Chapter 3 DEO40023 Part 2

DEO 40023
OPTOELECTRONIC
Chp. 3 – Light Source(LASER)…
Muhamad Reduan B. Abu Bakar

JABATAN KEJURUTERAAN ELEKTRIK (JKE)
THE
LASER
DIODE
BASICS OF LASER
L ight
A mplification by
S timulated
E mission of
R adiation
Laser-Professionals.com
Incandescent vs. Laser Light
1. Many wavelengths 1. Monochromatic

2. Multidirectional 2. Directional
3. Incoherent 3. Coherent
4
3 process of light emission
E2 E2 E2
h h
h h  In
Out
h
E1 E1 E1
(a) Absorption (b) Spontaneous emission (c) Stimulated emission

Absorption, spontaneous (random photon) emission and stimulated
emission.
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
Light Emission in Laser
- In a laser diode, light is generated by a different process known
as stimulated emission.
- In this process, the probability that a photon is generated
depends on the number of photons already present, that is, on
the light intensity.
- The result is an amplification of the light, with additional
photons being produced by those already created.
- This amplification can be made self-sustaining by adding
reflective elements to the ends of the device.
- As the light makes multiple passes through the semiconductor,
it is increasingly amplified until laser light is produced.
Properties of lasers
Threshold:
• Threshold in laser indicates the minimum amount of power that must be
injected into the material to ensure lasing process occurs.
• Laser diode emits light spontaneously below threshold similar as LED, but
this spontaneous emission is weaker compared to laser light emitted above

threshold.
• The output power versus drive current for laser exhibits threshold behaviour
whereas that for an LED does not.
• The laser diode has higher output power compared to LED but does not
respond linearly to drive current over the entire range.

Directionality :
•Laser light has high directional nature which makes it useful in many
applications.
•The angular distribution of a nonlaser source such as LED can be obtained based
on Lambert’s Law, where
•whereas angular distribution of laser can be modelled as
•It becomes highly directional for large n.
•The angular distribution pattern is much more directional for a laser than a LED.
Example:
Answer:
Spectral purity: •This property is an advantage for fiber
•Laser has narrow spectral distribution. optic communication and wavelength

division multiplexing (WDM) application.
Typical spectral linewidths for laser diode
are 2nm and this is a consequence of the
optical cloning process.
•The photons generated by the
stimulated emission have the same

phase and add constructively to produce
larger amplitude with well-defined
frequency and phase. Known as
coherence property.
Time response:
•The response time of laser diode can be faster compared to LED which is limited
by the spontaneous lifetime of electron in the conduction band.
•The stimulated emission in laser provides an additional way for the electron to
decay out of the conduction band which resulting in shorter lifetime of electron
and improved time response.
•The time response of laser diode is best at high excitation, where the stimulation
emission rate is high.

Types of semiconductor lasers
Double Heterostructure Laser: •An additional advantage is that the tail
•The DH laser overcomes homojunction of the lightwave distribution extending

into lower index material will not be
laser limitation such as poor overlap of
absorbed there, due to higher bandgap
light distribution with the gain region,
energy of the material.
low gain per unit length, gain region
suffer from absorption instead of
amplification, high threshold current
density, high temperature dependence
and undesirable features.
•Energy bands are shifted so as to permit
overlap of the free electrons and holes in

well defined active region.
Quantum Well Laser:
• Active region thickness, d smaller than 0.1µm is not beneficial in DH laser because the
lightwave mode cannot stay confined to such a small dimension. The issue is solved in
quantum well laser, where a quantum is formed and the motion of carrier
perpendicular to the layer is constrained by the well which results in discrete energies.
• The carrier can still move freely parallel to the layers, however making the movement
of charge carrier effectively two dimensional.
• Advantages of quantum well laser over the traditional DH laser:

 Lasing wavelength can be adjusted simply by selecting the value of d. This provides
flexibility in manufacturing.
 The properties of laser can be fine-tuned by selecting the materials for the layers that are
mismatched in lattice constant.

 Makes the device works better. Very small current threshold by the small value of d.
Single-Frequency Laser:
• Utilizes a Bragg grating built into the structure of the device to narrow the
linewidth. This can be formed by continuously varying the thickness of one the
layer in the structure.
• Advantages:
Narrower line width.
Less sensitive to the change of temperature and have more linear output
power versus current relation.
• Mode hoping is eliminated by stabilizing the influence of Bragg grating.

Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser:
•Was made successful by employing Bragg grating reflectors both above and below
the active layer, which consists of the alternating layers of semiconductors with
different bandgap.
•Advantages:
Advantage in manufacturing method, in which many individual VCSELs are

deposited simultaneously on single semiconductor wafer.
Lead to efficiency and cost saving in production.
•2-D arrays of VCSELs can be naturally created in this way, each laser being
individually controllable. Wavelength of the laser can be varied by controlling the
cavity length.
Quantum Cascade Laser:
• Utilizes the concept of intraband transition approach. It consists of alternate
layers of higher and lower bandgap material, forming a series of closely spaced
Quantum Wells.
• A voltage is applied across the device, which causes the electron’s potential
energy to vary linearly with position.
• Advantages:
Wide bandgap materials can be used in the layers for better performance.
Lasing wavelength can be simply selected by choosing the proper QW
spacing and width.
• Possible to operate at multiple wavelengths simultaneously by varying the QW
energy levels.

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DEO 40023

Muhamad Reduan B. Abu Bakar

1. Many wavelengths 1. Monochromatic

(a) Absorption (b) Spontaneous emission (c) Stimulated emission

• Threshold in laser indicates the minimum amount of power that must be

injected into the material to ensure lasing process occurs.

this spontaneous emission is weaker compared to laser light emitted above

whereas that for an LED does not.

respond linearly to drive current over the entire range.

•It becomes highly directional for large n.

•Laser has narrow spectral distribution. optic communication and wavelength

•The photons generated by the

stimulated emission have the same

by the spontaneous lifetime of electron in the conduction band.

emission rate is high.

•The DH laser overcomes homojunction of the lightwave distribution extending

•Energy bands are shifted so as to permit

overlap of the free electrons and holes in

• Advantages of quantum well laser over the traditional DH laser:

mismatched in lattice constant.

power versus current relation.

• Mode hoping is eliminated by stabilizing the influence of Bragg grating.

Advantage in manufacturing method, in which many individual VCSELs are

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