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The continuous (cw) operation of 41 GaAs junction lasers bonded on identical copper heat sinks is investigated for different widths of the stripe metallic contact (S = 5.0, 12.7, 25.4, and 50.8 μ). The highest cw operating temperatures are consistently found for S = 12.7 μ. This behavior is in agreement with computer calculations which predict an ``optimum'' stripe width between 10 and 15 μ and a sharp reduction in cw operating temperature for S 10 μ. The calculations are based on experimentally measured threshold current densities (Jth) at 77° and 297°K which show that Jth increases by factors of 2 or 3 when S is reduced from 12.7 to 5.0 μ. Intensity scans of mode patterns at the laser mirrors suggest that these increases in Jth are due to the effect of the unpumped regions along the junction plane on the laser mode.
Dyment et al. (1969) studied this question.