Abstract

Homogeneous broadening of a radiative transition in a semiconductor plays an important part in understanding and modelling optical properties of semiconductor lasers and optical amplifiers (as well as LEDs, modulators and photodetectors). This broadening is described by means of the lineshape function L(δ)=L′(δ)+iL″(δ) (δ =ħω-E_g being the detuning between the energy of the emitted photon and the energy separation of the e⁻-h⁺ pair involved in the act of emission) In the single-particle approximation, the real part L′(δ) of L(δ) features in a formula for the imaginary part of the dielectric constant (gain/absorption coefficients) and the spontaneous recombination, whilst the imaginary part L″(δ) may be used for modelling refractive effects. In a more accurate many-body theory, both L′(δ) and L″(δ) are involved in both gain/absorption and refractive index calculations.

© 2000 IEEE