Comparison of steady-state and transient characteristics of lattice-matched and strained InGaAs-AlGaAs (on GaAs) and InGaAs-AlInAs (on InP) quantum-well lasers

This paper reports on numerical techniques to study the output spectra and to solve the multimode coupled rate equations including TE and TM propagations for InxGa1-xAs-Al0.3Ga0.7As and In0.53+xGa0.47-xAs-Al0.48In0.52As quantum well lasers. Optical properties are calculated from a 4 x 4 k · p bandstructure and strain effects are included with the deformation potential theory. The authors find that an introduction of 1.4% compressive strain to the quantum well results in roughly 3-4 times improvement in the intrinsic static characteristics in terms of lower threshold current, greater mode suppression, and lower nonlashing photon population in the laser cavity. The authors also identify the role of strain on the large signal temporal response. If the laser is switched from the off state to a given photon density in the lasing mode, then the strained system exhibits a faster intrinsic time response. However, if the lasers are switched to equal total photon density, then the strained system has a slower time response. The authors also include calculated CHSH Auger rates in our model and find that the main effect of Auger recombination is to greatly increase the threshold current and to shorten the response time to large signal switching