Simulation of an erbium-doped chalcogenide micro-disk mid-infrared laser source

The feasibility of mid-infrared (MIR) lasing in erbium-doped gallium lanthanum sulfide (GLS) micro-disks was examined. Lasing condition at 4.5 mu m signal using 800 nm pump source was simulated using rate equations, mode propagation and transfer matrix formulation. Cavity quality (Q) factors of 1.48 x 10(4) and 1.53 x 10(6) were assumed at the pump and signal wavelengths, respectively, based on state-of-the-art chalcogenide micro-disk resonator parameters. With an 80 mu m disk diameter and an active erbium concentration of 2.8 x 10(20) cm(-3), lasing was shown to be possible with a maximum slope efficiency of 1.26 x 10(-4) and associated pump threshold of 0.5 mW. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America