Temperature and pressure dependence of the recombination processes in 1.5 μm InAsInP (311)B quantum dot lasers

The threshold current and its radiative component in 1.5 μm InAsInP (311)B quantum dot lasers are measured as a function of the temperature. Despite an almost temperature insensitive radiative current, the threshold current increases steeply with temperature leading to a characteristic temperature T0 ≈55 K around 290 K. Direct observation of spontaneous emission from the wetting layer shows that some leakage from the dots to the wetting layer occurs in these devices. However, a decrease in the threshold current as a function of pressure is also measured suggesting that Auger recombination dominates the nonradiative current and temperature sensitivity of these devices.