Properties of planar stripe-geometry heterojunction lasers. I. Nonlinear and discontinuous current-power characteristics

Studies were made of some features of the current-power characteristics of cw planar stripe-geometry $AlGaAs/GaAs$ heterojunction lasers and of the influence of temperature (from $-60\dots+60^\circ C$) and diode resonator length (0,2-0,7 mm) on these characteristics. Current-power characteristics with radiation power nonlinearities, nonmonotonic behavior, discontinuities (jumps), and hysteresis loops were observed. It was found that when the temperature changes, the features of the current-power characteristics may change substantially and the degree of nonlinearity tends to increase as the temperature and resonator length increase. At the same time, it was noted that the critical power of a step on the nonlinear current-power characteristic changes negligibly. In contrast, the critical power for the appearance of power jumps and hysteresis decreases substantially with temperature. An analysis is made of a phenomenological model for the formation of hysteresis loops of current-power characteristics.