10.1007/s11453-008-2020-y

Abstract

The rates of radiative recombination (including transitions induced by enhanced luminescence) and nonradiative recombination, internal quantum yield of luminescence, and the matrix element for band-to-band optical transitions were determined for the first time for InAsSb/InAsSbP diode lasers oscillating at wavelengths of 3.1-3.2 µ m. It is established that the contribution of nonradiative recombination to the lasing threshold can be as large as 97%. The internal quantum yield of luminescence for the InAs 0.97 Sb 0.03 compound is no higher than 3%. Most likely, the nonradiative channel is formed with involvement of Auger recombination with the constant C = 4.2 × 10 -38 m 6 s -1 ( T = 77 K). The studied samples of lasers feature relatively low optical losses ρ = 900 m -1 and internal quantum efficiency of emission at the level of 0.6. The spontaneous lifetime of nonequilibrium charge carriers as determined from the radiative-recombination rate is equal to 6 × 10 -8 s, which is consistent with known published data.