Interband cascade lasers

  • Continuous wave interband cascade lasers near 13 μm

    Yixuan Shen, Rui Q. Yang, Samuel D. Hawkins, Aaron J. Muhowski

    We report the demonstration of continuous-wave interband cascade lasers (ICLs) near 13 μm. The attained lasing wavelength of 13.2 μm at 92 K stands as the longest cw emission wavelength ever reported for III-V interband lasers. This achievement is attributed to the adoption of an innovative quantum well (QW) active region comprising strained InAs0.5P0.5 layers in contrast to the commonly used “W” QW active region, showing the potential of the modified QW active region with InAsP layers in improving device performance and extending wave- length coverage of ICLs.

     DOI: 10.1116/6.0003365

  • Single-mode interband cascade laser based on V-coupled cavity with 210 nm wavelength tuning range near 3 μm

    Jingli Gong, Zhanyi Wang, Jian-Jun He, Lu Li, Rui Q. Yang, and James A. Gupta

    By enhancing the coupling coefficient and using a type-I ICL wafer, single-mode ICLs were demonstrated based on V-coupled cavity with significantly extended tuning range and with a side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) exceeding 35 dB in continuous wave operation near 3 μm. A V-coupled cavity ICL exhibited a wavelength tuning up to 67 nm at a fixed temperature, and the total tuning range exceeds 210 nm when the heat sink temperature is adjusted from 80 to 180 K. The realization of single-mode in such a wide temperature range with a tuning range exceeding 210 nm verified the advantage of V-coupled cavity ICLs for effective detection of multiple gas species. Another V-coupled cavity ICL is tuned over 120 nm from 2997.56 nm to 3117.50 nm with the heat-sink temperature varied from 210 K to 240 K, over 100 K higher than the previously reported maximum operating temperature for V-coupled cavity ICLs.

    DOI: 10.1364/OE.504209

  • Improved Device Performance of Interband Cascade Lasers with Hybrid Cladding Layers Operating in the 3-4 μm wavelength region

    Yixuan Shen, Jeremy A. Massengale, Rui Q. Yang, Tetsuya D. Mishima, Michael B. Santos

    By focusing on a hybrid cladding approach, we demonstrate substantially improved device performance of ICLs compared to earlier reported ICLs of a similar design in the 3–4 µm wavelength region. Including a Jth for broad-area devices as low as 134 A/cm2 at 300 K and a peak voltage efficiency of 80%. Moreover, we have demonstrated CW operation of a BA device up to 278 K, the highest CW operating temperature among epi-side up mounted broad-area type-II ICLs, implying improved thermal dissipation with the hybrid cladding approach. 

     DOI: 10.1016/j.photonics.2023.101193

  • Low threshold long wavelength Interband Cascade Lasers with high voltage efficiencies

    Jeremy A. Massengale, Yixuan Shen, Rui Q. Yang, Samuel D. Hawkins, Aaron J. Muhowski

    We report on the substantial advancement of long wavelength InAs-based interband cascade lasers (ICLs) utilizing advanced waveguides formed from hybrid cladding layers and targeting the 10-12 µm wavelength region. Modifications in the hole injector have improved carrier transport in these ICLs, resulting in significantly reduced threshold voltages as low as 3.62 V at 80 K.

     DOI: 10.1109/JQE.2023.3314098

  • Interband cascade lasers with advanced waveguide operating in the 3 to 4 µm wavelength region

    Jeremy A. Massengale, Yixuan Shen, Rui Q. Yang, Tetsuya D. Mishima, Michael B. Santos

    Two ICLs (Y086L and Y087L) follow the design of Y082L series with hybrid cladding layers are reported. They have room temperature Jth as low as 148 A/cm2 and high voltage efficiencies of 69%. The highest CW operating temperature T = 260K.

     DOI: 10.1117/1.OE.62.8.086103

  • GaSb-based Interband Cascade Lasers with Hybrid Cladding Layers Operating in the 3-4 μm Wavelength Region

    Y. Shen, Jeremy Massengale, R. Yang, T. Mishima, M. Santos, “GaSb-based Interband Cascade Lasers with Hybrid Cladding Layers Operating in the 3-4 μm Wavelength Region” MIOMD-TuP-19, Poster session presented at the 16th International Conference on Mid-Infrared Optoelectronics: Materials and Devices (MIOMD XVI), Norman, OK, United States. MIOMD-TuP-19.

  • Low Threshold Long Wavelength Interband Cascade Lasers

    Jeremy Massengale, “Low Threshold Long Wavelength Interband Cascade Lasers.” Oral presentation at the 16th International Conference on Mid-Infrared Optoelectronics: Materials and Devices (MIOMD XVI), Norman, OK, United States, Aug. 7, 2023

  • Expanding the Frontiers of Long Wavelength Interband Cascade Lasers using Innovative Quantum Well Active Regions

    Rui. Q. Yang, “Expanding the Frontiers of Long Wavelength Interband Cascade Lasers using Innovative Quantum Well Active Regions.” Oral presentation at the 16th International Conference on Mid-Infrared Optoelectronics: Materials and Devices (MIOMD XVI), Norman, OK, United States, Aug. 7, 2023

  • Single-Mode Tunable Interband Cascade Lasers with a Wide Tuning Range

    Rui. Q. Yang, “Single-Mode Tunable Interband Cascade Lasers with a Wide Tuning Range.” Oral presentation at the 16th International Conference on Mid-Infrared Optoelectronics: Materials and Devices (MIOMD XVI), Norman, OK, United States, Aug. 7, 2023

  • Pushing the Performance Limits of Long Wavelength Interband Cascade Lasers using Innovative Quantum Well Active Regions

    Yixuan Shen, J. A. Massengale, Rui Q. Yang, S. D. Hawkins, A. J. Muhowski.

    With innovative Quantum Well active regions, these ICLs were able to operate at wavelengths near 14.4 um, the longest ever demonstrated for III–V interband cascade lasers, implying great potential of ICLs to cover an even wider wavelength range.

     DOI: 10.1063/5.0162500