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Interband cascade lasers (ICLs) [1,2] combine the concept of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) and conventional photodiodes, because they rely on the voltage-efficient in-series connection of multiple active regions as in QCLs as well as the long upper-level recombination lifetimes of photodiodes. The distinctive low power consumption of ICLs makes them especially attractive for mobile applications in the mid-infrared, such as process control, medical applications and spectroscopy [3].

The authors acknowledge the support by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) projects P26100-N27 (H2N) and NextLite (F4909-N23), and the State of Bavaria. HD acknowledges financial support through an APART fellowship from the Austrian Academy of Sciences. We demonstrate interband cascade lasers fabricated into ring-shaped cavities with vertical light emission through the substrate at a wavelength of λ ≈ 3.7 µm. The out-coupling mechanism is based on a metallized second-order distributed feedback grating. At room-temperature, a pulsed threshold current-density of 0.75 kA/cm2 and a temperature-tuning rate of 0.3 nm/°C is measured. In contrast to the azimuthal polarization of ring quantum cascade lasers, we observe a radial polarization of the projected nearfield of ring interband cascade lasers. These findings underline the fundamental physical difference between light generation in interband and intersubband cascade lasers, offering new perspectives for device integration. Publisher PDF

We present an evaluation of the effects of proton and gamma irradiation on the performance of GaSb-based 2.1 µm laser diodes lasers for space applications. The study is focused on the effects of radiation on the Power-Current, Current-Voltage and Wavelength-Current-Temperature characteristics of the lasers. No significant radiation damage has been found.

Interband cascade lasers utilizing a shortened injector design with In-free AlSb barriers are presented. 14-cascaded devices exhibit significantly increased optical mode intensity in the active region and T0 values of 58K. Maximum pulsed operation temperatures of 346K are obtained.

Widely tunable monomode laser diodes emitting in the 1.9 µm wavelength range have been realized on InP based InAs/InGaAs quantum dash-in-a-well active material. 2D photonic crystal structures are used to define coupled cavity devices with two sections yielding a tuning range of 36 nm. Water vapor absorption measurements are demonstrated at wavelengths more than 34 nm apart using one such photonic crystal coupled cavity laser diode.

GaInNAs-based 1240 nm laser diodes are realized with internal losses as low as 0.5 cm-1 allowing maximum output powers of 9 W at room temperature under continuous-wave operation. Wavelength stabilized tapered laser diodes show output powers of 1W and M2 down to 1.4 demonstrating potential for pumping applications.

We present detailed measurements of the Henry factor (linewidth enhancement factor) above and below threshold of a quantum dot laser. Modulation frequency and current dependence of the above-threshold method based on modulation experiments is shown.

We present room temperature continuous wave operation of a single mode GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb distributed feedback laser at a record long emission wavelength of 2.84 mum. The threshold current at 15degC is 75 mA.