Semiconductor Lasers operating principle :

outline

-> gain and recombination processes, threshold, QW lasers

 waveguiding in semiconductor lasers
 Distributed FeedBack lasers (DFB)
 Semiconductor Laser structures

Philippe Brosson/ESO/2005/Semiconductor Lasers and integrated devices/ 1- S.L. Operating principle/ 1

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 Double-heterojunction laser

current flow
(a few mAs) I
100 µm

refractive
µm
0
30
profile
index
profile
field

P
N

active layer
0.2 µm (bulk)
9 nm (quant. well)
light
cleaved facet {110}
R=0.3-0.4

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 Optical transitions

ENERGY
h ν

ENERGY
Absorption

h ν
Spontaneous emission

h ν
ENERGY

h ν
Stimulated emission

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 Optical gain

φ φ = φ gz
0 0 e

0 z
⇒ ⇒
gain region

dφ
φ = g dz

Φ ( photons s-1cm-2 ) photon flux

g ( cm-1 ) optical gain

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 Carrier confinement in a homo-junction laser,
@0K
population
conduction P type inversion N type
band conduction

}
band
EF c
Eg
Fermi level hν
EF v Eg V

electrons

valence
valence
band
band
forward bias V

no bias, V=0 Carriers can diffuse and are poorly

confined
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 Carrier and optical confinement in a
double-heterojunction laser

refractive
index
d ≈ 0.1-0.3 µm
forward bias
Double-heterojunction conduction band injected electrons
laser

energy
hν ≈ Eg
valence band holes

P N
InP GaInAsP InP

Condition for Net stimulated emission

E g < h ν < E g + EF c +EF v
[I. Hayashi, M. B. Panish, F. K. Reinhart, « GaAs-Alx Ga 1-x As double-heterostructure injection lasers »,
J. App. Phys., vol. 42, pp 1929-1941, Apr. 1971]
[M.G. A. Bernard, G. Duraffourg, Phys. Status Solidi, 1, 699, 1961]
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 Threshold condition for a
Fabry-Perot laser

R1 L R2
Φ0 Exp(g-α)L
Φ0

R2Φ0 Exp(g-α)2 L R2Φ0 Exp(g-α)L

R1R2Φ0 Exp(g-α)2 L

gain Φ0 = R1R2Φ0 Exp(g-α)2 L

g = α + (1/L) Ln(1/Sqrt(R1R2) )

internal loss mirror loss

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 Light-current characteristics
Linear gain approximation 5
gth = a ( Nth -Nt) gth = 100 cm-1
4
Optical confinement Γ= 0.2
3

P ( mW )
Case of a Double-Hetero structure laser
2
Γgth = Γαint + (1-Γ)αcladd. + 1/L Ln(1/R)
-> threshold carrier density Nth(cm-3) 1

Nth = 2x10 18 cm-3 0

Recombination rate 0 20 40 60 80 100
J/ed = Rrad (N) + Rnon rad (N) I ( mA )

-> threshold current density Jth(kA/cm-2)

100 Ith(mA)
Jth(kA/cm2) =
L(µm) w(µm)
Jth = 1 kA/ cm2
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 Spontaneous and external
differential efficiencies
Spontaneous radiative efficiency

External differential efficiency

(per facet)

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 Optical spectrum for a
Fabry-Perot laser

q integer
λ free space wavelength
L cavity length
n effective index

Longitudinal mode spacing Δλq

by differentiation of (1)

L = 400 µm
λ= 1494 nm
n = 3.53
dn/dλ = -0.12 µm-1
ne = 3.70
Effective group index
Δλq = 0.75 nm
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 Threshold current density and
active layer thickness
The threshold current density is minimum around 0.15 micrometer

Threshold current density

(kA/cm2)

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 Threshold current density in a
Quantum Well laser
The threshold current density is minimum for a 5-well laser

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 Quantum well
semiconductor lasers
conduction
band
E 3c
E 2c ∆E c
E 1c

transition with D2 D2

InP
Eg highest gain

GaInAsP
h ν ≈ E g + E 1c + E 1hh GaInAs
E 1hh
E 2hh E 1lh
E 2lh
E 3hh ∆E v
E 3lh

valence
band Lz
multiple quantum well laser
2 nπ 2
for an infinitely deep well En = h *
2 m Lz

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 Control of the emission wavelength in a
quantum qwell laser
 the energy hν of the peak gain is determined by the width Lz of the well
 the emission wavelength is controlled by Lz

Lz = 5 nm Lz = 9 nm
λ = 1.4 µm λ = 1.55 µm
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 Maximum material gain in a
quantum well laser

G(N) Data
Maximum Gain (cm-1) 2500 [Zielinski]

2000 quantum well

well: GaInAs
1500 barrier: GaInAsP, λg = 1.2 µm
1000

500
bulk GaInAs
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
N (10^18 cm-3)

in quantum well lasers:

• threshold carrier density is lower
• higher modulation bandwith (due to higher dg/dN)

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 Temperature dependence of the
threshold current density
IVBA Auger
10000 Conduction
Conduction
Band Band
Threshold current
density (A/cm2 )

T0 = 60 K
GaInAsP Eg hν Eg hν
1000 acceptor Heavy
T0 = 110 K 1 Hole 1
Heavy Δ
Hole Δ
hν
GaAs T0 = 120 K Light
Light
Hole 2 Hole 2
100
100 200 300 400 3 3
TEMPERATURE(K) Split-Off Split-Off
E E
k k
T
J th ( T ) ≈ J0 e T0 origin of the low T0 in GaInAsP
low T0 <-> high temperature • carrier leakage over barriers
sensitivity • Inter Valence Band Absorption
• Auger recombination
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 Semiconductor Lasers operating principle :
outline

 gain and recombination processes, thresold, QW lasers

->waveguiding in semiconductor lasers
 Distributed FeedBack lasers (DFB)
 Semiconductor Laser structures

Philippe Brosson/ESO/2005/Semiconductor Lasers and integrated devices/ 1- S.L. Operating principle/ 17

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 Waveguide structure

refractive

profile
index
profile
exponential field
Y
cosine
{
exponential

z Ey
Electric field

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 Beam ray description of guided modes

core nlcore cladding nclad d

TE0
TE1
gui des
mo
ded

cladding nclad
θc
θ = sin -1 ( neff0 )
0 ncore ncore = 3.53
θ = sin -1 ( nclad ) θ = sin -1 ( neff1 )
nclad = 3.17
c ncore 1 d = 0.75 µm
ncore 2 modes TE0, TE1

θ (°) neff
critical angle θc for guided modes: TE0 79 3.46
total internal reflection θ > θc TE1 67 3.25
critical 64 3.17

Philippe Brosson/ESO/2005/Semiconductor Lasers and integrated devices/ 1- S.L. Operating principle/ 19

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 Optical field profile
(perpend. to junction plane)

ncore = 3.53
nclad. = 3.17

dact = 0.1 µm dact = 0.4 µm

neff = 3.20 neff = 3.38
Γ = 0.17 d Γ = 0.77 d
I/e2 = 1.1 µm I/e2 = 0.65 µm
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 Beam divergence

⊥ //
x
10 mW

Y 6 mW
θ⊥
half intensity
0.6 mW
contour

θ
//

-50 +50 -50 +50

z Angl e(°)

E ⊥ (θ ) = E (x) e - j [k sin θ ] x dx θ// = 23 °

A. Accard, F. Brillouet, E. Duda, B. Fernier, G. Gelly, L. Goldstein, D. Leclerc, D. Lesterlin, θ⊥ = 24 °
J. Phys. III, France, Vol 2, p1727-1738, 1992
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 Semiconductor Lasers operating principle :
outline

 gain and recombination processes, QW lasers

 waveguiding in semiconductor lasers
-> Distributed FeedBack lasers (DFB)

Philippe Brosson/ESO/2005/Semiconductor Lasers and integrated devices/ 1- S.L. Operating principle/ 22

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 Principle of DFB lasers (Distributed FeedBack)

Optical feeback is achieved by a periodic perturbation along the

propagation direction z (modulation of the effective index)
with a grating
Λ = grating period

R S
case of index coupling: Λ
the interaction between confinement layer
waves R and S is described grating layer
by a real coupling coefficient active layer
Κ(cm-1) confinement layer

optical feedback due to constructive interferences between

the two waves R and S travelling in opposite directions
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 Selective feedback for λ ≅ λ Bragg

Λ cladding layer
grating layer
[ Λ + Λ sin θ ] neff = q λ Bragg
active layer
λBragg cladding layer
θ = π/2 Λ=
2 n eff
first order grating (q=1)
λBragg ≅ 1.5 µm Λ ≅ 0.2 µm

second order grating (q=2) Λ

λBragg ≅ 1.5 µm Λ ≅ 0.4 µm

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 Modes and respective threshold

DFB laser Fabry-Perot laser

threshold
threshold

Light intensity
(a rb. unit )
Light intensity
(a rb. unit )

Wavelength
Wavelength
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 References (DFB lasers)
[1] Kogelnik H., Shank C. V., " Coupled-wave theory of distributed-feedback lasers ", J. Appl. Phys.,1972, 43, pp
2327-2335

[2 ] STREIFER, W., SCIFRES, D. R., BURNHAM, R. D., "Coupling coefficients for distributed feedback
single-and double-heterostructure diode lasers ", IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 1975, QE-11, pp. 867-873

[3] Kihara K., Soda H., Ishikawa H., Imai H. , "Evaluation of the coupling coefficient of a distributed feedback
laser with residual facet reflectivity ", J. Appl. Phys.,1987, 62, pp 1526-1527

[4] STREIFER, W., BURNHAM, R. D., SCIFRES, D. R. :"Effect of external reflectors on longitudinal modes of
distributed feedback lasers", IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 1975, QE-11, pp. 154-161

[5] Wang S., " Design considerations of the DBR injection laser and the waveguiding structure for integrated
optics " ,IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 1977, QE-13, pp. 176-186

[6] P. Brosson, C. Artigue, B. Fernier, D. Leclerc, J. Jacquet, J. Benoit, “A simple determination of the coupling
coefficient in DFB waveguide structures“, Electron. Letters, Vol. 24, pp 990, 1988.

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 Semiconductor Lasers operating principle :
outline

 gain and recombination processes, QW lasers

 waveguiding in semiconductor lasers
 Distributed FeedBack lasers (DFB)
-> Semiconductor Laser structures

Philippe Brosson/ESO/2005/Semiconductor Lasers and integrated devices/ 1- S.L. Operating principle/ 27

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 Vertical laser structure
(bulk active layer)

GaInAsP contact layer p+

InP p

GaInAsP λ g = 1.3 µm 0.1 µm

GaInAsP λ g = 1.55 µm 0.1 µm

InP n 0.2 µm

InP substrate n

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 Vertical laser structure(Quantum Well)
GaInAs contact layer p+
InP p

GaInAsP λ g = 1.2 µm D2 = 9 - 150 nm

wells (9 nm) and
barriers (9 nm)
GaInAsP λ g = 1.2 µm D2 = 9 - 150 nm
InP n D3 = 100 - 400 nm
g grating layer
GaInAsP
λ g = 1.2 µm
InP substrate n

B. FERNIER, L. GOLDSTEIN, A. OLIVIER, A. PERALES, C. STARCK andJ. BENOIT :" Multiquantum well
lasers at 1.5µm by GSMBE ",15th ECOC, SWEDEN, WeB 14 - 6, pp. 264 - 267, (1989)

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 Broad area lasers

100 µm
Simple laser structure to contact
test the lasers p GaInAsP
• no lateral current spreading p InP
• good determination of
- Jthreshold (kA/cm2) GaInAsP active
- external efficiency n InP

requires pulsed operation n InP substrate

to avoid heating
(high Ithreshold = 0.5-3 A)

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 Stripe lasers
10 µm Sio2 SiO2 p+ GaInAsP InP p, Zn

InP p, Be
W &B
p InP p InP InP n
GaInAsP active
n GaInAsP passive

InP n substrate
≈ n InP substrate ≈
n InP substrate

100 µm

∆n = 0.1- 0.3
∆n = 0.001- 0.01

Gain guided
(light is absorbed in
the unpumped region)

Index guided
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 Buried double-hetero-structure laser
processing(1)

p+ GaInAsP
p InP

n InP
n InP substrate

1 epitaxy 3 SiO2 engraving 5 epitaxial regrowth

2 SiO2 deposition 4 mesa engraving 6 AuZn contact &

engraving
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 Buried double-hetero-structure laser
processing(2)

7 SiO2 deposition 8 TiPtAu p contact 9

• lapping & chemical
polishing
SiO2 • AuGeNi n contact
Zn diffusion p+ GaInAsP

p InP n InP
GaInAsP active
x xx x x
x x
x
p InP
n InP

≈ n InP substrate
≈
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