ON THE MEASUREMENT OF ABSOLUTE RADIATIVE AND NONRADIATIVE RECOMBINATION EFFICIENCIES IN SEMICONDUCTOR-LASERS

Absolute measurements of radiative quantum efficiencies are very difficult. We show theoretically that a relative or uncalibrated measurement of radiative efficiency against a variable such as excitation rate, together with an uncalibrated measurement of the non-radiative efficiency against the same variable, can be combined to yield the absolute values of the quantum efficiencies. Acoustic techniques are suggested to obtain the relative or uncalibrated non-radiative recombination rate.