Abstract
An analysis is presented of the effects of self‐absorption of spontaneously emitted photons on the recombination lifetime of injected carriers in the active region of GaAs‐GaAlAs double heterostructures. It is shown that at moderate injection levels (∼100 A/cm2) self‐absorption effects may lengthen appreciably the net radiative lifetime of the carriers in heterostructures with thick (?1 μ) active regions. Results of the analysis are in good agreement with data of Ettenberg and Kressel on variation of carrier lifetime with active region thickness. From the analysis it is inferred that the internal quantum efficiency of radiative recombination in the device of Ettenberg and Kressel is greater than 90%.