Optical Mode Control of Surface-Plasmon Quantum Cascade Lasers

Author

Moreau, V. ; Bahriz, M. ; Palomo, J. ; Wilson, L.R. ; Krysa, A.B. ; Sirtori, C. ; Austin, D.A. ; Cockburn, J.W. ; Roberts, J.S. ; Colombelli, R.

Author_Institution

Inst. d´´Electronique Fondamentale, Univ. de Paris-Sud, Orsay

Volume

18

Issue

23

fYear

2006

Firstpage

2499

Lastpage

2501

Abstract

Surface-plasmon waveguides based on metallic strips can provide a two-dimensional optical confinement. This concept has been successfully applied to midinfrared quantum cascade lasers, processed as ridge waveguides, to demonstrate that the lateral extension of the optical mode can be influenced solely by the width of the device top contact. In this configuration, the waveguide mode has a reduced interaction with the top metal and the ridge sidewalls. This results in lower propagation losses and higher performances. For devices operating at a wavelength of lambdaap7.5 mum, the room-temperature threshold current density was reduced from 6.3 to 4.4 kA/cm² with respect to larger devices with full top metallization

Keywords

current density; infrared sources; laser modes; optical control; optical losses; optical waveguides; quantum cascade lasers; ridge waveguides; surface plasmons; metallization; midinfrared quantum cascade lasers; optical mode control; propagation loss; ridge waveguides; surface-plasmon waveguides; threshold current density; waveguide mode; Optical control; Optical devices; Optical surface waves; Optical waveguides; Propagation losses; Quantum cascade lasers; Strips; Surface emitting lasers; Surface waves; Threshold current; Midinfrared; semiconductor lasers; surface-plasmons;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2006.886827

Filename

4014259