SIMULATION OF OPTICALLY PUMPED MIDINFRARED INTERSUBBAND SEMICONDUCTOR-LASER STRUCTURES

A theoretical self-consistent investigation of optically pumped mid-in frared intersubband semiconductor laser with hot electron effects is p resented. Electron dynamics under optical pumping are investigated wit hin a rate equation formulation where particle and energy flow equatio ns are derived from Boltzmann's equation using Fermi statistics. Elect ron-polar optical phonon interactions with suitable screening are calc ulated by using a macroscopic model with slab and interface phonon mod es. Our calculations show that despite hot electron effects, populatio n inversion between the first and second excited states can occur at l ow temperatures under intersubband optical excitation. it is anticipat ed that lasing in the mid-infrared can be achieved with asymmetric qua ntum well structures optimized for electron concentrations exceeding 1 0(11)/cm(2). (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.