Multiple increase in the radiative efficiency of 1060-nm laser diodes based on heterostructures with tunnel-coupled injection and a single waveguide mode

Abstract

An approach aimed at increasing the radiative efficiency in heterostructures operating in a single vertical mode at 1060 nm has been studied. Two types of heterostructures—the STJH (single tunnel junction heterostructure) and DTJH (double tunnel junction heterostructure)—have been developed to obtain the operation of a single waveguide mode of the first and second order, respectively. A multiple increase in the injection efficiency is realized by using tunnel junctions (TJs) embedded in the wide-gap barriers and placed between the active regions. An internal quantum efficiency of close to 100% and a transparency current density of 78 A/cm2 is demonstrated for both types of heterostructures, while the internal optical loss is 5.2 and 3.8 cm–1 for STJH and DTJH, respectively. The maximum radiative efficiency (for the initial linear part of the light-current curve) and the output optical power (for the current pulse of 1 µs and 9.6 A) reach 1.6 W/A and 7.8 W for STJH and 2.2 W/A and 15.8 W for DTJH.