quantum well laser is modelled.