Comparison of laser diode response to pulsed electrical and radiative excitations
We have studied the electrical and optical response of two laser diodes under transient irradiation. Both diodes exhibit a positive photocurrent, which adds to the bias current, and a decrease of the optical power until extinction when dose rate is increased. Direct carrier generation in the laser cavity is a second order phenomena. The diode overall response is driven by both the substrate photocurrent and the transient conduction of current confinement regions, which decrease the net current density in the cavity and switches-off the laser emission. This behaviour is in good agreement with pulsed electrical characterizations and 2D simulations.