PHYSICAL MODEL OF OEIC-COMPATIBLE LATERAL CURRENT INJECTION-LASERS

We employ two-dimensional (2-D) self-consistent physical modeling of a particularly promising lateral current injection laser reported recen tly in the literature to gain insight into the physical mechanisms gov erning the operation of this family of devices. We demonstrate the sub stantial benefits to be obtained from improved hole injection facilita ted by relatively light p-type doping of barrier layers; from lateral shifting of the transverse junction to improve the overlap between the photon field and material gain; and from creating a lateral heterobar rier via quantum-well intermixing in order to confine carriers in the lateral direction. We find that with a number of relatively minor phys ically motivated modifications to existing fabrication processes, late ral injection lasers have the potential to exhibit greatly improved pe rformance characteristics and to realize thereby their tremendous pote ntial as enablers of optoelectronic integrated circuits and novel devi ce structures.