Effect of Nonuniformity in Temperature Distribution in a Stripe-Geometry Double-Heterostructure Laser

Abstract

The effect of nonuniformity in temperature distribution on the lateral mode guiding in a stripe-geometry double-heterostructure laser is investigated theoretically with the aid of a mathematical model which properly takes into account lateral current spreading, carrier diffusion, two-dimensional heat diffusion, and the variations of gain and refractive index parallel to the junction planes. The effective dielectric constant method, with parabolic approximation, was used in solving the resulting two-dimensional wave equation. Calculated results, which are generally in reasonably good agreement with existing experimental data, show that lateral thermal guiding may exist, in addition to gain-guiding for CW operation.