MOVPE Growth of LWIR AlInAs/GaInAs/InP Quantum Cascade Lasers: Impact of Growth and Material Quality on Laser Performance

Abstract

The quality of epitaxial layers in quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) has a primary impact on QCL operation, and establishing correlations between epitaxial growth and materials properties is of critical importance for continuing improvements in QCL performance. We present an overview of the growth challenges of these complex QCL structures; describe the metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) growth of AlInAs/GaInAs/InP structures and QCLs; discuss materials characteristics that impact QCL performance; and investigate various QCL structure modifications and their effects on QCL performance. We demonstrate uncoated buried heterostructure QCLs emitting at 9.5 m operate continuous wave with 1.32 W output power and maximum wall plug efficiency (WPE) of 6.8%. This WPE is more than 50% greater than previously reported WPEs for unstrained QCLs emitting at about the same wavelength and only 30% below strained QCLs emitting in this range.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1032193

Entities

People

  • Benedikt Schwarz
  • Christine A. Wang
  • Daniel Mcnulty
  • Daniel R. Calawa
  • Dominic F. Siriani
  • F. Capasso
  • J. P. Donnelly
  • Leo J. Missaggia
  • M. Nickerson
  • Michael K. Connors
  • T. S. Mansuripur

Organizations

  • Harvard University
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • TU Wien

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Band Structures
  • Conduction Bands
  • Crystal Growth
  • Crystals
  • Current Density
  • Diffraction
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Energy Bands
  • Energy Levels
  • Engineering
  • Epitaxial Growth
  • Heterojunctions
  • Long-Wavelength Infrared Radiation
  • Materials
  • Microscopy
  • Optical Properties
  • Optics
  • Quantum Cascade Lasers
  • Quantum Electronics
  • Quantum Wells
  • Scattering
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductor Lasers
  • Semiconductors
  • Solid State Electronics
  • Spectra

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Semiconductor Device Technology
  • Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) EDI Research and Innovation.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Quantum Computing