IMPEDANCE-CORRECTED CARRIER LIFETIME MEASUREMENTS IN SEMICONDUCTOR-LASERS

Differential carrier lifetime as a function of subthreshold bias curre nt in 1.3 m bulk active lasers is obtained by measurement of small-sig nal modulation of amplified spontaneous emission together with careful characterization of frequency- and current-dependent device impedance . The strong influence of rapidly varying device impedance upon these measurements is illustrated. In contrast to other studies, neither sat uration of differential lifetime at low currents nor linear dependence of spontaneous emission on carrier density is observed. Recombination parameters, fit from current versus carrier density, along with consi stent fits of spontaneous emission versus carrier density, are present ed. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.