Temperature dependence of continuous wave threshold current for 2.3-2.6 μm InGaAsSb AlGaAsSb separate confinement heterostructure quantum well semiconductor diode lasers

The dependence of spontaneous emission intensity on both current and temperature has been studied for 2.3-2.6 mu m InGaAsSb/AlGaAsSb separate-confinement-heterostructure quantum well diode lasers operating in the continuous wave and pulsed regimes. We have used the temperature dependence of the nonradiative recombination processes in the active region to determine the dependence of threshold current on temperature for lasers operating in this wavelength range. The high T-0 value (T-0 = 110 degrees C) observed at T<65 degrees C for 2.3 mu m lasers has been identified with monomolecular nonradiative process dominating in their active regions. Low T-0 of 40-50 degrees C for 2.3 mm lasers at T>65 degrees C and for 2.6 mu m lasers in the whole temperature range studied has been identified with an enhancement of the Auger recombination process. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)00120-5].