External cavity terahertz quantum cascade laser sources based on intra-cavity frequency mixing with 1.2-5.9 THz tuning range

We discuss the design and operation of widely-tunable terahertz sources based on Cherenkov intra-cavity difference-frequency generation in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers. Laser chips are integrated into a Littrow-type external cavity system. Devices demonstrate continuous terahertz emission tun...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of optics (2010) Vol. 16; no. 9; pp. 94002 - 94010
Main Authors Jiang, Yifan, Vijayraghavan, Karun, Jung, Seungyong, Demmerle, Frederic, Boehm, Gerhard, Amann, Markus C, Belkin, Mikhail A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published IOP Publishing 01.09.2014
Subjects
broadly tunable
DFG THz
external cavity
QCL
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Summary:We discuss the design and operation of widely-tunable terahertz sources based on Cherenkov intra-cavity difference-frequency generation in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers. Laser chips are integrated into a Littrow-type external cavity system. Devices demonstrate continuous terahertz emission tuning at room temperature with a record tuning range from 1.2 THz to 5.9 THz and peak power output varying between 5 and 90 W, depending on the operating frequency. Beam steering of terahertz Cherenkov emission with frequency is suppressed and mid-infrared-to-terahertz conversion efficiency is improved by bonding devices onto high-resistivity silicon substrates that have virtually no refractive index dispersion and vanishingly-small optical loss in 1-6 THz range.
ISSN:2040-8978
2040-8986
DOI:10.1088/2040-8978/16/9/094002