Abstract
Since the invention of semiconductor lasers a decade and a half ago the first chance for the laser to enter into practical systems has finally come, that is, as a light source for optical communications. As a reliable communication system component, the laser has to be reproducible, designable and reliable. A review is made on the technological progress in crystal growth, processing and characterization for reproducibility. This, in turn, brought about the agreement between theory and experiment or, in other words, the development of device physics. A review is also made of reliability physics to meet requirements for stable system operation and easy maintenance. A bright future for semiconductor lasers is expected.
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