The molecular beam epitaxy of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) has reached a level such that the principal advantages of QD lasers can now be fully realized. We overview the most important recent results achieved to date including excellent device performance of 1.3 μm broad area and ridge waveguide lasers (J_th<150A/cm², I_th=1.4 mA, differential efficiency above 70%, CW 300 mW single lateral mode operation), suppression of non-linearity of QD lasers, which results to improved beam quality, reduced wavelength chirp and sensitivity to optical feedback. Effect of suppression of side wall recombination in QD lasers is also described. These effects give a possibility to further improve and simplify processing and fabrication of laser modules targeting their cost reduction. Recent realization of 2 mW single mode CW operation of QD VCSEL with all-semiconductor DBR is also presented. Long-wavelength QD lasers are promising candidate for mode-locking lasers for optical computer application. Very recently 1.7-ps-wide pulses at repetition rate of 20 GHz were obtained on mode-locked QD lasers with clear indication of possible shortening of pulse width upon processing optimization. First step of unification of laser technology for telecom range with QD-lasers grown on GaAs has been done. Lasing at 1.5 μm is achieved with threshold current density of 0.8 kA/cm² and pulsed output power 7W.

Date Published: 18 June 2004
PDF: 15 pages
Proc. SPIE 5349, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XII, (18 June 2004); doi: 10.1117/12.531245

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5349:
Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XII
Marek Osinski; Hiroshi Amano; Fritz Henneberger, Editor(s)