Influence of cavity-trapped amplified luminescence on laser diode optical properties

The values of power densities for the amplified luminescence (superluminescence) trapped in a laser diode (LD) cavity have been calculated as a function of the current and temperature for different types of LDs. AlGaAs, InGaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAsP/InP heterostructures with bulk and quantum well active layers have been analyzed. In the case of powerful and surface-emitting LDs, the amplified luminescence was demonstrated to have a considerable influence (comparable in some instances with nonradiative Auger recombination) on the threshold current, maximum output power and temperature dependence of optical gain spectra. The effect of the amplified luminescence on the laser transient processes has been studied by numerical solution of the LD rate equations. This made it apparent that the LD cavity-trapped amplified luminescence changes the laser delay time, peak intensity, and pulse duration and can limit seriously the maximum modulation frequency of high-speed LDs.