Temperature and pressure dependence of carrier recombination processes in GaAsSb/GaAs quantum well lasers

• Published in: Physica Status Solidi (b) Vol. 244; no. 1; pp. 197 - 202
• Main Authors: Hild, Konstanze, Sweeney, Stephen J., Marko, Igor P., Jin, Shirong R., Johnson, Shane R., Chaparro, Sergio A., Yu, Shuiqing, Zhang, Yong-Hang
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.01.2007; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley
• Subjects: 42.55.Px; 62.50.+p; 72.20.Jv; 78.60.Fi; 85.35.Be; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Lasers; Optics; Physics; Semiconductor lasers; laser diodes; Gallium arsenides; Pressure effects; Gallium antimonides; Temperature effects; Non radiative recombination; Charge carrier recombination; Quantum well lasers; Threshold current; Auger recombination; High pressure; III-V semiconductors
• ISSN: 0370-1972; 1521-3951
• DOI: 10.1002/pssb.200672571

We investigated the temperature and pressure dependence of carrier recombination processes occurring in GaAsSb edge‐emitting lasers operating near 1.3 μm. Below ∼100 K, the threshold current, I th, is dominated by the radiative current, I rad, and is proportional to temperature, T. However, above 100 K, non‐radiative recombination increases abruptly such that by 125 K it accounts for 40% of I th. From high pressure measurements at this temperature, we find that the non‐radiative current decreases with increasing pressure, consistent with the presence of Auger recombination. At room temperature, non‐radiative recombination accounts for ∼90% I th and gives rise to a super‐linear temperature dependence of I th, in spite of the fact that I rad ∝ T. At room temperature the non‐radiative current increases with increasing pressure, indicating that under ambient operating conditions, the devices are also limited by carrier leakage into the Γ‐minimum of the GaAs barriers and possibly also into the X‐minima of the GaAsP confining layers. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)