2.13 SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS Semiconductor laser differ from solid, gas and liquid lasers in several important respects : (i) Junction lasers areremarkably small (typically on the order of 0.1 x 0.1 x0.8mm) Fig, 2.17. (ii) They exhibit high efficiency. (iii) Laser output is easily modulated by controlling the junction current. (jv) Semiconductor lasers operate at low power compared to ruby or CO, lasers. (v) Junction lasers compete with He-Ne lasers in power output. (vi) These lasers are portable also. current Cleaved surface mirror Electrode Electrode Fig. 2.17. Schematic view of GaAs semiconductor laser.Because of thes for fiber-optic commu: "unique properties, semiconductor lasers are used as important ight source nication systems. Population Inversion at a Junction iAs we know that for laser action to take place we need population i Population iniversion in a semiconductor laser, we consider a p-n junc! degenerate semiconductor*, Fig. 2.18 shows schematic representations 0! under equilibrium and forward bias ofa homojunction laser. niversion. To achieve tion formed between f the band diagram ad ee Junction WAN Ty 5 WUE A (b) . 2.18, Band diagram of a p-n junction laser (a) at equilibrium V = 0 (b) at froward bias V > 0 When a sufficiently large biasis applied, jection occurs, thatis, large concentration of electrons and holes are injected into the transition region. Asa result, the region d contains large concentration of electronsin the conduction band and a large concentration of holesin the valance band, this is the required condition for population inversion. When photons of appropriate energy impinges on the inversion region, they will induce electron transition from the conduction band to valance band and cause stimulated emission, Ak PARI ni| tere ARN ADDI IC ATIONS