The effect of compressive and tensile strain of Quantum Wells (QWs) on the gain and transparency current density of high power laser diodes was studied. Material composition of InGaAlAs/AlGaAs and InGaAsP/InGaP was utilized for the study of compressive and tensile strain QWs, respectively. Variation in the strain degree was achieved by changing the In and P mole fraction accordingly. We found that the transparency current densities of compressively strained QWs decrease from 117 to 100 A/cm² as a function of strain. The transparency current in tensile strained QWs decrease from 140 to 130 A/cm² as the strain is increased. The material gain of compressively strained QWs is almost insensitive to the variation of strain degree (~1000 cm^-1), while for tensile strained QWs the material gain increases from 1000 cm^-1 to 1250 cm^-1 when the tensile strain is increased. In spite of the higher transparency densities the gain achieved at maximum strain is larger for tensile strained QW laser. This result is explained by the strain influence on the electron-hole recombination strengths. Consequently the effect of strain on the performance of High Power QCW and CW laser bars was also investigated. The threshold current of bars with compressively strained QWs is decreased to 8.5 A and the external differential efficiency is increased to 1.0 W/A as a function of strain. On the other hand, as the tensile strain in the QW is increased the threshold current reduces to 10 A and the slope efficiency increases to 1.2 W/A. As a result, tensile strain QWs bars are more efficient at high power operation.

Date Published: 15 February 2006
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 6104, High-Power Diode Laser Technology and Applications IV, 61040B (15 February 2006); doi: 10.1117/12.645815

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6104:
High-Power Diode Laser Technology and Applications IV
Mark S. Zediker, Editor(s)