Mid-wave infrared and terahertz quantum cascade lasers based on resonant nonlinear frequency mixing

Augustinas Vizbaras; Karun Vijayraghavan; Frederic Demmerle; Min Jang; Gerhard Boehm; Ralf Meyer; Mikhail A. Belkin; Markus C. Amann

doi:10.1117/12.2003827

4 February 2013 Mid-wave infrared and terahertz quantum cascade lasers based on resonant nonlinear frequency mixing

Augustinas Vizbaras, Karun Vijayraghavan, Frederic Demmerle, Min Jang, Gerhard Boehm, Ralf Meyer, Mikhail A. Belkin, Markus C. Amann

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8631, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices X; 86311V (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2003827
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2013, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

GaInAs/AlInAs/InP quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have established themselves as reliable and versatile semiconductor laser sources in the mid-infrared wavelength region. Due to the presence of unique molecular absorption lines, in combination of water-free atmospheric transmission windows, this spectral range is of particular importance for sensing, medical, material processing and homeland security applications. Being compact electrically pumped and able to operate at room-temperature, QCLs are ideal choice for wavelengths between 3.5 - 12 microns. However, wavelengths above and below are more challenging to obtain. In our work, we use intracavity nonlinear frequency mixing in mid-infrared QCLs to extend the spectral coverage for GaInAs/AlInAs/InP devices. We demonstrate that passive nonlinear structures, consisting of coupled quantum wells can be grown on top of the mid-IR QCL active region. Such nonlinear structures can be designed to possess a resonant nonlinear response for the pump frequency. Such concept, in combination with quasi-phase-matching technique can be used for efficient short-wavelength lasing by second-harmonic generations. We demonstrated room-temperature lasing down to 2.6 micrometer. For long-wavelengths, particularly THz frequencies, a novel waveguide concept was introduced. Here, we used a leaky THz waveguide concept, for a difference-frequency generation device. Phase matching was achieved by Cherenkov phase-matching scheme. This concept led to ultra-broadband THz emission at room-temperature (1.2-4.5 THz) with pulsed output powers as high as 14 μW.

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Augustinas Vizbaras, Karun Vijayraghavan, Frederic Demmerle, Min Jang, Gerhard Boehm, Ralf Meyer, Mikhail A. Belkin, and Markus C. Amann "Mid-wave infrared and terahertz quantum cascade lasers based on resonant nonlinear frequency mixing", Proc. SPIE 8631, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices X, 86311V (4 February 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2003827

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KEYWORDS

Quantum cascade lasers

Terahertz radiation

Phase matching

Second-harmonic generation

Mid-IR

Absorption

Waveguides

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