Fermi-dirac and random carrier distributions in quantum dot lasers

Using experimental gain and emission measurements as functions of temperature, a method is described to characterise the carrier distribution of radiative states in a quantum dot (QD) laser structure in terms of a temperature. This method is independent of the form of the inhomogeneous dot distribution. A thermal distribution at the lattice temperature is found between 200 and 300 K. Below 200 K the characteristic temperature exceeds the lattice temperature and the distribution becomes random below about 60 K. This enables the temperature range for which Fermi-Dirac statistics are applicable in QD laser threshold calculations to be identified.