Recent advances in GaSb-based structures for mid-infrared emitting lasers: spectroscopic study

There are reviewed the optical properties of two kind of active regions of mid infrared laser devices both grown on GaSb substrates: GaInAsSb/AlGaInAsSb type I QWs for laser diodes and InAs/GaInAsSb type II QWs for interband cascade lasers. There are presented their crucial optical properties and the related current challenges with respect to the device performances. This covers such issues as spectral tenability of the emission via the structure parameters, the band gap discontinuities, carrier loss mechanisms and oscillator strengths. For that, spectroscopic techniques have been used (photoluminescence and its temperature dependence, and photoreflectance) and combined with the energy level calculations based on effective mass approximation and kp theory. Eventually, the potential for further material optimization and prospects for the improved device performances are also discussed.

[1]  L. Nähle,et al.  Detection of propane using tunable diode laser spectroscopy at 3.37 μm , 2012 .

[2]  Rui Q. Yang,et al.  Thermoelectrically cooled interband cascade laser for field measurements , 2010 .

[3]  Frank K. Tittel,et al.  Current status of midinfrared quantum and interband cascade lasers for clinical breath analysis , 2010 .

[4]  L. Nähle,et al.  Detection of acetylene impurities in ethylene and polyethylene manufacturing processes using tunable diode laser spectroscopy in the 3-μm range , 2011 .

[5]  Rui Q. Yang.  Infrared laser based on intersubband transitions in quantum wells , 1995 .

[6]  Sven Höfling,et al.  Increasing the optical transition oscillator strength in GaSb-based type II quantum wells , 2012 .

[7]  Krzysztof Ryczko,et al.  Optical transitions and band gap discontinuities of GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum wells emitting in the 3 μm range determined by modulation spectroscopy , 2009 .

[8]  Richard T. Wainner,et al.  Interband cascade laser-based sensor for ambient CH4 , 2010 .

[9]  Sven Höfling,et al.  Emission wavelength tuning of interband cascade lasers in the 3–4 μm spectral range , 2009 .

[10]  L. Nähle,et al.  Continuous wave, distributed feedback diode laser based sensor for trace-gas detection of ethane , 2012 .

[11]  Ron Kaspi,et al.  Hole-well antimonide laser diodes on GaSb operating near 2.93 /spl mu/m , 2006 .

[12]  Lars Nähle,et al.  Sensing of formaldehyde using a distributed feedback interband cascade laser emitting around 3493 nm. , 2012, Applied optics.

[13]  Lars Nähle,et al.  Quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy with a 3.38 μm antimonide distributed feedback laser. , 2012, Optics letters.

[14]  Ben Murdin,et al.  Recombination processes in midinfrared InGaAsSb diode lasers emitting at 2.37μm , 2006 .

[15]  M. Fischer,et al.  Continuous-wave operation of type-I quantum well DFB laser diodes emitting in 3.4 μm wavelength range around room temperature , 2011 .

[16]  M. Wright,et al.  Midinfrared Interband Cascade Laser for Free Space Optical Communication , 2010, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[17]  Markus-Christian Amann,et al.  Room-temperature 3.73 µm GaSb-based type-I quantum-well lasers with quinternary barriers , 2012 .

[18]  William W. Bewley,et al.  Corrugated-sidewall interband cascade lasers with single-mode midwave-infrared emission at room temperature , 2009 .

[19]  I. Vurgaftman,et al.  Rebalancing of internally generated carriers for mid-infrared interband cascade lasers with very low power consumption. , 2011, Nature communications.

[20]  Ramon U. Martinelli,et al.  High-power room-temperature continuous wave operation of 2.7 and 2.8 μm In(Al)GaAsSb/GaSb diode lasers , 2003 .

[21]  Igor Vurgaftman,et al.  Continuous-wave interband cascade lasers operating above room temperature at λ = 4.7-5.6 μm. , 2012, Optics express.

[22]  Yves Rouillard,et al.  Tunable-diode-laser spectroscopy of C(2)H(2) using a 3.03 microm GaInAsSb/AlGaInAsSb distributed-feedback laser. , 2009, Optics letters.