Heterostructure injection lasers.

Many of the operating parameters of semiconductor diode lasers can be related directly to the dielectric wave-guide structure and the carrier injection properties of the junction. Modern lasers virtually all utilize the variable bandgap and refractive index of the GaxAl1−xAs system to control the wave-guide and injection properties, and devices can be designed and made to have specific operating characteristics for given applications. This paper presents a brief review of the important laser characteristics and shows how these can be controlled to achieve the desired performance. The main classes of laser: single heterostructure, double heterostructure, and localized gain region diodes are described, and the performance limitations of each type are discussed under the separate headings of threshold current, efficiency, emission pattern, and peak power limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]