THz microcavity lasers with sub-wavelength mode volumes and thresholds in the milli-Ampere range

Author

Chassagneux, Y. ; Palomo, J. ; Colombelli, R. ; Barbieri, S. ; Dhillon, S. ; Sirtori, C. ; Beere, H. ; Alton, J. ; Ritchie, D.

fYear

2007

fDate

17-22 June 2007

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

1

Abstract

THz quantum cascade (QC) lasers with an active-region thickness of 5.86 mum was demonstrated. The current threshold was then reduced by reducing the device surface. The laser resonator is based on a micro-cylindrical geometry. In general micro-cylindrical resonators rely on total-internal reflection on the cavity sidewalls in order to confine the light. The small (r=25 mum) and medium (r=37.5 mum) microdisk lasers show a single mode emission. All the lasers operate in continuous-wave mode up to 60 K, and in pulsed mode up to 70 K.

Keywords

laser cavity resonators; laser modes; microcavity lasers; microdisc lasers; quantum cascade lasers; submillimetre wave lasers; THz microcavity lasers; THz quantum cascade lasers; cavity sidewalls; continuous-wave mode; current threshold; device surface; laser resonator; microcylindrical geometry; microdisk lasers; pulsed mode; single mode emission; size 5.86 mum; subwavelength mode volumes; temperature 60 K; temperature 70 K; total-internal reflection; Geometrical optics; Laser modes; Microcavities; Optical resonators; Optical surface waves; Optical waveguides; Quantum cascade lasers; Semiconductor lasers; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers; Waveguide lasers;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Lasers and Electro-Optics, 2007 and the International Quantum Electronics Conference. CLEOE-IQEC 2007. European Conference on

Conference_Location

Munich

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-0931-0

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-4244-0931-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/CLEOE-IQEC.2007.4386009

Filename

4386009