Semiconductor lasers

An account is given of the avenues of development of injection heterojunction lasers (including the use of quantum wells with different spatial dimensionalities), of mastering the short-wavelength range, and also of the use of group II – VI compounds and III nitrides. The optical strength and reliability, nonlinear mode distortions in high-power injection lasers, and also semiconductor lasers excited by a scanning electron beam are considered. The attention is concentrated on the feasibility of efficient operation of such lasers without strong cooling (at room temperatures). The Soviet and Russian contributions to the construction and development of semiconductor lasers are stressed.