Spontaneous emission

About: Spontaneous emission is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 12855 publications have been published within this topic receiving 323684 citations.

Self-Consistent Analysis of Strain-Compensated InGaN–AlGaN Quantum Wells for Lasers and Light-Emitting Diodes

Abstract: Strain-compensated InGaN-AlGaN quantum wells (QW) are investigated as improved active regions for lasers and light emitting diodes. The strain-compensated QW structure consists of thin tensile-strained AlGaN barriers surrounding the InGaN QW. The band structure was calculated by using a self-consistent 6-band kmiddotp formalism, taking into account valence band mixing, strain effect, spontaneous and piezoelectric polarizations, as well as the carrier screening effect. The spontaneous emission and gain properties were analyzed for strain-compensated InGaN-AlGaN QW structures with indium contents of 28%, 22%, and 15% for lasers (light-emitting diodes) emitting at 480 (500), 440 (450), and 405 nm (415 nm) spectral regimes, respectively. The spontaneous emission spectra show significant improvement of the radiative emission for strain-compensated QW for all three structures compared to the corresponding conventional InGaN QW, which indicates the enhanced radiative efficiency for light emitting diodes. Our studies show the improvement of the optical gain and reduction of the threshold current density from the use of strain-compensated InGaN-AlGaN QW as active regions for diode lasers.

Definition of a laser threshold.

Abstract: We propose that the threshold of a laser is more appropriately described by the pump power (or current) needed to bring the mean cavity photon number to unity, rather than the conventional ``definition'' that it is the pump power at which the optical gain equals the cavity loss. In general the two definitions agree to within a factor of 2, but in a class of microcavity lasers with high spontaneous emission coupling efficiency and high absorption loss, the definitions may differ by several orders of magnitude. We show that in this regime the laser undergoes a transition from a linear (amplifier) behavior to a nonlinear (oscillatory) behavior at our proposed threshold pump rate. The photon recycling resulting from the high spontaneous emission coupling efficiency and high absorption may in this case result in lasing without population inversion, and coherent light is generated via ``loss saturation'' instead of gain saturation. This mechanism for lasing without inversion is very different from lasing without inversion using a radiation trapped state.

Observation of inhibited spontaneous emission.

Abstract: The radiative decay of the cyclotron motion of a single electron is significantly inhibited when the electron is located within microwave cavity (formed by the electrodes of a Penning trap) rather than in free space. This is the first observation of such inhibited spontaneous emission and the first use of a promising new system for radiative physics. Implications for precision measurements are mentioned.

Instability of semiconductor lasers due to optical feedback from distant reflectors

Abstract: We explain an istability occurring in continuously operating lasers due to moderate feedback from distant reflectors. This instability occurs despite the fact that the laser is stable with respect to small deviations from steady-state operation. It is the result of finite phase and carrier number changes caused by fluctuations in spontaneous emission. We predict several properties that agree with recent experimental observations: 1) the instability only occurs when the laser reaches a steady state that maximizes coherent feedback and laser light intensity; 2) the instability vanishes at strong feedback levels; and 3) at moderate feedback levels, the laser will be nearly stable at threshold, but unstable when operated well above threshold. The latter behavior results in a nonlinear "kinked" shape in the light versus current relation.