High Power and high efficiency mid-infrared type-II quantum well and interband cascade lasers

High power and high quantum efficiency operation of both diode-pumped and interband cascade lasers based on InAs/Ga(In)Sb type-II quantum well with a broken gap band alignment have been demonstrated. The interband cascade laser yielded 0.5 W peak and 16 mW average output per facet under 1- and 5-mu s long pulses at 80K, while the optically pumped 4-mu m devices yielded 0.9-1.6 W peak and 90-150 mW average output per facet for 0.1- to 1-ms long pulses at 71K. These output powers are among the highest long-pulse results reported from any semiconductor laser at these wavelengths.