Comptes Rendus
no. 6
Quantum Cascade Lasers: the quantum technology for semiconductor lasers in the mid-far-infrared
[Lasers à cascade quantique : la technologie quantique des lasers à semiconducteurs dans le moyen et lointain infrarouge]

Présenté par : Guy Laval

Carlo Sirtori1, 2  ; Julien Nagle2
1 Matériaux et phénomènes quantique, Université Denis Diderot, Paris 7, 75251 Paris cedex 05, France
2 THALES research & technology, 91404 Orsay, France
Comptes Rendus. Physique, Volume 4 (2003) no. 6, pp. 639-648.

Le laser à cascade quantique est une nouvelle source de lumière cohérente exploitant l'effet tunnel résonant et les transitions optiques entre états quantifiés de la bande de conduction. Dans ces dispositifs semiconducteurs, les principes de fonctionnement sont basés sur l'ingénierie quantique des niveaux d'énergie électroniques et sur la mise en forme de leurs fonctions d'onde. Les performances de ces composants ont rapidement progressé ces dernières années et cette technologie représente désormais une solution de choix pour la fabrication de lasers dans le moyen et lointain infrarouge pour un très large domaine spectral (3–80 μm). Aujourd'hui, les lasers à cascade quantique peuvent fonctionner à température ambiante et peuvent fournir 200–300 mW de puissance moyenne (à 9 μm) avec un simple étage de refroidissement Peltier.

The quantum cascade laser is a new light source based on resonant tunnelling and optical transitions between quantised conduction band states. In these semiconductor devices the principles of operation arise from the quantum engineering of electronic energy levels and tailoring of their wavefunctions. In recent years the performance of these devices has improved markedly and this semiconductor technology is now an attractive choice for the fabrication of mid-far infrared lasers in a very wide spectral range (3–80 μm). At present, quantum cascade lasers are capable of continuous-wave room temperature operation and can deliver 200–300 mW of average power (at λ∼9 μm) operating on a Peltier cooler.

Reçu le :
Accepté le :
Publié le :
DOI : 10.1016/S1631-0705(03)00110-5
Keywords: Semiconductor laser, Quantum cascade laser, Mid-infrared, Far-infrared, Quantum engineering, Resonant tunneling, Relaxation time
Mot clés : Laser semiconducteur, Laser à cascade quantique, Infrarouge moyen, Infrarouge lointain, Ingénierie quantique, Effet tunnel résonant, Temps de relaxation
Carlo Sirtori 1, 2 ; Julien Nagle 2

1 Matériaux et phénomènes quantique, Université Denis Diderot, Paris 7, 75251 Paris cedex 05, France
2 THALES research & technology, 91404 Orsay, France 
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Carlo Sirtori; Julien Nagle. Quantum Cascade Lasers: the quantum technology for semiconductor lasers in the mid-far-infrared. Comptes Rendus. Physique, Volume 4 (2003) no. 6, pp. 639-648. doi : 10.1016/S1631-0705(03)00110-5. https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/physique/articles/10.1016/S1631-0705(03)00110-5/

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