Rate Equations of Vertical-Cavity Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

摘要

We rigorously establish the rate equations for vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers, starting from a general energy rate equation. Our results show that the conventional rate equation used so far in the literature is incorrect because of an inappropriate calculation of the mirror losses. Our calculations include the effect of amplified spontaneous emission and can be used to describe the properties of resonant-cavity-enhanced photodetectors.