Temperature sensitivity of strained multiple quantum well long-wavelength semiconductor lasers: root cause analysis and the effects of varying device structure

In the past twenty years there has been considerable effort spent in attempting to explain the temperature dependence of the threshold current (I th ) of InGaAsP-InP based semiconductor lasers. These efforts and the mechanisms which have been presumed responsible for this temperature dependence are reviewed. An alternate means of analyzing the threshold current temperature dependence of these lasers, based on a parameter T max (rather than the conventional T o ) is proposed, and a relationship between the parameter T max and adjustable device structural and material parameters is presented. Numerous experimental results are analyzed to evaluate the effects of: internal absorption loss; Auger recombination; carrier leakage; and, optical gain on the temperature dependence of InGaAsP-based lasers. It is concluded that the dominant effect on the threshold current temperature sensitivity stems from the temperature dependence of the optical and differential modal gain.