How to manipulate the frequency of a Terahertz Quantum Cascade Laser

Author

Klaassen, T.O. ; Hovenier, J.N. ; Adam, A.J.L. ; Baryshev, A. ; Gao, J.R. ; Klapwijk, T.M. ; Hu, Q. ; Williams, B.S. ; Kumar, S. ; Reno, J.L.

Author_Institution

Kavli Inst. of Nanosci., Delft Univ. of Technol., Delft

fYear

2007

fDate

2-9 Sept. 2007

Firstpage

955

Lastpage

956

Abstract

We investigate techniques to manipulate the frequency of Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers (THz QCL). Frequency tuning by changing the heatsink temperature or the QCL drive current, or by illumination of the QCL with bandgap light. Creation of frequency sidebands through amplitude modulation of the drive current or the bandgap light. We report the observation of strong difference frequency generation in a two-colour THz QCL and discuss the possibility to use this resonant non-linear effect to create (tunable) sidebands by mixing the radiation from an external (tunable) microwave source with the THz field inside the QCL cavity.

Keywords

amplitude modulation; laser frequency stability; quantum cascade lasers; submillimetre wave lasers; amplitude modulation; bandgap light; frequency generation; frequency tuning; heatsink temperature; resonant nonlinear effect; terahertz quantum cascade laser; Amplitude modulation; Frequency; Laser tuning; Lighting; Microwave generation; Photonic band gap; Quantum cascade lasers; Resonance; Temperature; Tunable circuits and devices;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Infrared and Millimeter Waves, 2007 and the 2007 15th International Conference on Terahertz Electronics. IRMMW-THz. Joint 32nd International Conference on

Conference_Location

Cardiff

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-1438-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ICIMW.2007.4516808

Filename

4516808