J. Semicond. > 2021, Volume 42 > Issue 9 > 092901, doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/42/9/092901

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Coupled-ridge waveguide quantum cascade laser array lasing at λ ~ 5 µm

Pengchang Yang1, 2, Jinchuan Zhang2, , Zenghui Gu2, 3, Chuanwei Liu2, 3, Yue Zhao2, 3, Fengmin Cheng2, Shenqiang Zhai2, Ning Zhuo2, Junqi Liu2, 3, Lijun Wang2, 3, Shuman Liu2, 3 and Fengqi Liu2, 3,

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 Corresponding author: Jinchuan Zhang, zhangjinchuan@semi.ac.cn; Fengqi Liu, fqliu@semi.ac.cn

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Abstract: In this work, we demonstrated high-power quantum cascade laser (QCL) arrays lasing at λ ~ 5 µm by employing an optimized coupled-ridge waveguide (CRW) structure. Five-element QCL arrays were simulated and fabricated through a two-step etching method to extend the CRW structure to a mid-wave infrared regime. A lateral far-field with the main peak near a diffraction-limited intensity curve of about 10° was observed by properly designing a geometric shape of the ridges and interspaces. By introducing a buried 2nd-order distributed feedback (DFB) grating, substrate emission with a radiation power above 1 W at 25 °C is achieved. Single longitudinal mode operation is obtained by changing the temperature of the heatsink with a good linear wavelength tuning coefficient of –0.2 cm–1/K.

Key words: quantum cascade laser array, coupled-ridge waveguide, mid-infrared



[1]
Bai Y, Tsao S, Bandyopadhyay N, et al. High power, continuous wave, quantum cascade ring laser. Appl Phys Lett, 2011, 99, 261104 doi: 10.1063/1.3672049
[2]
Centeno R, Marchenko D, Mandon J, et al. High power, widely tunable, mode-hop free, continuous wave external cavity quantum cascade laser for multi-species trace gas detection. Appl Phys Lett, 2014, 105, 261907 doi: 10.1063/1.4905281
[3]
Slivken S, Sengupta S, Razeghi M. High power continuous operation of a widely tunable quantum cascade laser with an integrated amplifier. Appl Phys Lett, 2015, 107, 251101 doi: 10.1063/1.4938005
[4]
Bai Y, Slivken S, Darvish S R, et al. High power broad area quantum cascade lasers. Appl Phys Lett, 2009, 95, 221104 doi: 10.1063/1.3270043
[5]
Bai Y, Darvish S R, Slivken S, et al. Electrically pumped photonic crystal distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers. Appl Phys Lett, 2007, 91, 141123 doi: 10.1063/1.2798062
[6]
Lu Q Y, Guo W H, Zhang W, et al. Room temperature operation of photonic-crystal distributed-feedback quantum cascade lasers with single longitudinal and lateral mode performance. Appl Phys Lett, 2010, 96, 051112 doi: 10.1063/1.3295704
[7]
Menzel S, Diehl L, Pflügl C, et al. Quantum cascade laser master-oscillator power-amplifier with 15 W output power at 300 K. Opt Express, 2011, 19, 16229 doi: 10.1364/OE.19.016229
[8]
Bai Y, Slivken S, Lu Q Y, et al. Angled cavity broad area quantum cascade lasers. Appl Phys Lett, 2012, 101, 081106 doi: 10.1063/1.4747447
[9]
Kirch J D, Chang C C, Boyle C, et al. 5.5 W near-diffraction-limited power from resonant leaky-wave coupled phase-locked arrays of quantum cascade lasers. Appl Phys Lett, 2015, 106, 061113 doi: 10.1063/1.4908178
[10]
Wang L, Zhang J C, Jia Z W, et al. Phase-locked array of quantum cascade lasers with an integrated Talbot cavity. Opt Express, 2016, 24, 30275 doi: 10.1364/OE.24.030275
[11]
Meng B, Qiang B, Rodriguez E, et al. Coherent emission from integrated Talbot-cavity quantum cascade lasers. Opt Express, 2017, 25, 3077 doi: 10.1364/OE.25.003077
[12]
Lyakh A, Maulini R, Tsekoun A, et al. Continuous wave operation of buried heterostructure 4.6 µm quantum cascade laser Y-junctions and tree arrays. Opt Express, 2014, 22, 1203 doi: 10.1364/OE.22.001203
[13]
Hoffmann L K, Hurni C A, Schartner S, et al. Wavelength dependent phase locking in quantum cascade laser Y-junctions. Appl Phys Lett, 2008, 92, 061110 doi: 10.1063/1.2841634
[14]
Hoffmann L K, Klinkmüller M, Mujagić E, et al. Tree array quantum cascade laser. Opt Express, 2009, 17, 649 doi: 10.1364/OE.17.000649
[15]
Liu Y H, Zhang J C, Yan F L, et al. Coupled ridge waveguide distributed feedback quantum cascade laser arrays. Appl Phys Lett, 2015, 106, 142104 doi: 10.1063/1.4917294
[16]
Liu C W, Zhang J C, Jia Z W, et al. Coupled ridge waveguide substrate-emitting DFB quantum cascade laser arrays. IEEE Photonics Technol Lett, 2017, 29, 213 doi: 10.1109/LPT.2016.2636332
[17]
Yao D Y, Zhang J C, Liu F Q, et al. Surface emitting quantum cascade lasers operating in continuous-wave mode above 70 °C at λ ~ 4.6 μm. Appl Phys Lett, 2013, 103, 041121 doi: 10.1063/1.4816722
Fig. 1.  (Color online) (a) The near-field distribution of the fundamental supermode and high-order supermode. (b) The dependence of loss difference of the modal waveguide between the high-order and fundamental supermode on ridge width with a fixed etching depth at 3.5 µm and array period 9 µm. (c) The dependence of loss difference on the etching depth with a fixed ridge width at 6 µm and period of array at 9 µm. (d) The dependence of loss difference on period of array with a fixed ridge width at 6 µm and etching depth at 3.5 µm.

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Fig. 2.  (Color online) (a) The image of the buried grating from SEM. (b) The cross-section photography of the device. (c) A 3-D sketch of the structure.

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Fig. 3.  (Color online) (a) The devices’ far-field distribution from the substrate emitting windows in the ridge-width direction at different operating current. (b) The far-field distribution from the substrate emitting windows of the QCL array in the cavity direction at the current of 6 A.

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Fig. 4.  (Color online) The power–current characteristics of the device at 25 °C. The red line and blue line represent the output power from the edge and the substrate, respectively.

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Fig. 5.  (Color online) The emitting spectra of the QCL array at different temperatures of the heatsink. The inset shows the dependence of wavelength on heatsink temperature.

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[1]
Bai Y, Tsao S, Bandyopadhyay N, et al. High power, continuous wave, quantum cascade ring laser. Appl Phys Lett, 2011, 99, 261104 doi: 10.1063/1.3672049
[2]
Centeno R, Marchenko D, Mandon J, et al. High power, widely tunable, mode-hop free, continuous wave external cavity quantum cascade laser for multi-species trace gas detection. Appl Phys Lett, 2014, 105, 261907 doi: 10.1063/1.4905281
[3]
Slivken S, Sengupta S, Razeghi M. High power continuous operation of a widely tunable quantum cascade laser with an integrated amplifier. Appl Phys Lett, 2015, 107, 251101 doi: 10.1063/1.4938005
[4]
Bai Y, Slivken S, Darvish S R, et al. High power broad area quantum cascade lasers. Appl Phys Lett, 2009, 95, 221104 doi: 10.1063/1.3270043
[5]
Bai Y, Darvish S R, Slivken S, et al. Electrically pumped photonic crystal distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers. Appl Phys Lett, 2007, 91, 141123 doi: 10.1063/1.2798062
[6]
Lu Q Y, Guo W H, Zhang W, et al. Room temperature operation of photonic-crystal distributed-feedback quantum cascade lasers with single longitudinal and lateral mode performance. Appl Phys Lett, 2010, 96, 051112 doi: 10.1063/1.3295704
[7]
Menzel S, Diehl L, Pflügl C, et al. Quantum cascade laser master-oscillator power-amplifier with 15 W output power at 300 K. Opt Express, 2011, 19, 16229 doi: 10.1364/OE.19.016229
[8]
Bai Y, Slivken S, Lu Q Y, et al. Angled cavity broad area quantum cascade lasers. Appl Phys Lett, 2012, 101, 081106 doi: 10.1063/1.4747447
[9]
Kirch J D, Chang C C, Boyle C, et al. 5.5 W near-diffraction-limited power from resonant leaky-wave coupled phase-locked arrays of quantum cascade lasers. Appl Phys Lett, 2015, 106, 061113 doi: 10.1063/1.4908178
[10]
Wang L, Zhang J C, Jia Z W, et al. Phase-locked array of quantum cascade lasers with an integrated Talbot cavity. Opt Express, 2016, 24, 30275 doi: 10.1364/OE.24.030275
[11]
Meng B, Qiang B, Rodriguez E, et al. Coherent emission from integrated Talbot-cavity quantum cascade lasers. Opt Express, 2017, 25, 3077 doi: 10.1364/OE.25.003077
[12]
Lyakh A, Maulini R, Tsekoun A, et al. Continuous wave operation of buried heterostructure 4.6 µm quantum cascade laser Y-junctions and tree arrays. Opt Express, 2014, 22, 1203 doi: 10.1364/OE.22.001203
[13]
Hoffmann L K, Hurni C A, Schartner S, et al. Wavelength dependent phase locking in quantum cascade laser Y-junctions. Appl Phys Lett, 2008, 92, 061110 doi: 10.1063/1.2841634
[14]
Hoffmann L K, Klinkmüller M, Mujagić E, et al. Tree array quantum cascade laser. Opt Express, 2009, 17, 649 doi: 10.1364/OE.17.000649
[15]
Liu Y H, Zhang J C, Yan F L, et al. Coupled ridge waveguide distributed feedback quantum cascade laser arrays. Appl Phys Lett, 2015, 106, 142104 doi: 10.1063/1.4917294
[16]
Liu C W, Zhang J C, Jia Z W, et al. Coupled ridge waveguide substrate-emitting DFB quantum cascade laser arrays. IEEE Photonics Technol Lett, 2017, 29, 213 doi: 10.1109/LPT.2016.2636332
[17]
Yao D Y, Zhang J C, Liu F Q, et al. Surface emitting quantum cascade lasers operating in continuous-wave mode above 70 °C at λ ~ 4.6 μm. Appl Phys Lett, 2013, 103, 041121 doi: 10.1063/1.4816722

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    History

    Received: 09 February 2021 Revised: 08 April 2021 Online: Accepted Manuscript: 27 May 2021Uncorrected proof: 02 June 2021Published: 01 September 2021

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      Article Navigation >  Journal of Semiconductors  > 2021  >  42(9): 092901
      Pengchang Yang, Jinchuan Zhang, Zenghui Gu, Chuanwei Liu, Yue Zhao, Fengmin Cheng, Shenqiang Zhai, Ning Zhuo, Junqi Liu, Lijun Wang, Shuman Liu, Fengqi Liu. Coupled-ridge waveguide quantum cascade laser array lasing at λ ~ 5 µm[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2021, 42(9): 092901. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/42/9/092901 P C Yang, J C Zhang, Z H Gu, C W Liu, Y Zhao, F M Cheng, S Q Zhai, N Zhuo, J Q Liu, L J Wang, S M Liu, F Q Liu, Coupled-ridge waveguide quantum cascade laser array lasing at λ ~ 5 µm[J]. J. Semicond., 2021, 42(9): 092901. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/42/9/092901.Export: BibTex EndNote
      Citation:
      Pengchang Yang, Jinchuan Zhang, Zenghui Gu, Chuanwei Liu, Yue Zhao, Fengmin Cheng, Shenqiang Zhai, Ning Zhuo, Junqi Liu, Lijun Wang, Shuman Liu, Fengqi Liu. Coupled-ridge waveguide quantum cascade laser array lasing at λ ~ 5 µm[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2021, 42(9): 092901. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/42/9/092901

      P C Yang, J C Zhang, Z H Gu, C W Liu, Y Zhao, F M Cheng, S Q Zhai, N Zhuo, J Q Liu, L J Wang, S M Liu, F Q Liu, Coupled-ridge waveguide quantum cascade laser array lasing at λ ~ 5 µm[J]. J. Semicond., 2021, 42(9): 092901. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/42/9/092901.
      Export: BibTex EndNote
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      Coupled-ridge waveguide quantum cascade laser array lasing at λ ~ 5 µm

      doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/42/9/092901
      • 1.

        School of Microelectronics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

      • 2.

        Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Semiconductor Materials and Devices, Beijing 100083, China

      • 3.

        School of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

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      • Author Bio:

        Pengchang Yang earned his bachelor’s degree in 2018 from the School of Physics, Shandong University, Jinan, China. Now he is an MS student of School of Microelectronics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is interested in coupled-ridge waveguide structure and beam combining of quantum cascade lasers

        Jinchuan Zhang is an associate professor in the Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science at the Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He earned his PhD degree in the Department of electronic engineering at Tsinghua University in 2012. He is interested in designing high-efficiency quantum cascade laser structures, distributed-feedback grating and many others. He is a member of the Youth Promotion Association Chinese Academy of Sciences

        Fengqi Liu is a professor in the Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials Science at the Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He earned his PhD degree in the Department of Physics, Nanjing University, in 1996. Recently, he has demonstrated the quantum dot cascade laser by a two-step strain-compensation active region and material grown technique. He is a winner of the National Outstanding Youth Fund in China

      • Corresponding author: zhangjinchuan@semi.ac.cn; fqliu@semi.ac.cn
      • Received Date: 2021-02-09
      • Revised Date: 2021-04-08
      • Published Date: 2021-09-10

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