  Optical characterization of AlGaAs microdisk resonant cavities with a quantum
dot active region is presented. Direct passive measurement of the optical loss
within AlGaAs microdisk resonant structures embedded with InAs/InGaAs
dots-in-a-well (DWELL) is performed using an optical-fiber-based probing
technique at a wavelength (lambda~1400 nm) that is red-detuned from the dot
emission wavelength (lambda~1200 nm). Measurements in the 1400 nm wavelength
band on microdisks of diameter D = 4.5 microns show that these structures
support modes with cold-cavity quality factors as high as 360,000.
DWELL-containing microdisks are then studied through optical pumping at room
temperature. Pulsed lasing at lambda ~ 1200 nm is seen for cavities containing
a single layer of InAs dots, with threshold values of ~ 17 microWatts,
approaching the estimated material transparency level. Room-temperature
continuous wave operation is also observed.
