Abstract

We examine the effects of high-intensity light on the spatial and spectral distributions of the carrier density and gain along the longitudinal axis of the active stripe in a semiconductor laser. The spatial inhomogeneities are significant in asymmetric cavities, in which the facet reflectivities are not equal, as in a high-power pump laser. We demonstrate that for an asymmetrical laser cavity, there exists a spatially nonuniform carrier-density profile along the longitudinal direction. This carrier distribution is determined from measurements of the spontaneous emission (SE) from the active region.^1-3

© 1995 Optical Society of America