Bound-to-continuum and two-phonon resonance quantum-cascade lasers for high duty cycle, high-temperature operation

被引:209
作者
Faist, J [1 ]
Hofstetter, D [1 ]
Beck, M [1 ]
Aellen, T [1 ]
Rochat, M [1 ]
Blaser, S [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Neuchatel, Inst Phys, CH-2000 Neuchatel, Switzerland
关键词
intersubband; laser; mid-infrared;
D O I
10.1109/JQE.2002.1005404
中图分类号
TM [电工技术]; TN [电子技术、通信技术];
学科分类号
0808 ; 0809 ;
摘要
Recent advances in quantum-cascade (QC) laser active-region design are reviewed. Based on a rate equation model of the active region, we show why new gain regions based on a two-phonon resonance or a bound-to-continuum transition exhibit significantly better performance than the traditional design based on a three-quantum-well active region. Threshold current densities as low as 3 kA/cm(2) at T = 300 K, operation with a peak power of 90 mW at 425 K, single-mode high-power operation up to temperatures above 330 K at lambda approximate to 16 mum and continuous wave operation up to T = 311 K are demonstrated. QC lasers able to operate at high duty cycles (50%) on a Peltier cooler were used in a demonstration of a 300-MHz free-space optical link between two buildings separated by 350 m.
引用
收藏
页码:533 / 546
页数:14
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