Abstract

Semiconductor lasers are versatile and easy to use devices having a wide range of applications that include consumer products such as compact disc players and high speed telecommunications networks. The basic concepts needed to understand their operation, from a p–n junction to conditions needed to reach threshold, to the design of double heterostructures, are presented as is a description of lattice matched and strained quantum wells. Materials systems composed principally of Group 13–15 (III–V) elements used for the fabrication of near-infrared and visible lasers are discussed. Band gaps and lattice constants are given for these systems and for Group 2–16 and 12–16 (II–III) systems. The design and performance characteristics of specific laser types ranging from high power laser arrays to narrow linewidth distributed feedback lasers are presented.