Spin Modulation in Semiconductor Lasers

We study analytically dynamical operation of semiconductor lasers with injection (pump) of spin-polarized electrons, previously considered in the steady-state regime [1-5]. Using complementary approaches of quasi-static and small signal analyses, by carefully including the presence of holes [4,6], we elucidate how the spin modulation in semiconductor lasers [7] improves performance, as compared to the conventional (spin-unpolarized) counterparts. We reveal that the spin-polarized injection can lead to an enhanced bandwidth and desirable switching properties of spin-lasers. Supported by ONR, AFOSR, NSF-ECCS CAREER. \\[4pt] [1] J. Rudolph et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 4516 (2003). \\[0pt] [2] M. Holub et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 146603 (2007). \\[0pt] [3] S. Hovel et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 041118 (2008). \\[0pt] [4] C. Gothgen, R. Oszwaldowski, A. Petrou, I. Zutic, Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 042513 (2008). \\[0pt] [5] I. Vurgaftman et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 031102 (2008). \\[0pt] [6] I. Zutic, J. Fabian, and S. Das Sarma, Rev. Mod. Phys. 76, 323 (2004). \\[0pt] [7] J. Lee, W. Falls, R. Oszwaldowski, and I. Zutic, preprint.