Abstract

The structure dependence of the optical confinement factor Γ, gain, and threshold current density J_th for the separate-confinement-heterostructure (SCH) quantum well (QW) diode lasers of the MgZnSSe system has been modeled. The studied structure consists of a single QW of CdZnSe with either ZnSSe or MgZnSSe barriers, and MgZnSSe cladding layers of varying Mg content. A simplified approach, based on the constant-effective-mass electron-hole plasma theory, has been used to model the optical gain of the QW laser structures, taking into account the QW anisotropy and compressive strain effects, as well as relaxation broadening. The influence of carrier spill-over into the barrier has also been included.

© 1994 Optical Society of America