A Possibility to achieve emission in the mid-infrared wavelength range from semiconductor laser active regions

In the present paper the results of the computer analysis of the arsenide-based (GaInNAs/AlGaInAs) and antimonide-based (GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb) active regions emitting in the mid-infrared wavelength region are presented. Quantum well material contents and strain dependencies on the maximal gain are investigated. It is shown that above 3 μm the maximal gain obtained for arsenide-based active region is very low, irrespective of the nitrogen content and compressive strain in GaInNAs. Much higher optical gain in this wavelength range can be obtained for antimonide-based active region, which offers relatively high gain even at 5 μm, when the indium content in GaInAsSb and compressive strain in this layer are higher than 80% and 1.5%, respectively.