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Millimeter wave (mmWave) generation using photonic techniques has so far been limited to the use of near-infrared lasers that are down-converted to the mmWave region. However, such methodologies do not currently benefit from a monolithic architecture and suffer from the quantum defect i.e. the difference in photon energies between the near-infrared and mmWave region, which can ultimately limit the conversion efficiency. Miniaturized terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have inherent advantages in this respect: their low energy photons, ultrafast gain relaxation and high nonlinearities open up the possibility of innovatively integrating both laser action and mmWave generation in a single device. Here, we demonstrate intracavity mmWave generation within THz QCLs over the unprecedented range of 25 GHz to 500 GHz. Through ultrafast time resolved techniques, we highlight the importance of modal phases and that the process is a result of a giant second-order nonlinearity combined with a phase matched process between the THz and mmWave emission. Importantly, this work opens up the possibility of compact, low noise mmWave generation using modelocked THz frequency combs., Photonic solutions for generating free space millimeter radiation is a fast developing field that combines optoelectronics and RF domains but has many challenges. Here the authors present a quantum cascade laser (QCL) based solution for THz laser emission and millimeter wave generation in a single device.

Quantum cascade lasers (QCL) have revolutionized the generation of mid-infrared light. Yet, the ultrafast carrier transport in mid-infrared QCLs has so far constituted a seemingly insurmountable obstacle for the formation of ultrashort light pulses. Here, we demonstrate that careful quantum design of the gain medium and control over the intermode beat synchronization enable transform-limited picosecond pulses from QCL frequency combs. Both an interferometric radio-frequency technique and second-order autocorrelation shed light on the pulse dynamics and confirm that mode-locked operation is achieved from threshold to rollover current. Furthermore, we show that both anti-phase and in-phase synchronized states exist in QCLs. Being electrically pumped and compact, mode-locked QCLs pave the way towards monolithically integrated non-linear photonics in the molecular fingerprint region beyond 6 μm wavelength., Producing pulses in the mid-IR often requires bulky sources and has been inaccessible with compact and versatile quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). Here, the authors demonstrate actively mode-locked, mid-IR QCL operation at room temperature.

Semiconductor heterostructures have enabled a great variety of applications ranging from GHz electronics to photonic quantum devices. While nonlinearities play a central role for cutting-edge functionality, they require strong field amplitudes owing to the weak light-matter coupling of electronic resonances of naturally occurring materials. Here, we ultrastrongly couple intersubband transitions of semiconductor quantum wells to the photonic mode of a metallic cavity in order to custom-tailor the population and polarization dynamics of intersubband cavity polaritons in the saturation regime. Two-dimensional THz spectroscopy reveals strong subcycle nonlinearities including six-wave mixing and a collapse of light-matter coupling within 900 fs. This collapse bleaches the absorption, at a peak intensity one order of magnitude lower than previous all-integrated approaches and well achievable by state-of-the-art QCLs, as demonstrated by a saturation of the structure under cw-excitation. We complement our data by a quantitative theory. Our results highlight a path towards passively mode-locked QCLs based on polaritonic saturable absorbers in a monolithic single-chip design., Structures that can enhance the capabilities of quantum cascade lasers are highly sought after to improve their practicality for a range of applications. Here the authors demonstrate such a structure in a saturable absorber that takes advantage of intersubband polaritons in the terahertz range and study coherent nonlinear dynamics in the system.

In this paper, we have examined the influence of electroplated gold thickness on the thermal and electro-optical properties of mid-IR AlInAs/InGaAs, InP QCLs. The experimental results show a significant reduction of the temperature of QCL active region (AR) with increasing gold layer thickness. For QCLs with 5.0 μm gold thickness, we observed a 50% reduction of the active region temperature. An improvement of key electro-optical parameters, that is, threshold current density and maximum emitted power for structures with thick gold, was observed. The results of micro-Raman characterization show that the electroplated gold layer introduces only moderate compressive strain in top InP cladding, which is well below the critical value for the creation of misfit dislocations.

A portable sensor based on quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) is reported to analyze trace gases. QEPAS is a high sensitivity and very compact well-established spectroscopic technique for sensitive and selective detection of trace gases. A distributed feedback quantum cascade laser (DFB-QCL) emitting at 4474 nm is utilized as excitation light source. N2O has been selected as the target molecule, in order to evaluate the performance of the sensor. By analyzing the QEPAS peak signal as a function of the N2O concentration, the response of the sensor has been investigated and a sensitivity of 0.24 mV/ppb and a linearity of 0.999 have been found. An Allan deviation analysis has been performed to determine the long-term performance of the sensor. A minimum detection limit of 2 ppb for 100 s integration time has been achieved. A precision and stability of 100 ppb (0.5 %) have been demonstrated as well.

oral; International audience; We present an experimental investigation into new continuous-wave laser lines from a terahertz ammonia laser pumped by a quantum cascade laser. These lines were investigated with the help of a molecular figure of merit calculated from spectroscopic parameters available in molecular databases. We also demonstrate the use of this laser as a local oscillator in a heterodyne high-resolution spectrometer between 1 and 3.4 THz.

oral session Quantum Cascade Lasers/Systems 2; International audience; We report on an active stabilization of a terahertz quantum cascade laser (QCL) dual-comb source by phase locking one of the dual-comb lines. Although only one dual-comb line is locked, the phase noise of other dual-comb lines close to the phase locked line is significantly reduced. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the QCL comb without a control of the repetition rate can produce pulsed-type waveforms.

Optical frequency comb synthesizers (FCs) [1] are laser sources covering a broad spectral range with a number of discrete, equally spaced and highly coherent frequency components, fully controlled through only two parameters: the frequency separation between adjacent modes and the carrier offset frequency. Providing a phase-coherent link between the optical and the microwave/radio-frequency regions [2], FCs have become groundbreaking tools for precision measurements[3,4]. Despite these inherent advantages, developing miniaturized comb sources across the whole infrared (IR), with an independent and simultaneous control of the two comb degrees of freedom at a metrological level, has not been possible, so far. Recently, promising results have been obtained with compact sources, namely diode-laser-pumped microresonators [5,6] and quantum cascade lasers (QCL-combs) [7,8]. While both these sources rely on four-wave mixing (FWM) to generate comb frequency patterns, QCL-combs benefit from a mm-scale miniaturized footprint, combined with an ad-hoc tailoring of the spectral emission in the 3-250 {\mu}m range, by quantum engineering [9]. Here, we demonstrate full stabilization and control of the two key parameters of a QCL-comb against the primary frequency standard. Our technique, here applied to a far-IR emitter and open ended to other spectral windows, enables Hz-level narrowing of the individual comb modes, and metrological-grade tuning of their individual frequencies, which are simultaneously measured with an accuracy of 2x10^-12, limited by the frequency reference used. These fully-controlled, frequency-scalable, ultra-compact comb emitters promise to pervade an increasing number of mid- and far-IR applications, including quantum technologies, due to the quantum nature of the gain media [10]., Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures

Effect of interface roughness of quantum wells, non-intentional doping, and alloy disorder on performance of GaN-based terahertz quantum cascade lasers (QCL) has been investigated by the formalism of nonequilibrium Green’s functions. It was found that influence of alloy disorder on optical gain is negligible and non-intentional doping should stay below a reasonable concentration of 1017 cm−3 in order to prevent electron-impurities scattering degradation and free carrier absorption. More importantly, interface roughness scattering is found the dominating factor in optical gain degradation. Therefore, its precise control during the fabrication is critical. Finally, a gain of 60 cm−1 can be obtained at 300 K, showing the possibility of fabricating room temperature GaN Terahertz QCL.

A terahertz (THz) frequency comb capable of high-resolution measurement will significantly advance THz technology application in spectroscopy, metrology and sensing. The recently developed cryogenic-cooled THz quantum cascade laser (QCL) comb has exhibited great potentials with high power and broadband spectrum. Here, we report a room temperature THz harmonic frequency comb in 2.2 to 3.3 THz based on difference-frequency generation from a mid-IR QCL. The THz comb is intracavity generated via down-converting a mid-IR comb with an integrated mid-IR single mode based on distributed-feedback grating without using external optical elements. The grating Bragg wavelength is largely detuned from the gain peak to suppress the grating dispersion and support the comb operation in the high gain spectral range. Multiheterodyne spectroscopy with multiple equally spaced lines by beating it with a reference Fabry-Pérot comb confirms the THz comb operation. This type of THz comb will find applications to room temperature chip-based THz spectroscopy., Terahertz frequency combs are highly desired for applications in precision measurements, sensing, spectroscopy and metrology. Here the authors demonstrate the room-temperature chip-based THz frequency comb using nonlinear frequency generation from a mid-infrared quantum cascade laser comb.

Applications relying on mid-infrared radiation (λ ~ 3-30 μm) have progressed at a very rapid pace in recent years, stimulated by scientific and technological breakthroughs like mid-infrared cameras and quantum cascade lasers. On the other side, standalone and broadband devices allowing control of the beam amplitude and/or phase at ultra-fast rates (GHz or more) are still missing. Here we show a free-space amplitude modulator for mid-infrared radiation (λ ~ 10 μm) that can operate at room temperature up to at least 1.5 GHz (−3dB cutoff at ~750 MHz). The device relies on a semiconductor heterostructure enclosed in a judiciously designed metal–metal optical resonator. At zero bias, it operates in the strong light-matter coupling regime up to 300 K. By applying an appropriate bias, the device transitions towards the weak-coupling regime. The large change in reflectance is exploited to modulate the intensity of a mid-infrared continuous-wave laser up to 1.5 GHz., Broadband integrated electrical modulators are key components for photonic systems. Here, the authors present a room temperature mid-IR free-space amplitude modulator based on a semiconductor heterostructure that exploits the change in reflectance occurring at the change between weak and strong coupling.

Terahertz quantum cascade laser sources based on intra-cavity difference frequency generation from mid-IR devices are an important asset for applications in rotational molecular spectroscopy and sensing, beingthe only electrically pumped device able to operate in the 0.6-6 THz range without the need of bulky andexpensive liquid helium cooling. Here we present comb operation obtained by intra-cavity mixing of adistributed feedback laser at {\lambda} = 6.5 {\mu}m and a Fabry-P\'erot device at around {\lambda} = 6.9 {\mu}m. The resultingultra-broadband THz emission extends from 1.8 to 3.3 THz, with a total output power of 8 {\mu}W at 78K.The THz emission has been characterized by multi-heterodyne detection with a primary frequencystandard referenced THz comb, obtained by optical rectification of near infrared pulses. The down-converted beatnotes, simultaneously acquired, confirm an equally spaced THz emission down to 1 MHzaccuracy. In the next future this setup can be used for Fourier transform based evaluation of the phaserelation among the emitted THz modes, paving the way to room-temperature, compact and field-deployable metrological grade THz frequency combs.

Even though already in the seventies, right after the invention of the quantum cascade laser (QCL) concept, it was argued that this device could be operated in the THz (far-infrared) range of the electromagnetic spectrum, it was only in 2002 that the first working THz QCL was demonstrated. Soon afterwards, the progress was very rapid; in the space of 2-3 years, operating temperatures were raised, single-mode DFB devices were produced, applications as local oscillators in heterodyne transceivers were implemented, frequency coverage was extended to the whole 1-5 THz region. In the last few years, technological advancement has continued to improve performances: the maximum operating temperature has now reached about 250 K and about 1 W peak output power has been demonstrated. Several beam engineering techniques have been implemented, with the scope of enhancing spectral purity, improving beam quality and achieving vertical emission. In parallel, various approaches have been devised that allow frequency tunability of the emitted light, with the most efficient schemes achieving a tuning range of about 10% of the central emission frequency. Even the generation of frequency combs directly from THz QCLs has been obtained, by employing dispersion compensated waveguides and an intrinsic material non-linearity. This manuscript reviews the physics underlying the operation of THz QCLs, the technology developed to advance laser performances, and highlights the latest most promising progresses in this fascinating area of opto-electronics.

Near-field imaging techniques, at terahertz frequencies (1–10 THz), conventionally rely on bulky laser sources and detectors. Here, we employ a semiconductor heterostructure laser as a THz source and, simultaneously, as a phase-sensitive detector, exploiting optical feedback interferometry combined with scattering near-field nanoscopy. We analyze the amplitude and phase sensitivity of the proposed technique as a function of the laser driving current and of the feedback attenuation, discussing the operational conditions ideal to optimize the nano-imaging contrast and the phase sensitivity. As a targeted nanomaterial, we exploit a thin (39 nm) flake of Bi2Te2.2Se0.8, a topological insulator having infrared active optical phonon modes. The self-mixing interference fringes are analyzed within the Lang–Kobayashi formalism to rationalize the observed variations as a function of Acket’s parameter C in the full range of weak feedback (C < 1).

In this work, quantum cascade laser (QCL) mid-infrared (MIR) reflectance spectroscopy is used to discriminate silicate and carbonate minerals in a standoff measurement setting. The tunable external cavity QCL source that was used allows measurements from 5.2 μm to 13.4 μm wavelength, where the fundamental vibrational bands of silicates and carbonates are observed. Spectra measured from a half-core sample were analyzed using multivariate analysis to extract and identify the end-member spectra from the mixtures. The end-member spectra were compared and validated using the ASTER database spectra and the spectra measured on reference samples with the same QCL MIR reflectance spectroscopy setup. Spectra of minerals commonly found in the mining industry were compared: quartz, microcline, albite, chlorite, muscovite, biotite, calcite and dolomite. MIR reflectance spectroscopy using compact QCL sources allow rapid spectral measurements at standoff distances and high spatial resolution. All these advantages show the potential of QCL MIR reflectance spectroscopy for in-the-field mining applications., Spie Future Sensing Technologies, 9-13 November 2020, Online Only, Series: Proceedings of SPIE

Spectral fingerprints of molecules are mostly accessible in the terahertz and mid-infrared ranges, such that efficient molecular-detection technologies rely on broadband coherent light sources at such frequencies. THz Quantum Cascade Lasers can achieve octave-spanning bandwidths. However, their tunability and wavelength selectivity is often constrained by the geometry of their cavity. The recently introduced Quantum Cascade Random Lasers represent alternative sources of THz light, in which random scattering provides the required field confinement. The random resonator geometry greatly relaxes wavelength selectivity, thus producing radiation that is both spectrally broadband and collimated in the far-field. Yet, the intrinsic randomness of these devices' spectral emission strongly restricts the scope of their potential applications. In this work, we demonstrate the all-optical adaptive control and tuning of Quantum Cascade Random Lasers. The specificity of our random-laser sources is exploited to locally modify the system's permittivity with a near-infrared (NIR) laser beam and thereby substantially reconfigure the distribution of disorder. Using a spatial light modulator combined with an optimization procedure, the NIR illumination is spatially modulated to reshape the spectral emission and transform the initially multimode laser into a single mode source, which could be harnessed to perform self-referenced spectroscopic measurements. Moreover, we show that local NIR perturbations can be used to sense linear and nonlinear interactions amongst modes in the near field. Our work points the way towards the design of broadly tunable THz sources with greatly relaxed fabrication constraints., 11 pages, 3 figures

International audience; We demonstrate experimentally that mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) operating under external optical feedback exhibit extreme pulses. These events can be triggered by adding small amplitude periodic modulation, with the highest success rate for the case of a pulse-up excitation. These findings broaden the potential applications for QCLs, which have already been proven to be a semiconductor laser of interest for spectroscopic applications and countermeasure systems. The ability to trigger extreme events paves the way for optical neuron-like systems where information propagates as a result of high intensity bursts.

The precise determination of carrier concentration in doped semiconductor materials and nanostructures is of high importance. Many parameters of an operational device are dependent on the proper carrier concentration or its distribution in both the active area as well as in the passive parts as the waveguide claddings. Determining those in a nondestructive manner is, on the one hand, demanded for the fabrication process efficiency, but on the other, challenging experimentally, especially for complex multilayer systems. Here, we present the results of carrier concentration determination in In0.53Ga0.47As layers, designed to be a material forming quantum cascade laser active areas, using a direct and contactless method utilizing the Berreman effect, and employing Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results allowed us to precisely determine the free carrier concentration versus changes in the nominal doping level and provide feedback regarding the technological process by indicating the temperature adjustment of the dopant source.

Quasi-crystal distributed feedback lasers do not require any form of mirror cavity to amplify and extract radiation. Once implemented on the top surface of a semiconductor laser, a quasi-crystal pattern can be used to tune both the radiation feedback and the extraction of highly radiative and high-quality-factor optical modes that do not have a defined symmetric or anti-symmetric nature. Therefore, this methodology offers the possibility to achieve efficient emission, combined with tailored spectra and controlled beam divergence. Here, we apply this concept to a one-dimensional quantum cascade wire laser. By lithographically patterning a series of air slits with different widths, following the Octonacci sequence, on the top metal layer of a double-metal quantum cascade laser operating at THz frequencies, we can vary the emission from single-frequency-mode to multimode over a 530-GHz bandwidth, achieving a maximum peak optical power of 240 mW (190 mW) in multimode (single-frequency-mode) lasers, with record slope efficiencies for multimode surface-emitting disordered THz lasers up to ≈570 mW/A at 78 K and ≈720 mW/A at 20 K and wall-plug efficiencies of η ≈ 1%., Photonics: Unusual patterns put the shine on wire-like lasers Researchers report that ‘quasicrystal’ patterns — mathematical sequences that are ordered, but never repeat themselves — can help turn tiny wires into high-efficiency lasers. Microchip-scale photonic lasers are normally produced by etching semiconductor surfaces with periodic arrays of optical microcavities. Miriam Serena Vitiello from CNR-Istituto Nanoscienze in Pisa, Italy, and colleagues now show that arranging microcavities into quasicrystal patterns can make it easier to pack more photonic lasers onto computer chips. The team first carved grating-like wire structures into the surface of gallium arsenide-based materials, then lithographically etched a series of non-repeating microcavities into each wire. Tuning the widths of the wires and the dimensions of the cavities enabled the devices to exhibit both single-frequency and broadband terahertz laser emissions, while providing improved power characteristics compared to conventional patterning methods.

Minerals play an important role in the oil sands extraction efficiency. It is thus important to assess the major mineral abundance in oil sands ores. This paper presents the application of tunable quantum cascade lasers for mid-infrared reflectance spectroscopy on oil sands minerals. The investigations and results show a new tool to determine oil sands mineral type and to determine potentially quartz and clay contents.

International audience; Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are optical sources exploiting radiative intersubband transitions within the conduction band of semiconductor heterostructures. Mid-infrared QCLs have been thoroughly considered for applications such as spectroscopy, free-space communications and countermeasure systems. Under conventional optical feedback, QCLs have been proven to operate in several non-linear dynamic regimes, including deterministic chaos, entrainment of low-frequency fluctuations and square wave all-optical modulation. We extend the understanding of non-linear phenomena in QCLs with the experimental study of rogue waves. Rogue waves represent random isolated events with amplitudes well above that of neighboring ones, occurring more often than expected from the distribution of lower amplitude events. In the optical domain, rogue waves were first demonstrated experimentally in 2007 in the context of super-continuum generation in optical fibers and have since been observed in a wide variety of configurations such as semiconductor lasers. In QCLs, the extra power from these sudden bursts can be used in order to improve the efficiency of mid-infrared remote sensing or countermeasure systems. It can also be a helpful tool for neurophotonics clusters aiming to reproduce synaptic transmissions in an all-optical system. As a step toward a reliable control over these rare spikes, we carry out a statistical analysis of the interval between rogue events and show that precursors always occur before these events. The advantage of these precursors is to have a characteristic time longer than that found in other semiconductor lasers exhibiting the same non-linear phenomena. Birth of giant pulses like dragon-kings events are also discussed and analyzed.

The fast modulation of lasers is a fundamental requirement for applications in optical communications, high-resolution spectroscopy and metrology. In the terahertz-frequency range, the quantum-cascade laser (QCL) is a high-power source with the potential for high-frequency modulation. However, conventional electronic modulation is limited fundamentally by parasitic device impedance, and so alternative physical processes must be exploited to modulate the QCL gain on ultrafast timescales. Here, we demonstrate an alternative mechanism to modulate the emission from a QCL device, whereby optically-generated acoustic phonon pulses are used to perturb the QCL bandstructure, enabling fast amplitude modulation that can be controlled using the QCL drive current or strain pulse amplitude, to a maximum modulation depth of 6% in our experiment. We show that this modulation can be explained using perturbation theory analysis. While the modulation rise-time was limited to ~800 ps by our measurement system, theoretical considerations suggest considerably faster modulation could be possible., The typical electronic modulation of terahertz quantum cascade lasers is fundamentally limited at fast timescales by device properties. Here the authors propose and study an alternative, acoustic mechanism for modulating such THz QCLs at high speed.

International audience; Free-space optics constitutes a growing technology offering higher bandwidth with fast and cost-effective deployment compared to fiber technology. Multiple applications are envisioned like private communications. In such a case, the secret message is encoded into a chaotic waveform from which the information is extremely hard for an eavesdropper to extract. For free-space optics applications, the operating wavelength is an important parameter that has to be chosen wisely to reduce the impact of the environmental parameters. In this context, quantum cascade lasers are highly relevant semiconductor lasers because the lasing wavelength can be properly adjusted in the mid-infrared domain, typically at wavelengths for which the atmosphere is highly transparent. The simplest way to generate a chaotic optical carrier from a quantum cascade laser is to feed back part of its emitted light into the device after a certain time delay, beyond which chaos synchronization between the drive and the response lasers occurs. In this paper, we discuss about how quantum cascade laser's chaos can be used to develop private communication lines. We also give realistic perspectives for further developing mid-infrared private communications using chaotic waves.

We cast a theoretical model based on effective semiconductor Maxwell-Bloch equations and study the dynamics of a multi-mode mid-infrared quantum cascade laser in a Fabry-Perot configuration with the aim to investigate the spontaneous generation of optical frequency combs. This model encompasses the key features of a semiconductor active medium, such as asymmetric, frequency-dependent gain and refractive index as well as the phase-amplitude coupling of the field dynamics provided by the linewidth enhancement factor, and some specific resonator features, such as spatial hole burning. Our numerical simulations are in excellent agreement with recent experimental results, showing broad ranges of comb formation in locked regimes, separated by chaotic dynamics when the field modes unlock. In the former case, we identify self-confined structures travelling along the cavity, while the instantaneous frequency is characterized by a linear chirp behaviour. In such regimes, we show that OFCs are characterized by concomitant and relevant amplitude and frequency modulation.

Scattering due to interface-roughness (IR) and longitudinal-optical (LO) phonons are primary transport mechanisms in terahertz quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs). By choosing GaAs/ Al 0 . 10 Ga 0 . 90 As heterostructures with short-barriers, the effect of IR scattering is mitigated, leading to low operating current-densities. A series of resonant-phonon terahertz QCLs developed over time, achieving some of the lowest threshold and peak current-densities among published terahertz QCLs with maximum operating temperatures above 100 K . The best result is obtained for a three-well 3 . 1 THz QCL with threshold and peak current-densities of 134 A / cm 2 and 208 A / cm 2 respectively at 53 K , and a maximum lasing temperature of 135 K . Another three-well QCL designed for broadband bidirectional operation achieved lasing in a combined frequency range of 3.1&ndash, 3.7 THz operating under both positive and negative polarities, with an operating current-density range of 167&ndash, 322 A / cm 2 at 53 K and maximum lasing temperature of 141 K or 121 K depending on the polarity of the applied bias. By showing results from QCLs developed over a period of time, here we show conclusively that short-barrier terahertz QCLs are effective in achieving low current-density operation at the cost of a reduction in peak temperature performance.

Full phase control of terahertz (THz)-emitting quantum cascade laser (QCL) combs has recently been demonstrated, opening new perspectives for even the most demanding applications. In this framework, simplifying the set-ups for control of these devices will help to accelerate their spreading in many fields. This study reports a new way to control the emission frequencies of a THz QCL comb by small optical frequency tuning (SOFT), using a very simple experimental setup, exploiting the incoherent emission of an ordinary white light-emitting diode. The slightly perturbative regime accessible in these conditions allows tweaking the complex refractive index of the semiconductor without destabilizing the broadband laser gain. The SOFT actuator is characterized and compared to another actuator, the QCL driving current. The suitability of this additional degree of freedom for frequency and phase stabilization of a THz QCL comb is shown and perspectives are discussed., Laser & Photonics Reviews, 15 (6), ISSN:1863-8880, ISSN:1863-8899

Nonlinear interactions in many physical systems lead to symmetry breaking phenomena in which an initial spatially homogeneous stationary solution becomes modulated. Modulation instabilities have been widely studied since the 1960s in different branches of nonlinear physics. In optics, they may result in the formation of optical solitons, localized structures that maintain their shape as they propagate, which have been investigated in systems ranging from optical fibres to passive microresonators. Recently, a generalized version of the Lugiato–Lefever equation predicted their existence in ring quantum cascade lasers with an external driving field, a configuration that enables the bistability mechanism at the basis of the formation of optical solitons. Here, we consider this driven emitter and extensively study the structures emerging therein. The most promising regimes for localized structure formation are assessed by means of a linear stability analysis of the homogeneous stationary solution (or continuous-wave solution). In particular, we show the existence of phase solitons – chiral structures excited by phase jumps in the cavity – and cavity solitons. The latter can be deterministically excited by means of writing pulses and manipulated by the application of intensity gradients, making them promising as frequency combs (in the spectral domain) or reconfigurable bit sequences that can encode information inside the ring cavity.

We present interband cascade light-emitting devices with incoherent and broadband light emission peaked at a wavelength of around 3.7 μm. The substrate-side-emitting devices display higher wall plug efficiencies and maximum output powers than any earlier mid-infrared LEDs operating in continuous wave at room temperature. To reduce absorption losses, the epitaxial structures were grown on low doped (low absorbing) GaSb substrates. The nine active stages were positioned in different configurations to investigate the impact of constructive or destructive interference when reflected from the epitaxial-side metallization of the flip-chip mounted devices. A comparison shows improved electrical properties and outcoupling efficiencies when all active stages are centered within a single antinode of the optical field. The optimized voltage efficiency combined with low optical losses lead to a maximum wall plug efficiency of 0.7%. Flip-chip mounted devices with a 640-μm squared mesa reached output powers of up to 5.1 mW at ambient temperatures with driving current (voltage) of 0.6 A (5.1 V). Publisher PDF

Starting from a full set of effective Maxwell-Bloch equations for a ring quantum cascade laser in the limit of fast material dynamics we derive a new set of equations which require a considerably lower numerical load because they evolve on the time scale of the electric field. With the further assumption of laser very close to threshold the equations take the form of the generalised Lugiato-Lefever equation. Using the latter, we study the formation and stability of multi-peaked localised structures which can be regarded as portions of a global pattern and exhibit a snaking structure.

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) represent a most promising compact source at terahertz (THz) frequencies, but efficiency of their continuous wave (CW) operation still needs to be improved to achieve large-scale exploitation. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient operation of a subwavelength microcavity laser consisting of two evanescently coupled whispering gallery microdisk resonators. Exploiting a dual injection scheme for the laser cavity, single mode CW vertical emission at 3.3 THz is obtained at 10 K with 6.4 mA threshold current and 145 mW/A slope efficiency up to 320 μ W emitted power measured in quasi-CW mode. The tuning of the laser emission directionality is also obtained by independently varying the pumping strength between the microdisks. By connecting the resonators through a suspended gold bridge, the laser out-coupling efficiency in the vertical direction is strongly enhanced. Owing to the high brightness, low-power consumption and CW operation, the proposed microcavity laser design could allow the realization of high-performance CW THz QCLs ready for massive parallelization.

In this paper, a comparison study of a quantum cascade laser used for signal transmission by free-space optics is presented. The main goal is to define the capabilities of medium-wavelength infrared lasers operated in pulsed or continuous wave (cw) mode through testing and analyzing a laboratory setup of a data link operated at wavelengths of 4.5 µm (pulsed, peak power 3 W) and 4.8 µm (cw, average power ~20 mW). In this spectral range, the link budget is also defined by radiation attenuation in the atmosphere (absorption, scattering, and turbulence interaction). The performed measurements define unique operational aspects of the quantum cascade lasers considering on–off keying modulation. The registered light pulse changes for different parameters of driving current signals determine some limitations in both rate and data range. Finally, we present eye diagrams of the signals obtained using two data links.

This article is a short study of the application of high-power quantum cascade lasers and photodetectors in medium-infrared optical wireless communications (OWC). The link range is mainly determined by the transmitted beam parameters and the performance of the light sensor. The light power and the photodetector noise directly determine the signal-to-noise power ratio. This ratio could be maximized in the case of minimizing the radiation losses caused by atmospheric attenuation. It can be obtained by applying both radiation sources and sensors operated in the medium infrared range decreasing the effects of absorption, scattering or scintillation, beam spreading, and beam wandering. The development of a new class of laser sources based on quantum cascade structures becomes a prospective alternative. Regarding the literature, there are descriptions of some preliminary research applying these lasers in data transmission. To provide a high data transfer rate, continuous wave (cw) lasers are commonly used. However, they are characterized by low power (a few tens of mWatts) limiting their link range. Also, only a few high-power pulsed lasers (a few hundreds of mWatts) were tested. Due to their limited pulse duty cycle, the obtained modulation bandwidth was lower than 1 MHz. The main goal of this study is to experimentally determine the capabilities of the currently developed state-of-the-art high-power pulsed quantum cascade (QC) lasers and photodetectors in OWC systems. Finally, the data link range using optical pulses of a QC laser of ~2 W, operated at the wavelength of ~4.5 µm, is discussed.

WOS: 000400536000016, In this study we report the VIII ratio effects on growth, structural, optical and doping characteristics of low growth rate (similar to 1 angstrom/s) heteroepitaxial Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) grown In(x)A(1-x)As layers, a part of Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) structures, on InP substrate. Especially photoluminescence (PL) properties of InAlAs-InP interface show strong dependence on AsH3 overpressure. We have shown that the VIII ratio with fixed metalorganic precursor flow is a crucial parameter on In In(x)A(1-x)As layers to have a good material quality in terms of crystallinity, optical and electrical characteristics with and without doping. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved., Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology-SANTEZ program [0573.STZ.2013-2]; TUBITAK PhD Program fellowship [BIDEB-2211], This study was partially supported by Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology-SANTEZ program under grant number 0573.STZ.2013-2. Ilkay Demir acknowledges the support through TUBITAK PhD Program fellowship BIDEB-2211 Grant. The authors thank Ms. A. Alev Kizilbulut from ERMAKSAN Optoelectronics for PL measurements.

We present a single stack active region design for terahertz emission by difference frequency generation in quantum cascade lasers. The active region contains a single design, which is based on multiple optical transitions within one period. This results in both a giant nonlinearity and an ultra-broad optical gain. The provided optical gain spectrum is broad enough to support two distinct mid-infrared modes with a significant spectral separation. For dual-emission, the waveguide contains a buried, index-coupled distributed feedback grating. This grating is based on a sampled approach to provide selective feedback for two mid-infrared modes at λ1=8.39 μ m and $\lambda _{{\text{2 }}}= {\text{9.38}}\, \mu {\text{m}}$ . Simultaneously, the manifold of possible transitions within the active region is designed to provide a peak nonlinear susceptibility of $\vert \chi ^{(2)}{\rm{\vert \, \,= \,\,}} {\text{29 nm}} {\text{V}}^{- 1}$ at the conversion to 3.8 THz. The device emits up to 210- μ W THz power at room temperature with a nonlinear conversion efficiency of $\eta ={\text{ 2.05 mW}} {\text{W}}^{- 2}$ .

We explore saturable absorption and terahertz photoluminescence emission in a set of n-doped Ge/SiGe asymmetric coupled quantum wells, designed as three-level systems (i.e., quantum fountain emitter). We generate a non-equilibrium population by optical pumping at the 1→3 transition energy using picosecond pulses from a free-electron laser and characterize this effect by measuring absorption as a function of the pump intensity. In the emission experiment we observe weak emission peaks in the 14–25 meV range (3–6 THz) corresponding to the two intermediate intersubband transition energies. The results represent a step towards silicon-based integrated terahertz emitters.

International audience; Abstract:We report the measurement of the frequency noise power spectral density (PSD) of a THz molecular laser (ML) pumped by a mid-infrared (MIR) quantum cascade laser (QCL). This is obtained by beating the ML frequency with the harmonic of the repetition rate of a 1560nm frequency comb (FC). We find a frequency noise PSD

International audience; We have developed a compact pulsed-field THz magneto-spectrometer based on a THz molecular laser and heterodyne detection both at room-temperature. The recently developed continuous-wave THz laser uses mid-IR-pumped ammonia as active medium. The receiver is based on a subharmonic mixer pumped by a multiplication chain. A pulsed magnetic field up to 9 T is supplied by discharging a capacitor in a small coil at room-temperature. We demonstrate here the use of this spectrometer by measuring the effective mass of electrons in an InAs/AlGaSb heterostructure at room-temperature.

International audience; External cavity diode lasers (ECDLs) are a standard way of building single-mode and narrow-linewidth sources [1], while keeping the intrinsic benefits of semiconductor lasers like compactness, low-cost and high-modulation capability. Traditional ECDLs design uses a bulk diffraction grating in Littrow or Littman/Metcalf configurations. In this paper, we report on the use of recently demonstrated MIR Cavity Resonator Integrated Grating Filters (MIR-CRIGFs) [2] to implement an alternative configuration using a compact and stable cat's-eye configuration.

The combination of broadly tunable quantum cascade laser chips in an external cavity (EC-QCL) with a micro- electro-mechanical system (MEMS) scanner with integrated diffraction grating as wavelength-selective element allows for the development of extremely compact and robust spectroscopy systems. Resonant MOEMS grating scanners enable spectral tuning rates of hundreds of wavenumbers per millisecond and consequently broad-band spectroscopy with millisecond temporal resolution. Also non-resonant (quasistatic) MOEMS grating scanners are possible, providing scan rates of tens of Hz as well as static setting of arbitrary wavelengths, as common for mechanically driven EC lasers, while keeping the small MOEMS footprint, ruggedness, and low power consumption. Here, we give a progress report on the latest developments on MOEMS-based EC-QCLs made by Fraunhofer IAF and IPMS. We will highlight two of our latest developments: A non-resonant MOEMS EC-QCL version that allows arbitrary scan frequencies up to few ten Hertz, as well as static operation. Furthermore, we present the application of a resonantly driven cw-MOEMS-EC-QCL with cavity-length control to enable fast high-resolution spectroscopy over a spectral range of >100 cm-1, offering new possibilities for spectroscopy on complex gas mixtures., M. Haertelt, S. Hugger, L. Butschek, C. Schilling, A. Merten, M. Schwarzenberg, A. Dreyhaupt, J. Grahmann, M. Rattunde, R. Ostendorf, "Advances of MOEMS-based external cavity QCLs," Proc. SPIE 10926, Quantum Sensing and Nano Electronics and Photonics XVI, 1092613 (11 February 2019) copyright 2019 Society of PhotoOptical Instrumentation Engineers. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, dupplication of any material in this paper for fee or commercial puposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.

We investigate molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth conditions of micrometers-thick In0.52Al0.48As designed for waveguide of InGaAs/InAlAs/InP quantum cascade lasers. The effects of growth temperature and V/III ratio on the surface morphology and defect structure were studied. The growth conditions which were developed for the growth of cascaded In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As active region, e.g., growth temperature of Tg = 520 &deg, C and V/III ratio of 12, turned out to be not optimum for the growth of thick In0.52Al0.48As waveguide layers. It has been observed that, after exceeding ~1 &micro, m thickness, the quality of In0.52Al0.48As layers deteriorates. The in-situ optical reflectometry showed increasing surface roughness caused by defect forming, which was further confirmed by high resolution X-ray reciprocal space mapping, optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The presented optimization of growth conditions of In0.52Al0.48As waveguide layer led to the growth of defect free material, with good optical quality. This has been achieved by decreasing the growth temperature to Tg = 480 &deg, C with appropriate increasing V/III ratio. At the same time, the growth conditions of the cascade active region of the laser were left unchanged. The lasers grown using new recipes have shown lower threshold currents and improved slope efficiency. We relate this performance improvement to reduction of the electron scattering on the interface roughness and decreased waveguide absorption losses.

A fast and reliable photoacoustic (PA) sensor for trace gas detection is reported. The sensor is based on a 3D-printed resonant cell in combination with a continuous wave mode-hop-free external cavity quantum cascade laser to rapidly acquire gas absorption data in the midinfrared range. The cell is designed so as to minimize the window PA background at a selected acoustic resonance. The goal is a resonant PA cell capable of detecting the traces of gases using wavelength modulation of the laser source and second harmonic detection. The versatility and enhancement of the limit of detection at sub-ppm levels are investigated by monitoring specific lines of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The noise-equivalent absorption normalized to laser-beam power and detection bandwidth is 1.07×10-8 W cm-1 Hz-1/2 for H2S targeting the absorption line at 1247.2 cm−1. These properties make the sensor suitable for various practical sensors for water quality applications.

SPIE OPTO, 2019, San Francisco, California, United States; International audience; Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are optical sources exploiting radiative intersubband transitions within theconduction band of semiconductor heterostructures. The opportunity given by the broad span of wavelengthsthat QCLs can achieve, from mid-infrared to terahertz, leads to a wide number of applications such as absorptionspectroscopy, optical countermeasures and free-space communications requiring stable single-mode operationwith a narrow linewidth and high output power. One of the parameters of paramount importance for studyingthe high-speed and nonlinear dynamical properties of QCLs is the linewidth enhancement factor (LEF). TheLEF quanties the coupling between the gain and the refractive index of the QCL or, in a similar manner, thecoupling between the phase and the amplitude of the electrical field. Prior work focused on experimental studiesof the LEF for pump currents above threshold but without exceeding 12% of the threshold current at 283Kand 56% of the threshold current at 82K. In this work, we use the Hakki-Paoli method6 to retrieve the LEF forcurrent biases below threshold. We complement our ndings using the self-mixing interferometry technique toobtain LEFs for current biases up to more than 100% of the threshold current. These insets are meaningful tounderstand the behavior of QCLs, which exhibit a strongly temperature sensitive chaotic bubble when subjectto external optical feedback.

International audience; The mid-infrared molecular fingerprint region has gained great interest in the last decade thanks to development of on-chip semiconductor lasers and mid-IR optical fibers. For integrated-optic devices and optical sensors based on interferometric techniques, versatile and easy handling devices can be required. In this context, low-loss single-mode chalcogenide microstructured optical fibers (MOF) which presents an antireflection coating have been elaborated in order to be connected to a Distributed Feedback Quantum Quantum Cascade Laser (DFB-QCL). In addition, another original design of a chalcogenide MOF has been also realized in order to obtained high birefringence properties that can permit to maintain the polarization of the QCL at the output of the fiber. Finally, the fiber properties have been evaluated using a DFB-QCL emitting at 7.4 µm and the polarization maintaining of the chalcogenide fiber has been demonstrated[2]. The combination between a DFB-QCL with such non-conventional fibers has led to the development of single-mode fibered Mid IR lasers.

The vast majority of gaseous chemical substances exhibit fundamental rovibrational absorption bands in the mid-infrared spectral region (2.5–25 μm), and the absorption of light by these fundamental bands provides a nearly universal means for their detection. A main feature of optical techniques is the non-intrusive in situ detection of trace gases. We reviewed primarily mid-infrared tunable laser-based broadband absorption spectroscopy for trace gas detection, focusing on 2008–2018. The scope of this paper is to discuss recent developments of system configuration, tunable lasers, detectors, broadband spectroscopic techniques, and their applications for sensitive, selective, and quantitative trace gas detection.

The development of rapid and accurate biomedical laser spectroscopy systems in the mid-infrared has been enabled by the commercial availability of external-cavity quantum cascade lasers (EC-QCLs). EC-QCLs are a preferable alternative to benchtop instruments such as Fourier transform infrared spectrometers for sensor development as they are small and have high spectral power density. They also allow for the investigation of multiple analytes due to their broad tuneability and through the use of multivariate analysis. This article presents an in vitro investigation with two fiber-coupled measurement setups based on attenuated total reflection spectroscopy and direct transmission spectroscopy for sensing. A pulsed EC-QCL (1200&ndash, 900 cm &minus, 1 ) was used for measurements of glucose and albumin in aqueous solutions, with lactate and urea as interferents. This analyte composition was chosen as an example of a complex aqueous solution with relevance for biomedical sensors. Glucose concentrations were determined in both setup types with root-mean-square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) of less than 20 mg/dL using partial least-squares (PLS) regression. These results demonstrate accurate analyte measurements, and are promising for further development of fiber-coupled, miniaturised in vivo sensors based on mid-infrared spectroscopy.

Thanks to their compactness and low-power consumption, Interband Cascade Lasers (ICLs) are emerging sources for mid-infrared (MIR) molecular sensing below 6 mu m. Understanding their noise features is of fundamental importance for applications like high-sensitivity and high-resolution spectroscopy. It could unveil details of their intrinsic physical behavior and, similarly to what happened for Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs), lead to the development of frequency and phase stabilization techniques for linewidth reduction. In this manuscript, we discuss the importance of full frequency noise characterization for ICLs, pointing out the main similarities and differences with respect to QCLs, and we show preliminary noise measurements. The frequency noise spectrum is analyzed and discussed, and the laser linewidth over different timescales calculated.

We observe the first evidence of self-mixing in THz frequency quantum cascade random lasers fabricated in both wire and irregularly squared resonator architectures with surface photonic patterns. By reflecting the emitted light back into the laser cavity and changing the external cavity length, we observe the interference fringes within the laser cavity, thereby proving evidence of self-mixing. This paves the way to detectorless speckle-free imaging applications in the far-infrared.

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are becoming a key tool for plenty of applications, from the mid-infrared (mid-IR) to the THz range. Progress in related areas, such as the development of ultra-low-loss crystalline microresonators, optical frequency standards, and optical fiber networks for time and frequency dissemination, is paving the way for unprecedented applications in many fields. For most demanding applications, a thorough control of QCLs emission must be achieved. In the last few years, QCLs’ unique spectral features have been unveiled, while multifrequency QCLs have been demonstrated. Ultra-narrow frequency linewidths are necessary for metrological applications, ranging from cold molecules interaction and ultra-high sensitivity spectroscopy to infrared/THz metrology. A review of the present status of research in this field is presented, with a view of perspectives and future applications.

Random lasers are a class of devices in which feedback arises from multiple elastic scattering in a highly disordered structure, providing an almost ideal light source for artefact-free imaging due to achievable low spatial coherence. However, for many applications ranging from sensing and spectroscopy to speckle-free imaging, it is essential to have high-radiance sources operating in continuous-wave (CW). In this paper, we demonstrate CW operation of a random laser using an electrically pumped quantum-cascade laser gain medium in which a bi-dimensional (2D) random distribution of air holes is patterned into the top metal waveguide. We obtain a highly collimated vertical emission at ~3 THz, with a 430 GHz bandwidth, device operation up to 110 K, peak (pulsed) power of 21 mW, and CW emission of 1.7 mW. Furthermore, we show that an external cavity formed with a movable mirror can be used to tune a random laser, obtaining continuous frequency tuning over 11 GHz., Medical lasers: Fine-tuned continuous wave random lasers in the terahertz region A compact, tunable laser that operates at terahertz-frequencies could prove valuable in medical and diagnostic applications such as monitoring blood flow during surgery or for imaging reconstructions. Unlike X-rays, terahertz radiation does not damage living tissues, and therefore shows promise for high-resolution spectroscopy. Miriam Vitiello at the CNR-Nanoscience Institute, Italy, and co-workers designed a compact, terahertz-frequency random laser capable of pulsed and continuous-wave operation. Random lasers do not require specially-designed architectures like conventional lasers to amplify light; instead they use scattering from a highly-disordered gain medium alone, resulting in low spatial coherence and, potentially, improved quality imaging. Vitiello’s team incorporated a double-metal resonator randomly patterned with air holes in their design, allowing control over interference patterns and pulsing. Placing a movable mirror above the resonator’s top layer allowed fine spectral tuning of the laser output.

Recent advances in laser spectroscopy have allowed for real-time measurements of the 13C/12C isotopic ratio in CO2, thereby providing new ways to investigate carbon cycling in natural ecosystems. In this study, we combined an Aerodyne quantum cascade laser spectrometer for CO2 isotopes with a LI-COR LI-8100A/8150 automated chamber system to measure the &delta, 13C of CO2 during automated closed-chamber measurements. The isotopic composition of the CO2 flux was determined for each chamber measurement by applying the Keeling plot method. We found that the &delta, 13C measured by the laser spectrometer was influenced by water vapour and CO2 concentration of the sample air and we developed a method to correct for these effects to yield accurate measurements of &delta, 13C. Overall, correcting for the CO2 concentration increased the &delta, 13C determined from the Keeling plots by 3.4&permil, compared to 2.1&permil, for the water vapour correction. We used the combined system to measure &delta, 13C of the CO2 fluxes automatically every two hours from intact soil, trenched soil, tree stems and coarse roots during a two-month campaign in a Danish beech forest. The mean &delta, 13C was &minus, 29.8 &plusmn, 0.32&permil, for the intact soil plots, which was similar to the mean &delta, 13C of &minus, 1.2&permil, for the trenched soil plots. The lowest &delta, 13C was found for the root plots with a mean of &minus, 32.6 &plusmn, 0.78&permil, The mean &delta, 13C of the stems was &minus, 30.2 &plusmn, 0.74&permil, similar to the mean &delta, 13C of the soil plots. In conclusion, the study showed the potential of using a quantum cascade laser spectrometer to measure &delta, 13C of CO2 during automated closed-chamber measurements, thereby allowing for measurements of isotopic ecosystem CO2 fluxes at a high temporal resolution. It also highlighted the importance of proper correction for cross-sensitivity with water vapour and CO2 concentration of the sample air to get accurate measurements of &delta, 13C.