by Mitra Dutta (US Army Research Office) , Michael A Stroscio (US Army Research Office) , foreword Charles H Townes

This volume includes highlights of the theories underlying the essential phenomena occurring in novel semiconductor lasers as well as the principles of operation of selected heterostructure lasers. To understand scattering processes in heterostructure lasers and related optoelectronic devices, it is essential to consider the role of dimensional confinement of charge carriers as well as acoustical and optical phonons in quantum structures. Indeed, it is important to consider the confinement of both phonons and carriers in the design and modeling of novel semiconductor lasers such as the tunnel injection laser, quantum well intersubband lasers, and quantum dot lasers. The full exploitation of dimensional confinement leads to the exciting new capability of scattering time engineering in novel semiconductor lasers.

As a result of continuing advances in techniques for growing quantum heterostructures, recent developments are likely to be followed in coming years by many more advances in semiconductor lasers and optoelectronics. As our understanding of these devices and the ability to fabricate them grow, so does our need for more sophisticated theories and simulation methods bridging the gap between quantum and classical transport.

• Novel Quantum-Well Semiconductor Lasers:
  • Tunnel Injection Lasers (P Bhattacharya)
  • Quantum Well Intersubband Lasers (J P Sun et al)
  • Advances in Measurements of Physical Parameters of Semiconductor Lasers (G E Shtengel et al.)
  • Lateral Injection Lasers (E H Sargent & J M Xu)
  • Extended Wavelength (1.0 to 1.3 μm) InGaAs/GaAs Quantum Dot GaAs-Based Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting and Lateral-Cavity Edge-Emitting Lasers (D G Deppe & D L Huffaker)
  • GaN-Based Laser Diodes (M Razeghi)
• Semiconductor Lasers: Role of Quantum Dots:
  • Quantum-Dot Semiconductor Lasers (P Bhattacharya)
  • Device Characteristics of Low-Threshold Quantum-Dot Lasers (A E Zhukov et al.)
  • Nitride Lasers: Optical Gain and Device Implications (A V Nurmikko & Y-K Song)
• Recent Developments in Theory of Semiconductor Lasers:
  • Advanced Concepts in Intersubband Unipolar Lasers (J-P Leburton et al.)
  • Optoelectronic Properties of Strained Wurtzite GaN Quantum-Well Lasers (J Wang et al.)
  • Carrier Capture in Semiconductor Quantum Well Lasers: A Quantum Transport Analysis (L F Register)
  • Quantum State Engineering Based on Electromagnetic Analogies and Numerical Methods for Semiconductor Intersubband Lasers (E Anemogiannis et al.)
  • Advanced Semiconductor Lasers: Phonon Engineering and Phonon Interactions (M Dutta & M A Stroscio)