Highly efficient TE/TM mode switching of GaAsP/AlGaAs strained quantum-well laser diodes

Abstract
TE/TM mode switching is demonstrated in GaAsP/AlGaAs tensilely strained quantum-well laser diodes with two electrodes. The laser diode oscillated in the TM mode when current was injected into both electrodes, and oscillated in the TE mode when current was injected only into the longer electrode. The mode was switched by controlling the injection current of the two electrodes. The modulation efficiency of the TM-mode output selected by a polarizer was very high (15 W/A) in this mode switching.