Abstract

Visible AlGaInP lasers are under investigation for applications including pumping of Cr³⁺ doped solid-state lasers, photodynamic therapy, optical recording, printing, scanning, and He-Ne laser substitutes. Recently structures with strained quantum well (QW) active regions have improved the performance of AlGaInP lasers for higher power, shorter wavelength, and lower threshold current. In spite of the relatively low conduction band offset in GaInP/AlGaInP heterostructures, threshold currents and characteristic temperatures (T₀) are approaching values typical of GaAs/AlGaAs lasers.

© 1992 Optical Society of America