Abstract

The physical processes that determine gain nonlinearities in quantun-well (QW) lasers have previously been identified in pumpprobe experiments using optical amplifiers.^1-3 The implications for laser dynamics of Such measurements have limitations due to some fundamental differences between amplifiers and lasers: (i) Stimulated emission reduces the carrier lifetime above threshold causing a nonequilibrium distribution between QW and barrier carriers,' enhancing the injection bottleneck effect and increasing the relative significance of the carrier capture process, (ii) the carrier density and the Fermi energy may rise to high levels in an amplifier while they clamp at threshold in a laser. This enhances the role of carrier-carrier scattering in an amplifier and most likely shortens the capture time.

© 1994 Optical Society of America