Design and fabrication of quantum-dot lasers

Abstract

Semiconductor lasers using quantum-dots in their active regions have been reported to exhibit significant performance advantages over their bulk semiconductor and quantum-well counterparts namely: low threshold current, high differential gain and highly temperature stable light-current characteristics. This thesis investigates the lasing characteristics of a ridge-waveguide laser containing seven layers of quantum dots as the active region. A summary of the electrical and optical performance data of the heterostructure quantum dot lasers, as well as previously fabricated quantum well lasers, is presented. The motivation of using InAs quantum dots in the active region is to produce near infrared emission for telecommunication applications.