On “incorrectnes” of the rate equation for photon density of semiconductor lasers

Abstract

The authors of works [, ] published in Quantum Electronics assert that the rate equation for photon density with a term taking into account the contribution of spontaneous emission to the laser mode is erroneous (i.e., the spontaneous term should be excluded from consideration) and criticise works [, ]. In the present work, we analyse previously published papers and show that the necessity of taking into account the contribution of spontaneous emission to the laser mode follows from the quantum-mechanical rate equation for semiconductor lasers. The results obtained in [, ] are analysed.