semiconductor laser

semiconductor laser

n.

A solid-state device that consists of two outer semiconductor layers separated by a middle layer and generates laser radiation when charge carriers of opposite polarity, one each from the top and bottom layers, meet in the middle layer. Also called diode laser.

---

semiconductor laser

A solid-state laser constructed like a semiconductor diode. At the junction of anode and cathode, electrons and holes come together; when an electron falls into a hole, bandgap radiation is emitted, as in a light emitting diode. Semiconductor lasers are constructed so that the resulting light tends to stimulate other nearby pairs of electrons and holes to undergo the same process, emitting more light. Also called diode laser, laser diode. See more at laser.