Transistor-Injected Quantum-Cascade Laser (TI-QCL)

TI-QCL Energy Band Diagram.

Mid-wave infrared (MWIR) emissions are useful for a variety of applications ranging from communication to remote chemical sensing. The ability to produce efficient, modulatable, and coherent MWIR sources can help propel current technologies in these fields and enable new innovations. While standard quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are one common solution for MWIR lasers, the transistor-injected quantum cascade laser (TI-QCL) presents a novel approach with several key advantages over conventional QCL devices. The added capability of the TI-QCL to separably control output power and emission wavelength enable or enhance more applications, such as spectroscopic measurements. Previous designs of the TI-QCL have demonstrated proper transistor function but have failed to produce coherent MWIR light. Recent focus has been put on improving both device design and processing control in pursuit of a fully functional and efficient device.

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