Single quantum well lead-europium-selenide-telluride diode lasers

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.95310· OSTI ID:6806947

Partin, D L

It is desirable to increase the operating temperature of long wavelength lead-chalcogenide diode lasers to simplify cooling system requirements. Recently, double heterostructure Pb/sub 1/-xEu/sub x/Se/sub y/Te/sub 1/-y diode lasers (grown by molecular beam epitaxy) operated up to 147 K cw (180 K pulsed). The output photon energy of these devices is linear with x in the wavelength range 6.6-- 2.7 ..mu..m. The growth of single quantum well lead-chalcogenide diode lasers is now reported for the first time. These devices had PbTe quantum wells with PbEuSeTe confinement layers. The width of the quantum wells, L/sub z/, was varied from 300 to 250 A. Strong quantum effects are observed for L/sub z/ < or approx. = 1200 A because of the small carrier masses (m/sub e/approx.m/sub h/approx.0.04m/sub o/ ). The shift in laser emission energy is in approximate agreement with that calculated from a finite square well potential. At low temperatures (< or approx. =100 K), these lasers appear to operate on transitions between n = 1 states in the conduction and valence bands at threshold. Transitions between the n = 2 states require a higher current which decreases with increasing temperature until the laser switches to the n = 2 transition at threshold. The threshold current then increases relatively slowly with temperature, yielding cw operation up to 174 K (at 4.41-..mu..m wavelength), and pulsed operation up to 241 K (at 4.01 ..mu..m). These are the highest operating temperatures ever reported for lead-chalcogenide diode lasers, and increases their potential usefulness for spectroscopic applications and for long wavelength fiber optics communications.

• Research Organization: Physics department, General Motors Research Laboratories, Warren, Michigan 48090-9055
• OSTI ID: 6806947
• Journal Information: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 45:5; ISSN APPLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
CHALCOGENIDES
EUROPIUM COMPOUNDS
EUROPIUM SELENIDES
LASERS
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD SELENIDES
LEAD TELLURIDES
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS