High-performance 980-nm strained-layer InGaAs/GaAs quantum-well lasers

The paper reports fabrication of strained-layer InGaAs/GaAs separate-confinement -heterostructure single-quantum-well (SCH SQW) lasers operating in the wavelength range of 980 nm. Design process of the devices involved simulation of their above-threshold operation including all relevant physical phenomena. The lasers were characterized at room temperature in the pulsed operation regime at frequency nu = 5 kHz and pulse length tau = 200 ns. Threshold current densities of the order J(th) = 280 A/cm(2) and differential efficiency eta = 0.40 W/A were obtained for devices with cavities of 700 mum in length and broad contacts of 100 mum in width.