Bistability of threshold in quantum dash‐in‐a‐well lasers

Abstract

The authors observe a bistability of threshold in a quantum dash ridge-waveguide laser diode at temperatures below 230 K. A giant and sometimes negative characteristic temperature, T 0 , is measured at temperatures between 230 K and 320 K. They analyse the temperature dependent light-current characteristics of this device, and a similar device with lower barriers, to gain an insight into the mechanism causing bistable behaviour. A rate equation model shows localisation and passive saturable absorption as the causes of the bistable behaviour in the higher barrier laser at low temperature. They find good qualitative agreement between the experimental and the theoretical results.

Monolithic Tunable InAs/InP Broadband Quantum-Dash Laser

“…Recently, [20] reported the observation of optical bistability in quantum dot lasers emitting at 1300 nm, and from two-section semiconductor laser devices with InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot active region [21]. Optical bistability in C-band QD-LD has also been observed [22]; however, the device was operated at a very low temperature (−43 • C) to see this phenomenon unlike in this work wherein we observed the hysteresis in the L-I characteristics at near room temperature and in mid-L-band wavelength emitting QD-LD.…”