Room temperature, continuous-wave operation of quantum cascade lasers with single phonon resonance-continuum depopulation structures grown by metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy

Abstract

We propose a new quantum-cascade laser structure with single phonon resonance-continuum depopulation and demonstrate room temperature, continuous-wave operation of the proposed 7.9μm quantum-cascade laser. The laser grown by metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy emits a cw output power of 36mW at 30°C, exhibiting a threshold current density of 2.23kA∕cm2. The cw operation is reported for higher temperatures up to slightly above 60°C. The proposed structure may lead to a successful commercial mass production of the lasers.