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Spectroscopic study of transparency current in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers |
Optics Express, Vol. 20, Issue 17, pp. 18925-18930 (2012)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.018925
Acrobat PDF (720 KB)
Abstract
We report measurements which give direct insight into the origins of the transparency current for λ ~5 µm In0.6Ga0.4As/In0.42Al0.58As quantum cascade lasers in the temperature range of 80-280 K. The transparency current values have been found from broadband transmission measurements through the laser waveguides under sub-threshold operating conditions. Two active region designs were compared. The active region of the first laser is based on double-LO-phonon relaxation approach, while the second device has only one lower level, without specially designed resonant LO-phonon assisted depopulation. It is shown that transparency current contributes more than 70% to the magnitude of threshold current at high temperatures for both designs.
© 2012 OSA
Introduction
J. Faist, F. Capasso, D. L. Sivco, C. Sirtori, A. L. Hutchinson, and A. Y. Cho, “Quantum cascade laser,” Science 264(5158), 553–556 (1994). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
A. Lyakh, R. Maulini, A. Tsekoun, R. Go, and C.K.N. Patel, “Tapered 4.7 μm quantum cascade lasers with highly strained active region composition delivering over 4.5 Watts of continuous wave optical power,” Opt. Express 20(4), 4382–4388 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Y. Bai, N. Bandyopadhyay, S. Tsao, S. Slivken, and M. Razeghi, “Room temperature quantum cascade lasers with 27% wall plug efficiency,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 98(18), 181102 (2011). [CrossRef]
Laser designs and experimental setup
R. P. Green, A. B. Krysa, J. S. Roberts, D. G. Revin, L. R. Wilson, E. A. Zibik, W. H. Ng, and J. W. Cockburn, “Room temperature operation of InGaAs/AlInAs quantum cascade lasers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 83(10), 1921–1922 (2003). [CrossRef]
D. G. Revin, L. R. Wilson, J. W. Cockburn, A. B. Krysa, J. S. Roberts, and R. J. Airey, “Intersubband spectroscopy of quantum cascade lasers under operating conditions,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88(13), 131105 (2006). [CrossRef]
Transmission measurements
D. G. Revin, L. R. Wilson, J. W. Cockburn, A. B. Krysa, J. S. Roberts, and R. J. Airey, “Intersubband spectroscopy of quantum cascade lasers under operating conditions,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88(13), 131105 (2006). [CrossRef]
H. Willenberg, G. H. Döhler, and J. Faist, “Intersubband gain in a Bloch oscillator and quantum cascade laser,” Phys. Rev. B 67(8), 085315 (2003). [CrossRef]
R. Terazzi, T. Gresch, M. Giovannini, N. Hoyler, N. Sekine, and J. Faist, “Bloch gain in quantum cascade lasers,” Nat. Phys. 3(5), 329–333 (2007). [CrossRef]
D. G. Revin, M. R. Soulby, J. W. Cockburn, Q. Yang, C. Manz, and J. Wagner, “Dispersive gain and loss in midinfrared quantum cascade laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92(8), 081110 (2008). [CrossRef]
A. Wittmann, T. Gresch, E. Gini, L. Hvozdara, N. Hoyler, M. Giovannini, and J. Faist, “High-performance bound-to-continuum quantum cascade lasers for broad-gain applications,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 44(1), 36–40 (2008). [CrossRef]
J. S. Yu, S. Slivken, A. J. Evans, and M. Razeghi, “High-performance continuous wave operation of λ ~ 4.6 µm quantum cascade lasers above room temperature,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 44(8), 747–754 (2008). [CrossRef]
J. S. Yu, S. Slivken, A. J. Evans, and M. Razeghi, “High-performance continuous wave operation of λ ~ 4.6 µm quantum cascade lasers above room temperature,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 44(8), 747–754 (2008). [CrossRef]
Y. Dikmelik, J. B. Khurgin, M. D. Escarra, P. Q. Liu, and C. F. Gmachl, “Temperature dependence of the transparency current density in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers,” in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics 2011, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, Washington, DC, 2011), paper CTuC2.
C. Sirtori, H. Page, C. Becker, and V. Ortiz, “GaAs-AlGaAs quantum cascade lasers: Physics, Technology, and Prospects,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 38(6), 547–558 (2002). [CrossRef]
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References and links
J. Faist, F. Capasso, D. L. Sivco, C. Sirtori, A. L. Hutchinson, and A. Y. Cho, “Quantum cascade laser,” Science 264(5158), 553–556 (1994). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
A. Lyakh, R. Maulini, A. Tsekoun, R. Go, and C.K.N. Patel, “Tapered 4.7 μm quantum cascade lasers with highly strained active region composition delivering over 4.5 Watts of continuous wave optical power,” Opt. Express 20(4), 4382–4388 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
Y. Bai, N. Bandyopadhyay, S. Tsao, S. Slivken, and M. Razeghi, “Room temperature quantum cascade lasers with 27% wall plug efficiency,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 98(18), 181102 (2011). [CrossRef] | |
R. P. Green, A. B. Krysa, J. S. Roberts, D. G. Revin, L. R. Wilson, E. A. Zibik, W. H. Ng, and J. W. Cockburn, “Room temperature operation of InGaAs/AlInAs quantum cascade lasers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 83(10), 1921–1922 (2003). [CrossRef] | |
D. G. Revin, L. R. Wilson, J. W. Cockburn, A. B. Krysa, J. S. Roberts, and R. J. Airey, “Intersubband spectroscopy of quantum cascade lasers under operating conditions,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88(13), 131105 (2006). [CrossRef] | |
H. Willenberg, G. H. Döhler, and J. Faist, “Intersubband gain in a Bloch oscillator and quantum cascade laser,” Phys. Rev. B 67(8), 085315 (2003). [CrossRef] | |
R. Terazzi, T. Gresch, M. Giovannini, N. Hoyler, N. Sekine, and J. Faist, “Bloch gain in quantum cascade lasers,” Nat. Phys. 3(5), 329–333 (2007). [CrossRef] | |
D. G. Revin, M. R. Soulby, J. W. Cockburn, Q. Yang, C. Manz, and J. Wagner, “Dispersive gain and loss in midinfrared quantum cascade laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92(8), 081110 (2008). [CrossRef] | |
A. Wittmann, T. Gresch, E. Gini, L. Hvozdara, N. Hoyler, M. Giovannini, and J. Faist, “High-performance bound-to-continuum quantum cascade lasers for broad-gain applications,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 44(1), 36–40 (2008). [CrossRef] | |
R. Maulini, A. Lyakh, A. Tsekoun, R. Go, C. Pflügl, L. Diehl, F. Capasso, and C.K.N. Patel, “High power thermoelectrically cooled and uncooled quantum cascade lasers with optimized reflectivity facet coating,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 95(15), 151112 (2009). [CrossRef] | |
J. S. Yu, S. Slivken, A. J. Evans, and M. Razeghi, “High-performance continuous wave operation of λ ~ 4.6 µm quantum cascade lasers above room temperature,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 44(8), 747–754 (2008). [CrossRef] | |
E. Benveniste, S. Laurent, A. Vasanelli, C. Manquest, C. Sirtori, F. Teulon, M. Carras, and X. Marcadet, “Measurement of gain and losses of a midinfared quantum cascade lasers by wavelength chirping spectroscopy,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 94(8), 081110 (2009). [CrossRef] | |
Y. Dikmelik, J. B. Khurgin, M. D. Escarra, P. Q. Liu, and C. F. Gmachl, “Temperature dependence of the transparency current density in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers,” in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics 2011, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, Washington, DC, 2011), paper CTuC2. | |
C. Sirtori, H. Page, C. Becker, and V. Ortiz, “GaAs-AlGaAs quantum cascade lasers: Physics, Technology, and Prospects,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 38(6), 547–558 (2002). [CrossRef] |
OCIS Codes
(300.6340) Spectroscopy : Spectroscopy, infrared
(140.5965) Lasers and laser optics : Semiconductor lasers, quantum cascade
ToC Category:
Lasers and Laser Optics
History
Original Manuscript: May 23, 2012
Revised Manuscript: July 23, 2012
Manuscript Accepted: July 24, 2012
Published: August 2, 2012
Citation
Dmitry G. Revin, Randa S. Hassan, Andrey B. Krysa, Yongrui Wang, Alexey Belyanin, Kenneth Kennedy, Chris N. Atkins, and John W. Cockburn, "Spectroscopic study of transparency current in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers," Opt. Express 20, 18925-18930 (2012)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-20-17-18925
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References
- J. Faist, F. Capasso, D. L. Sivco, C. Sirtori, A. L. Hutchinson, and A. Y. Cho, “Quantum cascade laser,” Science264(5158), 553–556 (1994). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- A. Lyakh, R. Maulini, A. Tsekoun, R. Go, and C.K.N. Patel, “Tapered 4.7 μm quantum cascade lasers with highly strained active region composition delivering over 4.5 Watts of continuous wave optical power,” Opt. Express20(4), 4382–4388 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Y. Bai, N. Bandyopadhyay, S. Tsao, S. Slivken, and M. Razeghi, “Room temperature quantum cascade lasers with 27% wall plug efficiency,” Appl. Phys. Lett.98(18), 181102 (2011). [CrossRef]
- R. P. Green, A. B. Krysa, J. S. Roberts, D. G. Revin, L. R. Wilson, E. A. Zibik, W. H. Ng, and J. W. Cockburn, “Room temperature operation of InGaAs/AlInAs quantum cascade lasers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy,” Appl. Phys. Lett.83(10), 1921–1922 (2003). [CrossRef]
- D. G. Revin, L. R. Wilson, J. W. Cockburn, A. B. Krysa, J. S. Roberts, and R. J. Airey, “Intersubband spectroscopy of quantum cascade lasers under operating conditions,” Appl. Phys. Lett.88(13), 131105 (2006). [CrossRef]
- H. Willenberg, G. H. Döhler, and J. Faist, “Intersubband gain in a Bloch oscillator and quantum cascade laser,” Phys. Rev. B67(8), 085315 (2003). [CrossRef]
- R. Terazzi, T. Gresch, M. Giovannini, N. Hoyler, N. Sekine, and J. Faist, “Bloch gain in quantum cascade lasers,” Nat. Phys.3(5), 329–333 (2007). [CrossRef]
- D. G. Revin, M. R. Soulby, J. W. Cockburn, Q. Yang, C. Manz, and J. Wagner, “Dispersive gain and loss in midinfrared quantum cascade laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett.92(8), 081110 (2008). [CrossRef]
- A. Wittmann, T. Gresch, E. Gini, L. Hvozdara, N. Hoyler, M. Giovannini, and J. Faist, “High-performance bound-to-continuum quantum cascade lasers for broad-gain applications,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.44(1), 36–40 (2008). [CrossRef]
- R. Maulini, A. Lyakh, A. Tsekoun, R. Go, C. Pflügl, L. Diehl, F. Capasso, and C.K.N. Patel, “High power thermoelectrically cooled and uncooled quantum cascade lasers with optimized reflectivity facet coating,” Appl. Phys. Lett.95(15), 151112 (2009). [CrossRef]
- J. S. Yu, S. Slivken, A. J. Evans, and M. Razeghi, “High-performance continuous wave operation of λ ~ 4.6 µm quantum cascade lasers above room temperature,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.44(8), 747–754 (2008). [CrossRef]
- E. Benveniste, S. Laurent, A. Vasanelli, C. Manquest, C. Sirtori, F. Teulon, M. Carras, and X. Marcadet, “Measurement of gain and losses of a midinfared quantum cascade lasers by wavelength chirping spectroscopy,” Appl. Phys. Lett.94(8), 081110 (2009). [CrossRef]
- Y. Dikmelik, J. B. Khurgin, M. D. Escarra, P. Q. Liu, and C. F. Gmachl, “Temperature dependence of the transparency current density in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers,” in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics 2011, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, Washington, DC, 2011), paper CTuC2.
- C. Sirtori, H. Page, C. Becker, and V. Ortiz, “GaAs-AlGaAs quantum cascade lasers: Physics, Technology, and Prospects,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.38(6), 547–558 (2002). [CrossRef]
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