Temperature dependent gain characteristics in GaN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Temperature dependent gain characteristics and linewidth enhancement factor (α-factor) of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells were studied by measuring the photoluminescence spectra below the threshold condition and analyzed by using the Hakki-Paoli method. The optical gain and differential gain showed a more rapid increase as a function of the injected carriers as temperature decreased. The α-factor for the lasing mode was estimated as 2.8 at room temperature and decreased to a value as low as 0.6 at 80 K.