Numerical investigation of self-heating effects of oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Yang Liu, Wei Choon Ng, Kent D. Choquette, Karl Hess

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We present a comprehensive numerical model to simulate self-heating effects of oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) under continuous-wave operation. The model self-consistently accounts for the close interaction between optical, electrical, and thermal processes in VCSELs. In particular, hot carriers and nonequilibrium optical phonons in the quantum wells are modeled by solving a carrier energy balance equation and an optical phonon rate equation. Our numerical simulations reveal that they are responsible for aggravated thermal rollovers in VCSELs' L-I characteristics. Detailed comparisons are made and good agreement is obtained between simulations and experiments for the L-I-V and lasing wavelength characteristics of VCSELs with varying oxide aperture size. Various mechanisms that result in the L-I thermal rollover behavior are also investigated with the aid of simulations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)15-25
Number of pages11
JournalIEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics
Volume41
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2005

Keywords

  • Charge carrier processes
  • Distributed Bragg reflector lasers
  • Hot carriers
  • Laser reliability
  • Laser thermal factors
  • Semiconductor heterojunctions
  • Semiconductor lasers

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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