LASER EMISSION FROM METAL-SEMICONDUCTOR BARRIERS ON PbTe AND Pb0.8Sn0.2Te

Abstract

Laser emission is obtained from forward biased evaporated metal barriers on degenerate p‐PbTe and p‐Pb_0.8Sn_0.2Te at T=4.2°K. Metals with small work functions such as In, Pb, and Zn produce a degenerate inverted n‐type surface region on p‐type samples without chemical doping. Low‐threshold laser emission has been obtained from these barriers on p‐PbTe at λ = 6.4μ and from Pb barriers on p‐Pb_0.8Sn_0.2Te at λ = 15μ.