Tunneling-injection quantum-dot laser: ultrahigh temperature stability

• Published in: IEEE journal of quantum electronics Vol. 37; no. 7; pp. 905 - 910
• Main Authors: Asryan, L.V., Luryi, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.07.2001; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Cutting off; Depletion; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Laser stability; Lasers; Line broadening; Minority carriers; Optics; Physics; Quantum dot lasers; Quantum dots; Quantum electronics; Quantum well lasers; Radiative recombination; Semiconductor lasers; Semiconductor lasers; laser diodes; Spontaneous emission; Temperature dependence; Temperature sensors; Threshold current; Tunneling; Semiconductor lasers; Quantum dots; Semiconductor heterojunctions; Tunnel effect; Theoretical study; Quantum well lasers; Thermal stability; Charge carrier injection
• ISSN: 0018-9197; 1558-1713
• DOI: 10.1109/3.929590

We propose a genuinely temperature-insensitive quantum dot (QD) laser. Our approach is based on direct injection of carriers into the QDs, resulting in a strong depletion of minority carriers in the regions outside the QDs. Recombination in these regions, which is the dominant source of the temperature dependence, is thereby suppressed, raising the characteristic temperature T/sub 0/ above 1500 K. Still further enhancement of T/sub 0/ results from the resonant nature of tunneling injection, which reduces the inhomogeneous line broadening by selectively cutting off the nonlasing QDs.