TRANSIENT NONEQUILIBRIUM AND MANY-BODY EFFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTOR MICROCAVITY LASERS

We analyze the dynamical response of the interacting photon and electr on-hole system in short-cavity bulk semiconductor lasers, including ma ny-body effects of the electron-hole plasma and photon system, the int eraction of electron-hole pairs and photons, and the selection of phot on modes by the cavity. Carrier-carrier and carrier-phonon scattering is treated at the level of a quantum Boltzmann equation. Numerical sol utions of the coupled equations for spontaneous and stimulated emissio n and carrier distributions show the development of lasing out of spon taneous emission and the stabilization of laser action connected with gain saturation and spectral hole burning. The saturation of the outpu t intensity and modifications of the relaxation oscillations are inves tigated.