Download or read book Frequency Control of Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers written by Thomas Folland and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Frequency Control in THz Quantum Cascade Lasers written by Marc Ruben Mertens and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Spectroscopic Applications of Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers written by Tasmim Alam and published by Cuvillier Verlag. This book was released on 2020-10-29 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are attractive for high-resolution spectroscopy because they can provide high power and a narrow linewidth. They are particularly promising in the terahertz (THz) range since they can be used as local oscillators for heterodyne detection as well as transmitters for direct detection. However, THz QCL-based technologies are still under development and are limited by the lack of frequency tunability as well as the frequency and output power stability for free-running operation. In this dissertation, frequency tuning and linewidth of THz QCLs are studied in detail by using rotational spectroscopic features of molecular species. In molecular spectroscopy, the Doppler eff ect broadens the spectral lines of molecules in the gas phase at thermal equilibrium. Saturated absorption spectroscopy has been performed that allows for sub-Doppler resolution of the spectral features. One possible application is QCL frequency stabilization based on the Lamb dip. Since the tunability of the emission frequency is an essential requirement to use THz QCL for high-resolution spectroscopy, a new method has been developed that relies on near-infrared (NIR) optical excitation of the QCL rear-facet. A wide tuning range has been achieved by using this approach. The scheme is straightforward to implement, and the approach can be readily applied to a large class of THz QCLs. The frequency and output stability of the local oscillator has a direct impact on the performance and consistency of the heterodyne spectroscopy. A technique has been developed for a simultaneous stabilization of the frequency and output power by taking advantage of the frequency and power regulation by NIR excitation. The results presented in this thesis will enable the routine use of THz QCLs for spectroscopic applications in the near future.

Download or read book Frequency Stabilization Tuning and Spatial Mode Control of Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers for Coherent Transceiver Applications written by Andriy Danylov and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Mid Infrared and Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers written by Dan Botez and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2023-09-14 with total page 552 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how the rapidly expanding area of mid-infrared and terahertz photonics has been revolutionized in this comprehensive overview. State-of-the-art practical applications are supported by real-life examples and expert guidance. Also featuring fundamental theory enabling you to improve performance of both existing and future devices.

Download or read book Physics and Applications of Terahertz Radiation written by Matteo Perenzoni and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-10-16 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers the latest advances in the techniques employed to manage the THz radiation and its potential uses. It has been subdivided in three sections: THz Detectors, THz Sources, Systems and Applications. These three sections will allow the reader to be introduced in a logical way to the physics problems of sensing and generation of the terahertz radiation, the implementation of these devices into systems including other components and finally the exploitation of the equipment for real applications in some different field. All of the sections and chapters can be individually addressed in order to deepen the understanding of a single topic without the need to read the whole book. The THz Detectors section will address the latest developments in detection devices based on three different physical principles: photodetection, thermal power detection, rectification. The THz Sources section will describe three completely different generation methods, operating in three separate scales: quantum cascade lasers, free electron lasers and non-linear optical generation. The Systems and Applications section will take care of introducing many of the aspects needed to move from a device to an equipment perspective: control of terahertz radiation, its use in imaging or in spectroscopy, potential uses in security, and will address also safety issues. The text book is at a level appropriate to graduate level courses up to researchers in the field who require a reference book covering all aspects of terahertz technology.

Download or read book Molecular Beam Epitaxy written by Hajime Asahi and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-04-15 with total page 510 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Covers both the fundamentals and the state-of-the-art technology used for MBE Written by expert researchers working on the frontlines of the field, this book covers fundamentals of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) technology and science, as well as state-of-the-art MBE technology for electronic and optoelectronic device applications. MBE applications to magnetic semiconductor materials are also included for future magnetic and spintronic device applications. Molecular Beam Epitaxy: Materials and Applications for Electronics and Optoelectronics is presented in five parts: Fundamentals of MBE; MBE technology for electronic devices application; MBE for optoelectronic devices; Magnetic semiconductors and spintronics devices; and Challenge of MBE to new materials and new researches. The book offers chapters covering the history of MBE; principles of MBE and fundamental mechanism of MBE growth; migration enhanced epitaxy and its application; quantum dot formation and selective area growth by MBE; MBE of III-nitride semiconductors for electronic devices; MBE for Tunnel-FETs; applications of III-V semiconductor quantum dots in optoelectronic devices; MBE of III-V and III-nitride heterostructures for optoelectronic devices with emission wavelengths from THz to ultraviolet; MBE of III-V semiconductors for mid-infrared photodetectors and solar cells; dilute magnetic semiconductor materials and ferromagnet/semiconductor heterostructures and their application to spintronic devices; applications of bismuth-containing III–V semiconductors in devices; MBE growth and device applications of Ga2O3; Heterovalent semiconductor structures and their device applications; and more. Includes chapters on the fundamentals of MBE Covers new challenging researches in MBE and new technologies Edited by two pioneers in the field of MBE with contributions from well-known MBE authors including three Al Cho MBE Award winners Part of the Materials for Electronic and Optoelectronic Applications series Molecular Beam Epitaxy: Materials and Applications for Electronics and Optoelectronics will appeal to graduate students, researchers in academia and industry, and others interested in the area of epitaxial growth.

Download or read book Broadly Tunable Terahertz Difference Frequency Generation in Mid infrared Quantum Cascade Lasers written by Yifan Jiang (Ph. D. in electrical and computer engineering) and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Room-temperature terahertz (THz) sources analogous to diode lasers in the near-infrared/visible or quantum cascade lasers (QCL) in the mid-infrared (mid-IR), i.e., electrically pumped, compact, widely tunable, and suitable for low-cost production, are highly desired for feasible and inexpensive THz systems. This dissertation focuses on demonstrating broadly tunable, room-temperature THz systems based on intra-cavity difference frequency generation (DFG) in mid-IR QCLs with improved spectral capability for versatile applications. Spectral control using an external cavity provides the widest tuning range and is favored for real-world applications. DFG-THz could be spectrally tuned by either tuning one mid-IR pump or by tuning both mid-IR pumps together. I built a Littrow-type, external cavity THz DFG-QCL system that generated spectral tunable THz radiation by fixing one mid-IR pump frequency with an integrated DFB grating on top of the QCL structure and tuning the other mid-IR pump frequency with an external grating, thus demonstrating record broadband narrow linewidth THz frequency tuning from 1.2 to 5.9 THz. A Cherenkov waveguide is used in this system to extract THz radiation through the semi-insulating InP substrate; however, InP has dispersion in 1–6 THz, resulting in steering far field profiles for different THz frequencies. Replacing the InP substrate with high-resistance silicon through an adhesive bonding process solved the beam steering problem of this THz DFG-QCL system. I also built a double-Littrow, external cavity DFG-THz system that tunes both mid-IR pump frequencies using two external diffraction gratings. Such a system allows performing a comprehensive spectroscopic study of the optical nonlinearity and its dependence on the mid-infrared pump frequencies. Our work shows that the terahertz generation efficiency can vary by a factor of two or more, depending on the spectral position of the mid-infrared pumps, even for a fixed THz difference frequency. Using this system, we investigated different active region designs: bound-to-continuum, continuum-to-continuum, three-phonon-resonance, and dual-upper-state active region design. Our studies show THz DFG-QCL based a bound-to-continuum active region with gain centered around 15 μm has an order of magnitude enhancement of mid-IR to THz conversion efficiency, which provides a trend for future improvement of the power performance of THz DFG-QCLs

Download or read book From High Power Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers to Terahertz Light Amplifiers written by Tsung-Yu Kao and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The terahertz (THz) frequency range (300 GHz to 10 THz, wavelength 30-1000 [mu]m), despite having many potential applications, is technologically relatively underdeveloped mainly because of the lack of suitable coherent radiation sources when compared with nearby electromagnetic radiation spectrum. The invention of the THz quantum cascade laser, a electronically-pumped semiconductor heterostructure which emits photons from electronic intersubband transitions, provides the first solidstate fundamental oscillator at the frequency range from 1.2 to 5.1 THz. Due to the subwavelength confinement nature of the metal-metal waveguide used in most of the THz QC lasers, far-field beam patterns from lasers with simple Fabry-Perot waveguides are divergent and far from ideal Gaussian beams. The first part of this thesis describes the development of single-mode THz QC lasers on metal-metal waveguides. Starting with the corrugated third-order DFB laser-a clever laser structure which utilizes end-fire array effect to achieve low divergence beam patterns-several applications using densely-packed third-order DFB laser arrays, such as frequency agile sources for THz swept-source optical tomography and local oscillators for THz heterodyne receivers with precise frequency control, have been investigated. With the improved design rules and fabrication techniques, 830 GHz single-mode frequency coverage on a monolithic multicolor DFB laser array has been achieved. The origin of the deterioration in far-field beam patterns and power outputs in long third-order DFB lasers is then identified. This finding leads to a modified third-order DFB laser structure which can achieve perfect phase-matching (PM) condition, resulting in scalable power output and even lower beam divergence when compared with that of a conventional third-order DFB laser. Radiations from up to 151 laser sectors are phase-locked to form a single-lobe beam pattern with divergence ~ 6 x 11° and ~13 mW pulsed power at the end-fire direction. This approach substantially increases the usable length of a third-order DFB laser while keeping a high slope efficiency (140 mW/A). Later development applies the concept of microstrip antenna-a structure commonly used in microwave engineering-to THz photonics devices. By coupling the microstrip antenna to each grating aperture of a perfectly phase-matched DFB laser, the radiation impedance of the laser can now be tuned to enhance the overall emission efficiency. This novel genre of DFB laser achieves > 8 mW pulsed power (10% duty-cycle) at 12 K with beam divergence as low as 12.5 x 12.5' and maximum lasing temperature Tmax = 109 K (pulsed) and 77 K (c.w.) with the highest slope efficiency (~450 mW/A) and wall-plug efficiency (0.57%) of all THz DFB laser sources. The second part of the thesis then focuses on the development of the first light amplifier in THz frequency under Fabry-Perot amplifier (FPA) scheme. Although amplification at terahertz frequency in quantum cascade structures has been demonstrated under the transient state or in a integrated platform, none of them is suitable for amplifying continuous-wave free-space THz radiations. The proposed amplifier is consisted of an array of short-cavity surface-emitting second-order distributed feedback lasers arranged in a two-dimensional grid which are operated marginally beneath their lasing thresholds. A overall system power gain of ~5.6x = 7.5 dB at ~3 THz is obtained with ~1 GHz bandwidth. The free-space THz light amplifier can be used as the pre-amplifier for a THz heterodyne receiver system to reduce the receiver system noise, or be placed on the focal plane of a THz imaging system to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the image and reduce the acquisition time. A new locking mechanism for two-dimensional phase-locked laser arrays based on antenna mutual-coupling is also proposed and then successfully demonstrated in the THz frequency using short-cavity DFB THz lasers. Up to 37 lasers are phase-locked to deliver 6.5 mW single-mode pulsed power (4% duty-cycle) at 3 THz with symmetric beam pattern ( 10 x 10°). This new coupling scheme can be extended to other electromagnetic systems with sub-wavelength confined elements such as plasmonic lasers and nanolasers. This thesis also reports the development of fabrication techniques required to bring the aforementioned novel THz cavity designs from concepts to reality which include a high aspect ratio ( 1:10) anisotropic reactive-ion etch on GaAs which is compatible with the metal-metal waveguide platform and the procedure to create airbridge structures by selectively removing the dielectric materials beneath the metal contacts.

Download or read book Frequency Tunable Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers written by Iman Kundu and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Towards Actively Mode locked Terahertz Quantum cascade VECSELs written by Yu Wu and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The invention of optical frequency combs generated by mode-locked lasers revolutionized time and frequency metrology in the late 1990s. This concept has been explored in several laser systems; the quantum cascade laser (QCL) is one such system that operates in the terahertz (THz) frequency range.THz QCL was first invented in 2001 as a reliable semiconductor source for compact, high-power THz radiation. The inherently strong third-order nonlinearity in its QC-gain medium allows for spontaneous frequency comb formation as a result of spatial hole burning induced by Fabry-Perot cavities and four-wave mixing, which synchronizes the dispersed cavity modes. It was noticed that the self-generated combs are naturally frequency-modulated with quasi-continuous power output, whereas amplitude-modulated combs, i.e., mode-locking, are considered challenging in THz QCLs because of the inherent fast gain recovery time. One effective method to trigger active mode-locking is RF injection locking. It involves injecting RF current modulation into the QC-device at a frequency that is close to the cavity round-trip frequency. This locks the spacing between adjacent lasing modes, and pulses with a duration of 4-5 ps have been reported. In recent years, the study of frequency comb/mode-locking in THz QCLs has raised increasing interest because of its potential for a number of applications, including astronomy, biomedicine, fast spectroscopy, non-invasive imaging, and non-destructive evaluation. So far, research has concentrated on ridge-waveguide and ring QCLs. On the other hand, THz quantum-cascade vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-laser (QC-VECSEL) was introduced in 2015 as a novel external cavity configuration of THz QCLs.The key concept of THz QC-VECSEL is to engineer its gain chip into a millimeter-scale reflectarray metasurface for free-space THz radiation and further incorporation into a resonant laser cavity as an active reflector. This enables watt-level output power with near-Gaussian distributed beam quality; versatile functionality may be incorporated into the amplifying metasurface; and broadband frequency tunability is provided by the VECSEL architecture. Despite the fact that VECSELs are widely used for mode-locking at near-infrared and optical frequencies, THz QC-VECSELs have not yet been exploited in frequency comb and mode-locking applications. In this thesis, we report for the first time the techniques utilized to achieve frequency comb/mode-locking operations in THz QC-VECSELs. Both the metasurface design and VECSEL cavity geometry are optimized for this purpose. The double-patch metasurface design is considered optimal for broadband frequency response and low dispersion, and a well-designed RF package is needed for efficient RF signal injection and extraction. On the other hand, an off-axis parabolic (OAP) mirror is introduced to build a V-shaped intra-cryostat focusing VECSEL cavity. This OAP-focusing cavity design eliminates most of the intra-cavity diffraction losses and, therefore, enables lasing in an ultra-long external cavity using a small-sized metasurface that supports continuous wave (CW) biasing. It is highly suited for frequency comb/mode-locking applications as the cavity round-trip frequency is lowered to a typical value of 3-5 GHz. In contrast to ridge-waveguide or ring QCLs, self-generated frequency combs have not been observed in THz QC-VECSELs --- in fact, they prefer to lase in a single-mode regime primarily due to a lack of spatial hole burning.To promote multimode operation in THz QC-VECSELs, we present a technique based on a specific combination of output coupler thickness and external cavity length. Through Vernier selection and reflectance compensation in a cascaded Fabry-Perot cavity, we are able to perform simultaneous nine modes lasing with a free-spectral range (FSR) of ~21 GHz. The number of lasing modes that can be generated using this method is limited by the maximum available output coupler thickness. A more effective way to promote multimoding, as well as possible frequency comb or even mode-locking operations, is through RF injection locking.The successful demonstration of RF injection locking in THz QC-VECSELs for the first time is the main focus of this thesis. Lasing spectral broadening has been observed under strong RF modulation, with a maximum bandwidth of around 100-300 GHz. An intermodal beat-note is produced as a result of beating between each of the two lasing modes. It is locked to the RF injection signal as the injection frequency is tuned around the cavity round-trip frequency. This suggests that the lasing modes are equally spaced, which is a prerequisite of frequency comb/mode-locking. Several impacting factors, including metasurface design, external cavity length, and optical feedback, are experimentally investigated in the RF-injection locked QC-VECSELs, which may help control and tune the laser states. THz QC-VECSEL is consequently considered to be a superior platform that enables a more thorough investigation of the fundamental physics of mode-locking/frequency comb operation in QCL systems. Our research on mode-locked THz QC-VECSELs opens the way for future development of semiconductor lasers operating in the 2-5 THz region that produce picosecond-scale pulses.

Download or read book Diode Lasers and Photonic Integrated Circuits written by Larry A. Coldren and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-03-02 with total page 752 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Diode Lasers and Photonic Integrated Circuits, Second Edition provides a comprehensive treatment of optical communication technology, its principles and theory, treating students as well as experienced engineers to an in-depth exploration of this field. Diode lasers are still of significant importance in the areas of optical communication, storage, and sensing. Using the the same well received theoretical foundations of the first edition, the Second Edition now introduces timely updates in the technology and in focus of the book. After 15 years of development in the field, this book will offer brand new and updated material on GaN-based and quantum-dot lasers, photonic IC technology, detectors, modulators and SOAs, DVDs and storage, eye diagrams and BER concepts, and DFB lasers. Appendices will also be expanded to include quantum-dot issues and more on the relation between spontaneous emission and gain.

Download or read book Quantum Electronics written by Amnon Yariv and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1989-01-17 with total page 702 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The text has been revised to incorporate new developments in lasers and quantum electronics. Other subjects covered include phase-conjugate optics, long wavelength quaternary semiconductor lasers, the physics of semiconductor lasers, laser arrays and free-electron lasers.

Download or read book Development of Terahertz QCLs written by Sushil Kumar (Ph. D.) and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The terahertz or the far-infrared frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum (...) has historically been technologically underdeveloped despite having many potential applications, primarily due to lack of suitable sources of coherent radiation. Following on the remarkable development of mid-infrared (...) quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) in the past decade, this thesis describes the development of electrically-pumped terahertz quantum-cascade lasers in GaAs/AlsGal_. As heterostructures that span a spectral range of 1.59 - 5.0 THz (...). A quantum-cascade laser (QCL) emits photons due to electronic intersubband transitions in the quantum-wells of a semiconductor heterostructure. The operation of terahertz QCLs at frequencies below the Reststrahlen band in the semiconductor (...), is significantly more challenging as compared to that of the mid-infrared QCLs. Firstly, due to small energy separation between the laser levels various intersubband scattering mechanisms are activated, which make it difficult to selectively depopulate the lower laser level. Additionally, as electrons gain enough kinetic energy in the upper laser level thermally activated longitudinal-optical (LO) phonon scattering reduces the level lifetime and makes it difficult to sustain population inversion at higher temperatures. Secondly, waveguide design for terahertz mode confinement is also more challenging due to higher free-carrier losses in the semiconducting doped regions at the terahertz frequencies. For successful designs reported in this work, the lower radiative state depopulation is achieved by a combination of resonant-tunneling and fast LO phonon scattering, which allow robust operation even at relatively high temperatures. An equally important enabling mechanism for these lasers is the development of metal-metal waveguides, which provide low waveguides losses, and strong mode confinement due to subwavelength mode localization in the vertical dimension. With these techniques some record performances for terahertz QCLs are demonstrated including the highest pulsed operating temperature of 169 K, the highest continuous-wave (cw) operating temperature of 117 K, and the highest optical power output (248 mW in pulsed and 138 mW in cw at 5 K) for any terahertz QCL. Towards the bigger goal of realizing a 1-THz solid-state laser to ultimately bridge the gap between electronic and optical sources of electromagnetic radiation, QCLs with a unique one-well injection scheme, which minimizes intersubband absorption losses that occur at longer wavelengths, are developed. Based on this scheme a QCL operating at 1.59 THz (A - 189 ym) is realized, which is amongst the lowest frequency solid-state lasers that operate without the assistance of a magnetic field. This thesis also reports on the development of distributed-feedback lasers in metal-metal waveguides to obtain single-mode operation, with greater output power and better beam quality. The subwavelength vertical dimension in these waveguides leads to a strongly coupled DFB action and a large reflection from the end-facets, and thus conventional coupled-mode theory is not directly applicable to the DFB design. A design technique with precise control of phase of reflection at the end-facets is developed with the aid of finite-element analysis, and with some additional unique design and fabrication methods, robust DFB operation has been obtained. Single-mode surface-emitting terahertz QCLs operating up to - 150 K are demonstrated, with different grating devices spanning a range of approximately 0.35 THz around v - 3 THz using the same gain medium. A single-lobed far-field radiation pattern, higher output power due to surface-emission, and a relatively small degradation in temperature performance compared to the Fabry-Perot ridge lasers makes these DFB lasers well suited for practical applications that are being targeted by the terahertz quantum-cascade lasers.

Download or read book Development of Terahertz Quantum cascade VECSELs written by Christopher Curwen and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Terahertz (THz) quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) are an emerging semiconductor source of compact, high-power THz radiation. Though first realized more than 15 years ago, THz QCLs continue to suffer from poor beam quality and outcoupling efficiency due to the subwavelength nature of the semiconductor ridge-waveguides typically used. In this thesis, a new technique is discussed for obtaining high power and good beam quality from THz QCLs, the THz quantum-cascade external cavity surface emitting laser (QC-VECSEL). The concept of the QC-VECSEL is to use THz QC-gain material to design a millimeter-scale reflective amplifying surface, or metasurface, for free space THz waves and incorporate it into a free-space THz resonant cavity to provide feedback to the amplification and form a laser. In this manner, the beam shape is determined by the external cavity, which supports fundamental Gaussian solutions. Further, the metasurface itself is composed of a subwavelength array (to prevent diffraction) of surface-coupled QC-elements whose properties, such as phase and polarization response, can be engineered on a unit cell basis allowing for a variety of unique experiments. The power output power of the QC-VECSEL can be scaled by either increasing the size of the metasurface, or increasing the density (or fill factor) of QC-elements across the surface. In this work, large area metasurfaces with high fill-factor have been studied and demonstrated up to 1.35 W of peak output power for a QC-VECSEL operating at 3.4 THz at a heat sink temperature of 4 K. A peak wall-plug efficiency of ~2% is demonstrated, but observation of self lasing from the metasurface at high bias (when no external cavity is provided) in combination with a simultaneous roll-off in VECSEL output power suggests even higher efficiency can be achieved with improved suppression of self-lasing modes. The output beam is well fit to a Gaussian distribution with a 4 degree full-width half-maximum divergence angle. In addition to power and beam quality, the QC-VECSEL opens the door to many interesting and unique studies via engineering of the metasurface properties and external cavity. Much of this thesis describes frequency tuning of QC-VECSELs based on broadband metasurfaces by varying the length of the external cavity. By making the external cavity extremely short (comparable to the operating wavelength), we are able to push all other external cavity modes outside of the gain bandwidth of the metasurface and demonstrate more than 20% fractional single-mode tuning around a center operating frequency of 3.5 THz. Because there are almost no diffraction losses at such a short cavity, the size of the metasurface could be reduced, allowing for continuous wave lasing with up to 20 milliwatts of output power at a heatsink temperature of 77 K, though the output power is highly variable as the reflectance of the output coupler has a strong frequency dependence. At the time of writing this, these are record performances in both frequency tuning and high-temperature continuous wave operation for lasers based on THz QC-gain material. The amount of tuning that be achieved with this approach is limited by the phase response of the metasurface, which squeezes the external cavity modes closer together in the spectral domain. Development of metasurfaces with lower electrical power consumption and higher conversion efficiency for the purpose of improving continuous wave performance. A sparse, patch-based metasurface with reduced power consumption is demonstrated, though the design was not optimal and only showed a 20% reduction in current draw compared to the previously demonstrated metasurfaces. Routes towards improving the performance are discussed. The last subject discussed is the design of a mid-infrared (IR) QC-VECSEL. Due to the large metal losses at mid-IR frequencies compared to THz, the technique used to develop THz QC-VECSELs cannot be directly extended to the mid-IR. We propose a scheme based on a diffraction grating to provide surface coupling of the QC-gain material. Progress on experimental realization is discussed, but lasing has not yet been observed.

Download or read book Development of Terahertz Frequency Quantum Cascade Lasers written by Mohammed Salih and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Frequency Stabilization of a Single Mode Terahertz Quantum Cascade Laser to the Kilohertz Level written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 9 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A simple analog locking circuit was shown to stabilize the beat signal between a 2.408 THz quantum cascade laser and a CH2DOH THz CO2 optically pumped molecular laser to 3-4 kHz (FWHM). This is approximately a tenth of the observed long-term (t ~ sec) linewidth of the optically pumped laser showing that the feedback loop corrects for much of the mechanical and acoustic-induced frequency jitter of the gas laser. The achieved stability should be sufficient to enable the use of THz quantum cascade lasers as transmitters in short-range coherent transceivers.