Semiconductor Laser

By
Pankaj Pareek(2019H1230054G)
 Content
 Introduction
 Difference between LED and Laser
 Principal of Laser
 Classification of Semiconductor Laser
 Characteristics
 Application
 Conclusion
 Introduction

In laser, light amplification is achieved via

"stimulated emission“
• The pumping would send energy into the gain medium and this would excite the
electrons and holes within it. And this get amplified to get lasing action.
 Difference between LED andLaser
LED Laser

Principle Spontaneous Emission (Random) Stimulated Emission

Photon Emission

Coherence Incoherent Coherent

SpectralWidth/LineWidth 50nm Less than 5nm

Directionality Not directional Highly directional

Output Power Low High

Fig 1: Spectrum of LED and Laser

 Principle of Laser
 Conditions required:
1. Population inversion- the number of electrons in CB isgreater
than the number of electrons in VB
Spontaneous
emission
2. Emission
Stimulated emission

3. Optical resonator Ex. Fabry-Perot resonator

Emission
 Population Inversion

Fig 2: Thermal equilibrium condition Fig 3: Population inversion occurs with

for degenerate semiconductor (without biasing
biasing)
 Optical Resonator
 Mostly used the structure of Fabry-Perot resonator
 Used:
i) to increase the density of photon in active region
ii) to amplify the medium radiation
iii) An optical cavity provide feedback in order to generate stimulated
emission.
iv)stimulated emission.

Fig 4:optical resonator cavity

Classification Of Semiconductor
Laser
Semiconductor Laser
Diode

Homojunction Heterojunction
Semiconductor Laser Semiconductor Laser

Single
Heterojunction
Semiconductor Laser
 Homojunction Semiconductor Laser
Homojunction diode lasers are those in which P end and N end of the diode are made of
the same semiconductor material.
Example : Ga As laser
 They use Direct Band Gap
Semi- conductor material.
 P-N Junction act as the active
medium.
 The crystal is cut at a thickness of
0.5 mm
 Applied voltage is given through
metal contacts on both surfaces of
the diode.
 Pulse beam of laser of 8400 Å is
Fig5: Diagram of Homojunction
produced Semiconductor Laser
Generation of Laser

Fig 12: Generation diagram of Laser

 Heterojunction Semiconductor Laser
Heterojunction Semiconductor lasers are those in which P end is made of one type
of semiconductor material and the N end is made of another type of semiconductor
material
Example : GaAlAs diode laser
 Use Direct Band gap
Semiconductor
 Consist of five layers namely
 GaAs – p type
 GaAlAs – p type
 GaAs – p type (Active Medium)
 GaAIAs – n type
 GaAs – n type
Fig6: Diagram of Heterojunction
Semiconductor Laser
Energy Level Diagram :Heterojunction

Fig 7: Energy level Diagram of

Heterojunction Semiconductor Laser
 Characteristics of a laser diode
I < Ith : Spontaneous emission
I > Ith : Stimulated emission

• Above Ith, the light intensity becomes coherent radiation consisting of cavity
wavelength (or modes) and increases steeply with current.
• The number of modes in the output spectrum and their relative strengths depend
on the diode current.
Parameters650nm Laser Diode
 Application
• Fiber optical communication
• Laser Pointers
• Barcode Readers
• Disc reader
• Laser printing and scanning
• Biomedical and military application
 Conclusions
1) Type: It is a solid state semiconductor laser.
2) Active medium: A PN junction diode made from single crystal
of gallium arsenide is used as an active medium.
3) Pumping method: The direct conversion method is used for
pumping action
4) Power output: The power output from this laser is in rangeof
mW.
5) Nature of output: The nature of output is continuous wave or
pulsed output.
6) Temprature dependent
 References
1.Optical Fiber communication –John M Senior(Book)

2. S. Dick, "Semiconductor lasers,"Alberta, Canada, 1996, pp. 249-252 vol.1.doi:

10.1109/CCECE.1996.548084

3.S.M.Sze Physics Of Semiconductor devices ,John Wiely

4.H.Kressel and J.K. Butler ,Semiconductor Lasers and Hetrostructure LEDs.New

York : Academic Press ,1977.