Recent advances in lead-chalcogenide diode lasers

The fundamental material properties of Pb_1−xSn_xTe, PbS_1−xSe_x and Pb_1−xSn_xSe are reviewed. Expressions for the temperature and compositional dependences of the band parameters and dielectric constants based on recently published data are presented. As far as device technology is concerned, crystal growth techniques and diode fabrication procedures which are in use today are reviewed and compared. A comprehensive summary of laser properties like threshold current density, output power, efficiency, maximum operating temperature and tuning range of different diode structures are presented. Application related aspects such as long term stability are treated. Recent progress in laser theory is applied to explain experimentali _th vs.T curves. The various laser applications are reviewed briefly. A new technique for monitoring gas concentrations using pulsed lasers and an integral method for signal processing is discussed and compared with the differential absorption, derivative spectroscopy. A long-path trace-gas monitoring system incorporating this new technique is presented.