Maximum modal gain of a self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum-dot laser

Gain and threshold current of a self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum-dot (QD) laser are simulated. A small overlap integral of the electron and hole wave functions in pyramidal QDs is shown to be a possible reason for the low single-layer modal gain, which limits lasing via the ground-state transition at short (under a millimeter) cavity lengths. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.