Abstract
We report the demonstration of a terahertz quantum-cascade laser that operates up to 164 K in pulsed mode and 117 K in continuous-wave mode at approximately 3.0 THz. The active region was based on a resonant-phonon depopulation scheme and a metal-metal waveguide was used for modal confinement. Copper to copper thermocompression wafer bonding was used to fabricate the waveguide, which displayed improved thermal properties compared to a previous indium-gold bonding method.
Highlights
The terahertz frequency range (1–10 THz, 30–300 μm) has historically been technologically underdeveloped compared to the neighboring microwave and infrared spectral ranges, despite the fact that it has long been a subject of scientific interest
In this paper we report the fabrication of metal-metal waveguides using a thermocompression copper-copper bonding technique
We have demonstrated terahertz quantum cascade lasers that operate up to pulsed temperatures of 164 K and cw temperatures of 117 K
Summary
The terahertz frequency range (1–10 THz, 30–300 μm) has historically been technologically underdeveloped compared to the neighboring microwave and infrared spectral ranges, despite the fact that it has long been a subject of scientific interest. Interest in the terahertz frequency range has exploded, driven in large part by the development of new sources One such source is the terahertz quantum-cascade laser (QCL), in which photon generation takes place via electronic intersubband transitions in semiconductor heterostructures [1, 2, 3]. The use of a metal-metal ridge waveguide, similar in form to a microstrip transmission line, has been successfully used to provide a high-confinement, low-loss cavity for terahertz lasers [8] Together, these advances have allowed cw lasing above the liquid nitrogen temperature up to 93 K [9], and pulsed lasing up to 137 K [10]
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