New Widely Tunable Room-Temperature Terahertz Coherent Sources
Abstract
The objective of this proposal was to develop a new type of THz semiconductor sources that are injection-pumped, efficient, compact, narrowband, tunable, and can operate at room temperature. The proposed device was a mid-infrared InGaAs/AlInAs Quantum Cascade Laser (QCLs) with the waveguide core containing a multi-functional coupled-quantum-well active region that supports both laser action in the mid-infrared and THz generation due to resonant coherent beating of two laser modes. During the course of the work a path was also found to substantially improve the temperature performance and directionality of conventional THz QCLs in which an electronic transition is used for the direct generation of THz radiation. The following was accomplished: first room temperature operation of an elctrically pumped quantum cascade laser based THz source, using intra-cavity nonlinear optics; record operating temperature (180K) of a conventional THz Quantum Cascade Laser, using a copper double metal waveguide for low loss; surface emitting THz QCLs with low beam divergence.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA492496
Entities
People
- Alexey Belyanin
- Federico Capasso
Organizations
- Harvard University