Cavity length scaling of quantum cascade lasers for single-mode emission and low heat dissipation, room temperature, continuous wave operation

Richard A. Cendejas, Zhijun Liu, Wendy Sánchez-Vaynshteyn, Catherine G. Caneau, Chung En Zah, Claire F. Gmachl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Single-mode operation of Fabry-Perot quantum cascade (QC) lasers is achieved through the systematic shortening of the cavity length from 764 to 110 μm. The increased mirror loss is mitigated using highly reflective (HR) metallic facet coatings (R > 95%). Ultrashort cavity QC lasers operate single mode with the best device having a mode-hop free current tuning range of 3.44 cm-1. Using combined heat-sink temperature and current tuning, the largest single-mode tuning range attained was 8.56 cm-1. The heat dissipation of a 110-μm ultrashort cavity QC laser is 0.23 W at 80 K and 0.43 W at 150 K. With a 500-μm cavity and both facets HR coated with reflectivities of ∼95% and 75%, room-temperature continuous wave operation is realized with heat dissipation of 1.2-1.7 W.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number5680570
Pages (from-to)71-81
Number of pages11
JournalIEEE Photonics Journal
Volume3
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Keywords

  • Optical resonators
  • quantum cascade lasers
  • single-mode operation

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