Effect of source and load resistance on the performance of bistable lasers

The effect of source and load resistances on the bistable behavior of multiquantum-well laser diodes is studied. Lower values of source resistance are found to affect the threshold current with a slight change in the hysterisis width. Also, the turn ON delay is found to decrease exponentially with the increase in source resistance. Lower values of load resistance leads to smaller hysterisis width, and for values less than 125 /spl Omega/, for the device under study with an input resistance (R/sub in/) of 1 k/spl Omega/, an astable behavior is observed when triggered by an electrical pulse in the gain section.