Thermal effects in quantum dot lasers

The thermal behavior of lasers based on In0.5Ga0.5/As/GaAs self-aggregated quantum dots is investigated. Increasing temperature from 10 to 290 K produ ces a narrowing of the dot laser mode distribution. This effect is explaine d in terms of carrier relaxation between dots and carrier thermal escape fr om dots to nonradiative recombination centers. The thermal dependence of th e threshold current and the differential quantum efficiency is also discuss ed. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)03501-X].