Simulation of mid-infrared HgTe/CdTe quantum-well vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We theoretically show the feasibility of optically and electrically pumped Hg-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) that emit at midwave-infrared wavelengths up to thermoelectric cooler temperatures. The maximum operating temperature is significantly enhanced by employing a multiple quantum-well active region with very thin (20-30 Angstrom) HgTe wells engineered to yield a strong suppression of both Auger recombination and intervalence foe-carrier absorption. Hg0.65Cd0.35Te/Hg0.1Cd0.9Te distributed Bragg reflectors are employed for one or both of the mirrors defining the optical cavity. Detailed numerical simulations of VCSELs emitting at lambda approximate to 4.3 mu m predict that for optical pumping at 1.06 mu m, a maximum operating temperature of 220 K should be achievable for pulsed operation and 160 K in cw mode, with a cw power output of up to 2.6 mW per array element at 100 K. Injection VCSELs are predicted to operate up to 200 K for pulsed operation and 105 K for quasi-cw with a 10% duty cycle. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.