Distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers

Pulsed single mode operation of distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers is reported above room temperature at both 5.3 and 8 mu m wavelengths, Peak optical powers up to 60 mW at 300 K are obtained with a tuning range of similar to 60 nm from 100 to similar to 320 K. The linewidth is limited by thermal drift during the pulse with a typical value of 0.3 cm(-1) for a 10 ns long pulse at 300 K. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.