Theory of a semiconductor laser

Murray Sargent III; Stephan W. Koch; Weng W. Chow

doi:10.1117/12.18116

1 May 1990 Theory of a semiconductor laser

Murray Sargent III, Stephan W. Koch, Weng W. Chow

Proceedings Volume 1216, Nonlinear Optical Materials and Devices for Photonic Switching; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.18116
Event: OE/LASE '90, 1990, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

This paper summarizes a simple single-mode theory of a semiconductor laser and two kinds of multimode extensions. The theories are based on an quasi-equilibrium Fermi-Dirac model of a two-band semiconductor laser gain medium. We include cavity boundary conditions and find the laser single-mode steady-state oscillation intensity. The question as to when sidemodes can build up leads to consideration of a theory of multiwave mixing in the semiconductor medium. This theory is also useful in saturation spectroscopy and phase conjugation using such media, but it does not predict the saturation behavior of the sidemodes. We mention a third-order multimode theory of the laser that allows for sidemode saturation and includes the many-body effects of band-gap renormalization and Coulomb enhancement. These multimode theories assume that the intermode beat frequencies are small compared to the carrier-carrier scattering rate, an assumption that should be valid for external-mirror semiconductor lasers. Using a simple model for the beat frequencies comparable to the carrier-carrier scattering rate, we find two-level inhomogeously broadened sidemode gain and coupling coefficients. Population pulsations and spectral hole burning play approximately equal roles in this theory.

Citation Download Citation

Murray Sargent III, Stephan W. Koch, and Weng W. Chow "Theory of a semiconductor laser", Proc. SPIE 1216, Nonlinear Optical Materials and Devices for Photonic Switching, (1 May 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.18116

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available