Impact of the capture time on the series resistance of quantum-well diode lasers

Abstract

Electrons and holes injected into a semiconductor heterostructure containing quantum wellsare captured with a finite time. We show theoretically that this very fact can cause a considerableexcess contribution to the series resistivity and this is one of the main limiting factors to higherefficiency for GaAs based high-power lasers. The theory combines a standard microscopic-basedmodel for the capture-escape processes in the quantum well with a drift-diffusion description ofcurrent flow outside the quantum well. Simulations of five GaAs-based devices differing in theirAl-content reveal the root-cause of the unexpected and until now unexplained increase of theseries resistance with decreasing heat sink temperature measured recently. The finite capturetime results in resistances in excess of the bulk layer resistances (decreasing with increasingtemperature) from 1 mΩ up to 30 mΩ in good agreement with experiment.