Single-mode surface-emitting distributed feedback quantum-cascade lasers based on hybrid waveguide structure

Surface-emitting distributed feedback quantum-cascade lasers operating at λ≈7.8 μm are demonstrated. The metal-covered second-order grating is shallow-etched into the surface of a thin InGaAs contact and cladding layer. This forms a hybrid waveguide and used to achieve relatively low waveguide losses and high coupling strengths. The devices exhibit stable single-mode operation from 90 to 130 K with a side mode suppression ratio above 20 dB. A slope efficiency of 194 mW/A is obtained at 90 K, which is twice higher than that of the Fabry-Perot counterpart.     

Surface Emitting Distributed Feedback Quantum Cascade Laser around 8.3 μm

We demonstrate surface emitting distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers emitting at wavelengths from 8.1 μm at 90 K to 8.4 μm at 210 K. The second？order metalized grating is carefully designed using a modified coupled-mode theory and fabricated by contact lithography. The devices show single mode behavior with a side mode suppression ratio above 18 dB at all working temperatures. At 90 K, the device emits an optical power of 101 mW from the surface and 199 mW from the edge. In addition, a double-lobe far-field pattern with a separation of 2.2° is obtained in the direction along the waveguide.     

Design of surface emitting distributed feedback quantum cascade laser with single-lobe far-field pattern and high outcoupling efficiency

A 7.8-$\mu $m surface emitting second-order distributed feedback quantum cascade laser (DFB QCL) structure with metallized surface grating is studied. The modal property of this structure is described by utilizing coupled-mode theory where the coupling coefficients are derived from exact Floquet--Bloch solutions of infinite periodic structure. Based on this theory, the influence of waveguide structure and grating topography as well as device length on the laser performance is numerically investigated. The optimized surface emitting second-order DFB QCL structure design exhibits a high surface outcoupling efficiency of 22{\%} and a low threshold gain of 10~cm$^{ - 1}$. Using a {$\pi $} phase-shift in the centre of the grating, a high-quality single-lobe far-field radiation pattern is obtained.