Recent progress of room temperature THz sources based on nonlinear frequency mixing in quantum cascade lasers

We present the recent development of high performance compact THz sources based on intracavity nonlinear frequency mixing in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers. Significant performance improvements of our THz sources in the spectral purity, frequency coverage as well as THz power are achieved by systematic optimizing the device's active region, waveguide, phase matching scheme, and chip bonding strategy. Room temperature single-mode operation in a wide THz spectral range of 1-4.6 THz is demonstrated from our Čerenkov phase-matched THz sources with dual-period DFB gratings. High THz power up to 215 μW at 3.5 THz is demonstrated via epi-down mounting of our THz device. The THz power is later scaled up to mW level by increased the mid-IR power and conversion efficiency. The rapid development renders this type of THz sources promising local oscillators for many astronomical and medical applications.