Semiconductor lasers

by: Khanh Kieu

(12/01/2009)
 Outlines

• Introduction

• Semiconductor laser: basics

• Types of semiconductor laser

• High power semiconductor lasers

• Applications of semiconductor lasers

Introduction

Laserfocusworld.com
 Introduction
First demonstration in 1962 by Robert N. Hall
(homojunction diodes)
 Introduction

First CW laser diode operating

at room temperature was
demonstrated in 1970 by
Zhores Alferov
(Double heterostructure )
 Semiconductor laser: doping

As Ga As As Ga As

e h
Ga Se Ga Ga Zn Ga

As Ga As As Ga As

n-doped p-doped
p-n junction
 Homojunction diode laser
p+ Junction n+
Ec

Eg p+ n+
eV o Ec EF n
In v ers io n
reg io n Ec
Ev Eg
Ho les in V B EF n
EF p Electro ns in C B eV
Electro ns
Ec
EF p

Ev
(a) (b )

The energy band diagram of a degenerately doped p-n with no bias. (b) Band
diagram with a sufficiently large forward bias to cause population inversion and
hence stimulated emission.
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
Homojunction diode laser

Population Inversion: More electrons in the CB at energies

near Ec than electrons in VB near Ev

The region where the population inversion occurs develops a

layer along the junction called an inversion layer or active
region
 Homojunction diode laser
Current

Cleaved surface mirror

An adequate forward bias is L

required to inject carriers Electrode
p+ GaAs
across the junction to
L
initiate population inversion
The process is called
injection pumping. n+ GaAs
Electrode

Active region
(stimulated emission region)

A schematic illustration of a GaAs homojunction laser

diode. The cleaved surfaces act as reflecting mirrors.
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
 Homojunction diode laser
Optical P ower Laser
Optical Power

Optical P ower LED

Stimulated
emission λ
Optical P ower Laser
Spontaneous
λ emission

I
0
Ith
λ

Typical output optical power vs. diode current (I) characteristics and the corresponding
output spectrum of a laser diode.
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
 Homojunction diode laser

The drawback of a homojunction diode laser is the high threshold

current density therefore it is restricted to operating at very low
temperatures or pulsed mode

1000 A/cm2 at 77 K temperatures

100 000 A/cm2 at 300 K temperatures

Solution → Double heterostructure laser

Double heterostructure diode laser

1. Carrier confinement: Confine the injected electrons and holes

to a narrow region about the junction. This requires less current
to establish the required concentration of electrons for
population inversion.

2. Photon confinement: Construct a dielectric waveguide around

the optical gain region to increase the photon concentration and
elevate the probability of stimulated emission. This reduces the
number of electrons lost traveling off the cavity axis.
Double heterostructure diode laser
(a) A double
n p p heterostructure diode has
two junctions which are
(a) AlGaAs GaAs AlGaAs between two different
bandgap semiconductors
(~0.1 µm) (GaAs and AlGaAs).
Electrons in CB Ec
∆Ec (b) Simplified energy
Ec
2 eV
band diagram under a
2 eV
1.4 eV large forward bias.
Lasing recombination
(b) Ev takes place in the p-
Ev GaAs layer, the
active layer
Holes in VB

Refractive (c) Higher bandgap

index materials have a
(c ) Active ∆n ~ 5% lower refractive
region index
Photon
density
(d) AlGaAs layers
provide lateral optical
(d) confinement.

© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)

Double heterostructure diode laser

Monostructure

Heterostructure
Double heterostructure diode laser

1. Due to the thin p-GaAs layer a minimal amount of current is required

to increase the concentration of injected carriers. This is how the
threshold current for population inversion and optical gain is reduced

2. The semiconductor with a wider bandgap (AlGaAs) will also have a

lower refractive index than GaAs. This difference in refractive index is
what establishes an optical dielectric waveguide that ultimately
confines photons to the active region
Double heterostructure diode laser
Cleaved reflecting surface
W

L
Stripe electrode

Oxide insulator
p-GaAs (Contacting layer)
p-Al xGa1-xAs (Confining layer)
p-GaAs (Active layer)
n-Al xGa1-xAs (Confining layer) 2 1 3
Current
Substrate
n-GaAs (Substrate)
Substrate
paths
Electrode

Elliptical Cleaved reflecting surface

laser
Active region where J > Jth.
beam
(Emission region)

Schematic illustration of the the structure of a double heterojunction stripe

contact laser diode
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
Types of semiconductor lasers

• Quantum well lasers

• Quantum cascade lasers

• Distributed feedback lasers

• External-cavity diode lasers

• VCSELs

• VECSELs

• OPSELs
DFB semiconductor lasers
External-cavity diode lasers

Widely tunable single frequency laser

http://www.rp-photonics.com
 OPSELs

(Credit: D. Payne)

Y. Kaneda at OSC
Emission wavelengths of various
types of laser diodes

http://www.rp-photonics.com
High power diode lasers

Credit: Jeff Hecht

High power diode lasers

Ralf Ostendorf, Fraunhofer Institute

 Stacked-bar diode laser

Newport illustration

Laserline, GmbH, Germany

Stacked-bar diode laser

Credit: Jeff Hecht

 Diode laser: Applications

• Telecommunication

• Data storage

• Material processing ~1 Billion units sale per year!

• Laser pumping

• Medicine

• Laser printers, bar-code readers

•…
High power diode laser

Credit: Jeff Hecht

 Diode laser for pumping

Credit: Jeff Hecht

Industrial applications

Credit: Jeff Hecht

Industrial applications

Dilas photo
Industrial applications

Credit: Jeff Hecht

Medical applications

Credit: Jeff Hecht

Thank you!