Abstract

Semiconductor quantum well (QW) lasers can achieve a tuning range of over 140 nm by pumping the n=2 level, which requires tens of kA/cm² current densities, although a 90 nm tunable range with only 2 kA/cm² has been achieved by using multiple different QWs [1]. In contrast to QW lasers, the ground state of quantum dots (QD) rapidly saturates for increasing pump levels. As a result, the excited states of QD lasers can be filled at a fairly low pump current density (~1-2 kA/cm²), which produces a very wide spontaneous emission spectrum [2].

© 2000 IEEE