The Impact of Nonequilibrium Gain in a Spectral Laser Model

We present results from an efficient, self-consistent spectral laser model, which incorporates nonequilibrium gain and is suitable for the routine simulation of quantum well laser diodes. Nonequilibrium gain is calculated using a dynamic gain model, which simulates the dynamic relaxation of the quantum well carrier energy distributions under the influence of continuous-wave electrical and optical excitation. The spectral laser model employs a 20 bipolar electrical model solved in the lateral and epitaxial directions. The optical field is solved in the lateral and longitudinal directions using the 20 wide-angle beam propagation method. Steady state nonequilibrium gain is included in the laser model via parameterized look up tables. Results show that the inclusion of nonequilibrium gain is essential for the prediction of device operating characteristics, even when the device is operated in continuous-wave mode