Abstract: A quantum dot (QD) laser having greatly reduced temperature sensitivity employs resonant tunnel-injection of carriers into the QDs from a pair of quantum wells (QWs). The carriers are injected through barrier layers. Because the tunnel-injection process is essentially temperature-independent, and because the tunnel-injection of carriers is the dominant source of current through the device, temperature-dependent currents are virtually eliminated, resulting in a device having a temperature-independent threshold current. In an additional device, carriers are injected into QDs from a pair of optical confinement layers (OCLs), either by tunnelling or thermionic emission. Each barrier layer is designed to have a low barrier height for carriers entering the QDs, and a high barrier height for carriers exiting the QDs. As a result, parasitic current from carriers leaving the QDs is greatly reduced, which enables the device to have low temperature sensitivity even without using resonant tunnel-injection and/or QWs.

Abstract: A quantum dot (QD) laser having greatly reduced temperature sensitivity employs resonant tunnel-injection of carriers into the QDs from a pair of quantum wells (QWs). The carriers are injected through barrier layers. Because the tunnel-injection process is essentially temperature-independent, and because the tunnel-injection of carriers is the dominant source of current through the device, temperature-dependent currents are virtually eliminated, resulting in a device having a temperature-independent threshold current. In an additional device, carriers are injected into QDs from a pair of optical confinement layers (OCLs), either by tunnelling or therminonic emission. Each barrier layer is designed to have a low barrier height for carriers entering the QDs, and a high barrier height for carriers exiting the QDs. As a result, parasitic current from carriers leaving the QDs is greatly reduced, which enables the device to have low temperature sensitivity even without using resonant tunnel-injection and/or QWs.