Analysis of lateral mode behavior in broad-area InGaN quantum well lasers
- Sandia National Laboratories
A wave-optical model that is coupled to a microscopic gain theory is used to investigate lateral mode behavior in group III nitride quantum well lasers. Beam filamentation due to self-focusing in the gain medium is found to limit fundamental-mode output to narrow stripe lasers or to operation close to lasing threshold. Differences between nitride and conventional near-infrared semiconductor lasers arise because of band structure differences, in particular, the presence of a strong quantum-confined Stark effect in the former. Increasing mirror reflectivities in plane-plane resonators to reduce lasing threshold current tends to exacerbate the filamentation problem. On the other hand, a negative-branch unstable resonator is found to mitigate filament effects, enabling fundamental-mode operation far above threshold in broad-area lasers.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (US); Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 756066
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2000-1397J
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Quantum Electronics, Journal Name: Journal of Quantum Electronics
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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