Tunable 3.3 mu m InAsSb/InAsSbP diode lasers: a new concept of fast lasingdue to nonlinear optical effects

InAsSb/InAsSbP double heterostructure diode lasers for the spectral range o f 3.3 mum grown by liquid phase epitaxy have been investigated. Emission sp ectra, far-field patterns and wavelength tuning versus current have been st udied in the wide current range from threshold value I-th uP to 3I(th) at t he temperature of liquid nitrogen. Controlled by current, wavelength tuning in single-mode lasing has been obtained both towards the shorter wavelengt hs (up to 4.56 cm(-1)) and towards the longer wavelengths (up to 0.9 cm(-1) ) at the temperature T = 77 K. Comparison of the emission properties of the lasers, driven by different types of current (short pulse current, sawtoot h pulse current and in quasi-continuous-wave (CW) regime) showed the same q uantum-mechanical nature of current tuning. The theoretical model of this n onlinear optical phenomenon is proposed. The estimated times of current tun ing defined mainly by the photon lifetime in the cavity are ca. 10(-9) to 1 0(-1)2 s.