High power 1D and 2D photonic crystal distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers

Abstract

For many practical applications that need bright sources of mid-infrared radiation, single mode operation and good beam quality are also required. Quantum cascade lasers are prominent candidates as compact sources of mid-infrared radiation capable of delivering very high power both CW and under pulsed operation. While 1D photonic crystal distributed feedback structures can be used to get single mode operation from quantum cascade lasers with narrow ridge widths, novel 2D photonic crystal cavity designs can be used to improve spectral and spatial purity of broad area quantum cascade lasers. In this paper, we demonstrate high power, spatially and spectrally pure operation at room temperature from narrow ridge and broad area quantum cascade lasers with buried 1D and 2D photonic crystal structures. Single mode continuous wave emission at λ = 4.8 μm up to 700 mW in epi-up configuration at room temperature was observed from a 11 μm wide 5 mm long distributed feedback quantum cascade laser with buried 1D gratings. High peak powers up to 34 W was obtained from a 3mm long 400 μm wide 2D photonic crystal distributed feedback laser at room temperature under pulsed operation. The far field profile had a single peak normal to the laser facet and the M² figure of merit was as low as 2.5. Emission spectrum had a dominating single mode at λ = 4.36 μm.