Lead-europium-selenide-telluride diode laser

摘要

A double heterojunction lead salt semiconductor diode laser having an optical cavity of PbEuSeTe alloy with a quantum well having reduced Eu concentration disposed to one side of the optical cavity, the optical cavity having a given lattice constant and index of refraction. The optical cavity is sandwiched between two PbEuSeTe alloy confinement layers that are mutually of opposite conductivity type and have substantially the same lattice constant as the optical cavity. A pn junction surface in the optical cavity and preferably on or adjacent the quantum well layer injects charge carriers into the optical cavity. The larger energy band gap between the quantum well layer and its adjacent sandwiching confinement layer strongly confines charge carriers of one type from recombining in the oppositely doped adjacent sandwiching layer. This results in a decreased threshold current (Ith) and a higher maximum operating temperature.