Thermal effects on the threshold of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers: first- and second-order phase transitions

Journal Article · Mon May 15 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Optics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.20.001151· OSTI ID:165271

Ning, C Z; Moloney, J V ^[1]

---

1. Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences and Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States)

We investigate the threshold behavior of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL`s) by solving the set of coupled equations for carrier density, field amplitude, and plasma and lattice temperatures. We show that, because of plasma heating and lattice heating, the threshold of VCSEL`s can be continuous or discontinuous with bistability between lasing and nonlasing states (correspondingly second- or first-order phase transition), depending on the relative position of the cavity frequency to the gain bandwidth and on the ambient (substrate) temperature of the device.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 165271
• Journal Information: Optics Letters, Journal Name: Optics Letters Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 20; ISSN 0146-9592; ISSN OPLEDP
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
DESIGN
EMISSION SPECTRA
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
OPTICAL PUMPING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SOLID STATE LASERS