Angular emission characteristics of quantum cascade spiral microlasers

We perform ray and wave simulations of passive and active spiral-shaped optical microcavities, comparing our results to experimental data obtained with mid-infrared quantum cascade spiral microlasers. Focusing on the angular emission characteristics, we find that both ray and wave simulations are consistent with the experimental data, showing richly-featured, multidirectional far-field emission patterns in the case of uniform pumping and TM-polarized light. Active cavity simulations using the Schrodinger-Bloch model indicate that selective pumping of the quantum cascade spiral microlasers near the resonator boundary will yield unidirectional laser emission. (c) 2009 Optical Society of America