THE PHYSICS OF DIODE-LASERS

In this paper, a brief history of the development of the diode laser i s presented, with emphasis given to the features that have led to the widespread commercial exploitation of this device. The basic physics o f the diode laser is explained in detail, outlining the advancements m ade in device technology from the basic homojunction diode laser to he terojunctions incorporating multi-quantum well structures. The typical output characteristics of both a solitary diode laser and an array ar e also included in order to illustrate the similarity of both devices. Finally, recent developments in device technology are addressed with a brief mention of new applications.