Multicomponent semiconductor solid solutions and their laser applications (review)

Semiconductor solid solutions are used widely in lasers because variation of their chemical composition makes it possible to cover completely the spectral range 0.32–32 μ. Recently quaternary compositions such as AlGaPAs, GaInPAs, GaAlAsSb, and others have been investigated as laser materials. Interest in these compositions has arisen because pairs of semiconductor materials with a specified difference between the energy band structures but identical lattice periods ("isoperiodic pairs") are needed in heterostructures. A preliminary calculation of some important parameters of multicomponent compositions can be made using interpolation formulas. The use of multicomponent solid solutions has made it possible to improve the threshold characteristics of heterojunction injection lasers and, for example, to obtain stimulated emission of wavelengths 1.06 and 1.78 μ at room temperature.