Abstract

Among the many factors⁽¹⁾ considered as influencing the longitudinal mode spectra of diode lasers are inhomogeneous broadening⁽²⁾, lateral charge inhomogeneity⁽³⁾, intensity induced longitudinal charge periodicity⁽⁴⁾ and spontaneous emission driving the longitudinal modes⁽⁵⁾. Our results show that spontaneous emission suffices to explain the experimental results for well-behaved homogeneously broadened lasers operating in a single transverse mode. These include spectral envelope narrowing which occurs as a laser is pumped from well below to well above threshold and the differences between real refractive index and gain-guided lasers.

© 1982 Optical Society of America