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Updated: May 18, 2026
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Characterizing Far-infrared Laser Emissions and the Measurement of Their Frequencies
Published on: December 18, 2015
High-power room-temperature continuous-wave mid-infrared interband cascade lasers
William W Bewley1, Chadwick L Canedy, Chul Soo Kim
1Code 5613, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375, USA.
Optics Express
|October 6, 2012
Summary
We achieved over 290 mW of continuous-wave (cw) output power from a room-temperature interband cascade laser emitting at 3.6-3.7 μm. This laser design also demonstrated a high wall-plug efficiency of nearly 15%.
Area of Science:
- Semiconductor Lasers
- Optoelectronics
- Quantum Cascade Lasers
Background:
- Interband cascade lasers (ICLs) are promising for mid-infrared applications.
- Optimizing ICL design for high power and efficiency at room temperature is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate high continuous-wave (cw) output power from room-temperature interband cascade lasers.
- To investigate the impact of device design and processing on laser performance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of narrow ridge interband cascade lasers with specific doping and facet coatings.
- Characterization of output power, beam quality (M²), and wall-plug efficiency at room temperature.
- Evaluation of sidewall corrugation for brightness enhancement.
Main Results:
- Achieved >290 mW cw output power at 3.6-3.7 μm with a nearly diffraction-limited beam (M² ≈2.2).
- A 4-mm-long ridge laser produced 253 mW cw output power (M² ≈2.7).
- Corrugating ridge sidewalls improved brightness by 20%; a 0.5-mm-long ridge achieved nearly 15% cw wall-plug efficiency.
Conclusions:
- The demonstrated interband cascade laser design enables high-power, efficient operation at room temperature in the mid-infrared.
- Device geometry and processing, including sidewall corrugation, significantly influence laser performance.
- These results highlight the potential of ICLs for various mid-infrared applications.
