Highly strained Ga/sub x/In/sub 1-x/P-(Al/sub y/Ga/sub 1-y/)/sub 0.51/In/sub 0.49/P quantum well lasers

For increasing compressive strain (1%-1.7%), the 290 K threshold current increases by a factor 3.3. We experimentally show this arises from an increased waveguide loss (10 cm/sup -1/-46 cm/sup -1/) because the well is no longer elastically strained.