We demonstrate the operation of two optically pumped high-power membrane external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (MECSELs) that emit in 1600–1800 nm spectral region. The region of the MECSEL consisted of eight strained InGaAs quantum wells (QWs) that are enclosed by InGaAlAs barriers. The heterostructures were deposited on InP substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. In order to efficiently dissipate heat, the developed MECSEL technology requires etching-off the epitaxial substrate and bonding two diamond heat spreaders on both sides of membrane. Maximum output powers of 1.6 W at 1640 nm and 2.1 W at 1760 nm were achieved. The mount temperatures were -6°C in both cases. The introduction of a birefringent filter into the resonator of the 1760 nm emitting laser produced a 133-nm wavelength tuning range, from 1695 nm to 1828 nm.
The paper focuses on the design, fabrication and characterization of monolithic, coupled cavity two-section quantum cascade lasers. The devices were fabricated by reactive ion etching from InP-based heterostructure designed for emission in 9.x micrometer range. To make the device attractive for sensing applications, the idea of the coupled-cavity device was employed, giving the possibility of single longitudinal mode operation. We have previously presented devices fabricated by means of focused ion beam post-processing. However, FIB etching is challenging and time-consuming. In order to overcome the relatively low throughput of the FIB process, in this work, gaps separating sections were defined by dry etching during the fabrication process. Careful optimization of the dry etching process resulted in very good control of gap geometry. Quality of mirrors formed by RIE did not introduce high scattering loss into the cavity, as the threshold current density was not increased significantly. Devices routinely exhibited side mode suppression ratio of more than 20 dB. Approach to fabricate two-section devices by dry etching resulted in improved yield as well as high repeatability of the performance of individual devices.
Monolithic, electrically isolated, two-section devices were also fabricated and characterized. We will present a comparison of the performance of different designs and discuss their characteristics, fabrication challenges and stability against operating conditions.
We report recent results of works on quantum cascade lasers at the Institute of Electron Technology. During that time we have developed technology of lasers emitting at wavelengths 9.0–9.5 μm and 4.7 μm, based on InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs and InAlAs/InGaAs/InP heterostructures; both lattice matched and strain compensated. The structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy MBE and by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy MOVPE. The InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs lasers were grown by MBE. For InP based lasers three types of structures were investigated; the one grown exclusively by MBE without MOVPE overgrowth, the second fabricated by hybrid approach combining MBE grown AlInAs/InGaAs active region with MOVPE grown InP top waveguide layer and the third one with both the top and the bottom InP waveguide grown by MOVPE. Regardless of the waveguide construction, the active region was grown by MBE in every case. The lasers were fabricated in double trench geometry using standard processing technology. The buried heterostructure lasers were also investigated.
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