Supermode control is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally in diffraction-coupled semiconductor laser arrays. A linear theory is presented to determine the supermode threshold gain as a function of the coupling cavity length. By fabricating devices with different coupling cavity lengths, array operation in both the fundamental and highest order supermodes is achieved.
The capture of photoexcited carriers in different laser structures is investigated by subpicosecond luminescence spectroscopy. The capture time at 20 and 80 K is monitored by the decay of the luminescence of the confinement layers. It is found to range between 2 and 3 ps for both linear and parabolic grading, and to be much longer in nongraded structures. The improvement of the capture in the case of graded structures is due to the quasi-electric field experienced by the carriers, and might allow the devices to run at much higher frequencies.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.