Determination of carrier lifetimes using Hakki-Paoli gain data

This paper presents a technique for determining carrier lifetimes which does not require a fast detector or rely on an experimentally complex implementation. The technique is based both on a measurement and a parallel calculation: (1) A Hakki- Paoli measurement of modal gain versus current density, g(J), and (2) A theoretical determination of the modal gain versus carrier sheet density, g(N). Once the gain relationships have been determined, the carrier sheet density, N, can be functionally related to the current density, J, and the lifetime determined. We demonstrate this method on two InGaAs single quantum well lasers. This method may prove particularly useful for carrier lifetime estimations in long-wavelength semiconductor lasers.