Mid infrared resonant cavity detectors and lasers with epitaxial lead-chalcogenides

Abstract

AbstractWavelength tunable emitters and detectors in the mid-IR wavelength region allow applications including thermal imaging and gas spectroscopy. One way to realize such tunable devices is by using a resonant cavity. By mechanically changing the cavity length with MEMS mirror techniques, the wavelengths may be tuned over a considerable range.Resonant cavity enhanced detectors (RCED) are sensitive at the cavity resonance only. They may be applied for low resolution spectroscopy, and, when arrays of such detectors are realized, as multicolour IR-FPA or “IR-AFPA”, adaptive focal plane arrays.We report the first room temperature mid-IR VECSEL (vertical external cavity surface emitting laser) with a wavelength above 3 μm. The active region is just 850 nm PbSe, followed by a 2.5 pair Bragg mirror. Output power is > 10 mW at RT.