High power Sb-free quantum cascade laser emitting at 3.3 μm above 350 K

The design and implementation of a short wavelength strain-compensated quantum cascade laser based on In(0.72)Ga(0.28)As/In(0.52)Al(0.48)As-AlAs on InP is presented. We demonstrate watt-level room temperature emission at 3.3 mu m. Lasers operate in pulsed mode above 350 K. Threshold current densities of 3.6 kA/cm(2) and slope efficiencies of more than 600 mW/A are observed at room temperature. The laser performance is comparable with Sb-containing quantum cascade lasers. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3589355]