High-Performance Bound-to-Continuum Quantum Cascade Lasers at Lambda Similar to 8 Mu M

In this paper, we report a high performance long wave infrared quantum cascade laser based on the bound-to-continuum active region design. The laser presented here exhibits a full-width at half-maximum of electroluminescence spectra as large as 44 meV, which is well suited for applications of a long wave infrared laser that requires wide tuning range. For a 5 mm-long and 8 mu m-wide buried heterostructure laser, continuous wave output power of 401 mW at 283 K and 108 mW at 323 K have been achieved with the threshold current densities of 2.03 and 2.85 kA/cm(2), and the lasing wavelength is similar to 8 mu m.