A time-domain model for high-speed quantum-well lasers including carrier transport effects

Abstract

Carrier transport plays an important role and can significantly affect the ultra-fast properties of quantum-well (QW) lasers. We present a detailed multi-mode time-domain large-signal dynamic model including the effects of carrier transport, suitable for the high-speed QW lasers. It is based on the well-proven transmission-line laser modelling technique with the addition of a multilevel system of coupled rate equations. Simulated results from studies of both the static and small-signal properties are compared with measurements from another laboratory. Our model can accurately predict the modulation-bandwidth discontinuity in QW laser structures with large separate-confinement-heterostructure (SCH) regions. We use large-signal simulations to predict increased damping of transient responses and larger turn-on delays caused by the effects of carrier transport. Our large-signal simulations also show that an increase in the turn-on delay times is expected in QW structures with large carrier transport times across the SCH region, whereas the inter-well transport times do not affect the turn-on delay times significantly. >