Saturation effects in semiconductor lasers
Abstract
This paper describes a theory for a semiconductor active medium interacting with a laser field. In a semiconductor laser, the charge carrier transitions are inhomogeneously broadened, and electron-electron and electron-phonon collisions tend to dephase the laser transitions and maintain thermal equilibrium among the carriers. These properties cause semiconductor lasers to frequency tune as though they are inhomogeneously broadened and to saturate as though they are homogeneously broadened. A theory that contains these two aspects of semiconductor laser behavior is presented. From it, the loaded gain, efficiency, intensity, and carrier-induced refractive index of a semiconductor active medium are calculated.
- Publication:
-
IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics
- Pub Date:
- August 1987
- DOI:
- 10.1109/JQE.1987.1073517
- Bibcode:
- 1987IJQE...23.1314C
- Keywords:
-
- Charge Carriers;
- Electron States;
- Laser Outputs;
- Particle Interactions;
- Quantum Mechanics;
- Semiconductor Lasers;
- Carrier Density (Solid State);
- Gallium Arsenide Lasers;
- Phase Shift;
- Lasers and Masers