National Changhua University of Education
Syllabus
Course: Semiconductor Lasers
Course Number: 26015 (1SCPO3111930)
Semester: 2012/02
Instructor
Professor Yen-Kuang Kuo
Department of Physics
Phone: (04)723-2105 Ext. 3341
E-mail: ykuo@cc.ncue.edu.tw
Web Site: http://ykuo.ncue.edu.tw/
Class Time: Monday (15:05~17:50), Classroom: 22109
Office Hour: Monday (13:00~14:45); Thursday (10:15~12:00)
Office: Room # 22111
Format
Credit: 3 Hours; 3 Credits
Course Type:  Requirement  Optional
Methods of Instruction:  Lecture  Discussion  Experiment
 Practice  Physical
Teaching Objectives
This course is instructed in English and is designed specifically for the Master’s students and Ph.D.
students of the College of Science and College of Engineering who major in Physics, Photonics
(Optoelectronics), Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, etc. The primary goal of this
course is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of laser theory and laser systems. In
addition to the traditional gas lasers, liquid lasers, and solid-state lasers, the characteristics of the
semiconductor lasers, which include edge-emitting lasers (EELs) and vertical-cavity
surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), will be introduced in detail. The semiconductor laser systems
that will be taught in this course include AlGaAs lasers, AlGaInP lasers, InGaAsP lasers, AlGaInAs
lasers, InGaAsN lasers, and InGaN lasers. Investigation of the properties of semiconductor lasers by
means of numerical simulation will also be introduced in this course.
Teaching Outline
Chapter 1
- Introduction to Laser Theory
- Introduction to Laser Systems
Chapter 2
- The Gas Lasers, Liquid Lasers, and Solid-State Lasers
Chapter 3
- Introduction to Semiconductor Materials
- Fundamental of Semiconductor Properties
Chapter 4
- The AlGaAs and AlGaInP Semiconductor Lasers
Chapter 5
- The InGaAsP, AlGaInAs, and InGaAsN Semiconductor Lasers
Chapter 6
- The InGaN Semiconductor Lasers
Chapter 7
- Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs)
Chapter 8
- Numerical Simulation of Semiconductor Lasers
Prerequisites
The students are encouraged to take the course “Semiconductor Optics”, which is also taught in
English one semester prior to this semester, before registering this course. However, all students are
welcome to take this course even though they have not taken the course “Semiconductor Optics” in
advance.
Grading
Class Attendance 10%, Mid Term Exam 40%, Final Exam 50%
Materials
1. Lecture notes provided by the instructor
2. Recent SCI papers
3. Textbooks relevant to this course:
(1) Joseph T. Verdeyen, Laser Electronics, 2nd Edition, Prentice-Hall International, Inc.,
New Jersey, 1989.
(2) Shuji Nakamura and Gerhard Fasol, The Blue Laser Diode, Springer-Verlag,
Heidelberg, 1997.
(3) Joachim Piprek, Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices – Introduction to Physics and
Simulation, 2003, Elsevier Science, San Diego, USA; ISBN: 0-12-557190
(4) Joachim Piprek, Optoelectronic Devices – Advanced Simulation and Analysis, 2005,
Springer Science, New York, USA; ISBN: 0-387-22659-1
Course Schedule
1. Course: Semiconductor Lasers
2. Course Number: 26015 (1SCPO3111930)
3. Weekly Calendar
Week
Date
Chapter
1
02/20
Introduction
2
02/27
Chapter 1
3
03/05
Chapter 2
4
03/12
Chapter 2
5
03/19
Chapter 3
6
03/26
Chapter 3
7
04/02
Chapter 4
8
04/09
Chapter 4
9
04/16
-
10
04/23
Chapter 5
11
04/30
Chapter 5
12
05/07
Chapter 6
13
05/14
Chapter 6
14
05/21
Chapter 7
15
05/28
Chapter 7
16
06/04
Chapter 8
17
06/11
Chapter 8
18
06/18
-
3. Text books
Please see page 2 for detail.
4. Teaching objectives
Please see page 1 for detail.
Remarks
Midterm Exam
Final Exam