Index-antiguiding in narrow-ridge GaN-based laser diodes investigated by   measurements of the current-dependent gain and index spectra and by   self-consistent simulation
  The threshold current density of narrow (1.5 {\mu}m) ridge-waveguide InGaN multi-quantum-well laser diodes, as well as the shape of their lateral far-field patterns, strongly depend on the etch depth of the ridge waveguide. Both effects can be attributed to strong index-antiguiding. A value of the antiguiding factor R = 10 is experimentally determined near threshold by measurements of the current-dependent gain and refractive index spectra. The device performances are simulated self-consistently solving the Schr\"odinger-Poisson equations and the equations for charge transport and waveguiding. Assuming a carrier-induced index change which matches the experimentally determined antiguiding factor, both the measured high threshold current and the shape of the far-field pattern of lasers with shallow ridges can be reproduced theoretically. 
Luca Redaelli, Hans Wenzel, Joachim Piprek, Thomas Weig, Sven   Einfeldt, Martin Martens, Gerrit L\"ukens, Ulrich T. Schwarz...
cond-mat.mes-hall cond-mat.mtrl-sci