ABSTRACT
1
Introduction
2
Materials for Lasers
3
Devices’ Structures and Performance
3.1
Active Region
3.2
Ohmic Contacts to p-Type Layers
3.3
Devices
3.3.1
Gain-Guided Lasers
3.3.2
Ridge Waveguide Lasers
3.3.3
Channeled-Substrate Planar Waveguide Lasers
3.3.4
Lateral Index-Guided Lasers by Selective Disordering
3.3.5
Distributed Bragg Reflector Lasers
3.3.6
Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers
3.3.7
Lasers on ZnSe Substrates
3.3.8
Lasers Grown by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition
4
Laser Characteristics
4.1
Gain Mechanism
4.2
Thermal Index Guiding
5
Degradation
5.1
Active Layer Degradation
5.1.1
Rapid Degradation
5.1.2
Reduction of Stacking Faults
5.1.3
Gradual Degradation
5.2
Contact Degradation
6
Applications
6.1
Optical Data Storage
6.2
Optical Fiber Communication
6.3
Printers
6.4
Displays
6.5
Laser Pointers
6.6
Underwater Measurement
6.7
Medical Care
6.8
Other Applications
7
Summary
References
