Mid-infrared whispering gallery mode ring lasers and LEDs

Mid-infrared ring laser diodes based on InAs grown by LPE are described. The source is based on a symmetrical double heterostructure with large band offsets that operates in a whispering gallery mode. For low drive currents, the device exhibited superluminescence and very strong spectral tuning. At higher current, coherent emission has been observed from 380 (mu)m diameter devices, at 3.017 (mu)m at a temperature of 80 K. The temperature dependence of the electroluminescence emission spectra and the light-current characteristics were also measured. The lasers have a maximum operating temperature of 125 K with a peak output power of 5 mW.