Near-room-temperature mid-infrared interband cascade laser

A 25-stage interband cascade laser with a W active region and a third hole quantum well for the suppression of leakage current has exhibited lasing in pulsed mode up to 286 K. A peak output power of 160 mW/facet and a slope efficiency of 197 mW/A per facet (1.1 photons per injected electron) were measured at 196 K. Above 200 K, the characteristic temperature was higher (T-0 = 53 K) and the threshold current densities lower than for a previously reported W interband cascade laser without the third hole quantum well. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)02519-4].