Room temperature, continuous-wave operation of quantum cascade lasers with single phonon resonance-continuum depopulation structures grown by metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy

Abstract

We propose a new quantum-cascade laser structure with single phonon resonance-continuum depopulation and demonstrate room temperature, continuous-wave operation of the proposed 7.9 μm quantum-cascade laser. The laser grown by metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy emits a cw output power of 36 mW at 30 °C, exhibiting a threshold current density of 2.23 kA cm2. The cw operation is reported for higher temperatures up to slightly above 60 °C. The proposed structure may lead to a successful commercial mass production of the lasers. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.