The quantum cascade laser: A versatile high-power semiconductor laser for mid-infrared applications

Abstract

Since its invention at Bell Labs in the midcurrently offered commercially by several Lucent licensees. This rapid progress was made possible not only by the extremely active worldwide research on band-engineering, but also by the continuous development of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), the semiconductor growth technique that enables accurate nanometer control and the reproducibility of complex semiconductor structures. Today, QCL technology promises to have a major impact in fields ranging from chemical sensing to free-space telecommunications.This paper presents an overview of QCL technology, with a particular focus on current research activities at Bell Labs. First, the principles of QCL operation are introduced. Then, material growth,

Waveguiding power of photonic crystal slabs

“…These values can then be compared with those directly calculated from Eqs. (12,15), giving g TE, cyl = 1.5 and g TM, cyl = 3.2.…”

“…In the design of far-infrared and terahertz semiconductor lasers the optical confinement is an important issue. It poses a severe problem for quantum cascade lasers where intersubband radiative transitions require transverse magnetic (TM) polarization of emitted waves [12].…”

Design of Quantum Cascade Laser Driver in Infrared Detection System

“…Generally, the incandescent light source and mechanical chopper modulation are used in the infrared detection systems [7][8]. This detection method may bring many disadvantages including high noise and low sensitivity.…”

Intervalley Scattering and the Role of Indirect Band Gap AlAs Barriers: Application to GaAs/AlGaAs Quantum Cascade Lasers

“…Unlike conventional semiconductor injector lasers that make use of electron-hole recombination, QCLs are unipolar devices that make use of intersubband transitions to generate electromagnetic radiation [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

“…This system has proven popular and an extensive research effort has resulted in a range of devices that operate over a wide range of wavelengths and temperatures [12,13]. However, since QCLs are based upon intersubband transitions, it follows that their operation should be independent of the specific semiconductor material system used [14,15].…”