High-power λ≈8 μm quantum cascade lasers with near optimum performance

Quantum cascade (QC) lasers emitting at λ≈8 μm with a power performance equal to short-wavelength (λ≈5 μm) QC lasers are reported. The device improvement is mainly achieved by a design of the injector/relaxation region, which at laser threshold allows resonant carrier injection between the ground state of the preceding and the upper laser level of the subsequent active region. In pulsed operation a peak output power of 1.3 W per facet has been measured at 100 K. At room temperature a record peak power of 325 mW and a record slope efficiency of 180 mW/A have been measured. In continuous-wave operation the maximum power at 30 K was 510 mW per facet and still 200 mW per facet at 80 K. The high values of the output power and slope efficiency demonstrate the validity of the cascading scheme, in which electrons above threshold generate one photon per each active region they successively traverse.