Optical Gain in Semiconductors

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Interaction Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 6527

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
Interests: solid state devices physics and technology; reliability; failure physics; failure analysis methods and techniques

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical gain in semiconductors is the phenomenon that reveals light amplification in monolithic electron devices. Despite the apparent narrow linewidth of this, if compared with optical gain in arbitrary systems or with the general properties and performances of semiconductor materials and devices, it is vast indeed. Theoretical investigation spans from Einstein’s dazzling intuition concerning stimulated emission to its formalization within quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. Furthermore, we must invoke solid-state physics for describing and modeling matter, the counterpart of light in this game of interaction. It is the realm in which Bloch and Bragg first played parallel games with matter and light waves. Steady-state solutions and dynamic phenomena, bulk effects and low dimensionality, new materials with semiconductor properties and complex band architectures are explored, case by case, to investigate and explain observations and to design new experiments and new structures. New structures, in turn, lead to devices, whose design and manufacture call for engineering and technology. Here, optical gain transforms from a physical phenomenon into a measurable key quantity for optoelectronic device engineering. Its balance with optical losses determines the capability of any light-emitting device becoming a laser. Terms such as threshold current, so crucial even in a technical datasheet of commercial laser diodes, are intimately linked to optical gain. Moreover, spatial gain modulation also allows for local optical confinement and waveguiding, another mandatory step in optoelectronic device technology. The pervasive employment of photonic and optoelectronic devices in ICT brought about mass production and the additional involvement of many different and complementary skills in the field of material science, optics, electronics, process engineering, reliability. Because of such a complex scenario, the worlds of theoretical physics, material science, and device design and technology continuously interact, but they do not always speak the same language. For this reason, a Special Issue on “Optical Gain in Semiconductors” must comprise many perspectives, including, but not limited to, all the previously mentioned areas.

Prof. Dr. Massimo Vanzi
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • light-matter interaction in semiconductors
  • semiconductor optical emitters
  • optical gain and optical losses
  • gain and loss measurement
  • optical cavities in semiconductor emitters
  • waveguiding
  • quantum wells, wires and dots: devices and performances in terms of gain and loss
  • gain in quantum cascade lasers
  • degradation mechanisms and kinetics and their impact an gain and loss

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 5778 KiB  
Article
Optical Gain in Commercial Laser Diodes
by Massimo Vanzi
Photonics 2021, 8(12), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics8120542 - 29 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3210
Abstract
Optical gain and optical losses are separately measured in commercial laser diodes by simple analysis of spectral and electrical characteristics, and with no special specimen preparation or handling. The aim is to bring device analysis, for characterization and reliability purposes, closer to the [...] Read more.
Optical gain and optical losses are separately measured in commercial laser diodes by simple analysis of spectral and electrical characteristics, and with no special specimen preparation or handling. The aim is to bring device analysis, for characterization and reliability purposes, closer to the intimate physical processes that rule over laser diode operation. Investigation includes resonating and non-resonating optical cavities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Gain in Semiconductors)
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Review

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20 pages, 382 KiB  
Review
Spectral Output of Homogeneously Broadened Semiconductor Lasers
by Daniel T. Cassidy
Photonics 2021, 8(8), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics8080340 - 19 Aug 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2234
Abstract
Gain, spontaneous emission, and reflectance play important roles in setting the spectral output of homogeneously broadened lasers, such as semiconductor diode lasers. This paper provides a restricted-in-scope review of the steady-state spectral properties of semiconductor diode lasers. Analytic but transcendental solutions for a [...] Read more.
Gain, spontaneous emission, and reflectance play important roles in setting the spectral output of homogeneously broadened lasers, such as semiconductor diode lasers. This paper provides a restricted-in-scope review of the steady-state spectral properties of semiconductor diode lasers. Analytic but transcendental solutions for a simplified set of equations for propagation of modes through a homogeneously broadened gain section are used to create a Fabry–Pérot model of a diode laser. This homogeneously broadened Fabry–Pérot model is used to explain the spectral output of diode lasers without the need for guiding-enhanced capture of spontaneous emission, population beating, or non-linear interactions. It is shown that the amount of spontaneous emission and resonant enhancement of the reflectance-gain (RG) product as embodied in the presented model explains the observed spectral output. The resonant enhancement is caused by intentional and unintentional internal scattering and external feedback. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Gain in Semiconductors)
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