Regensburg 2010 – scientific programme
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HL: Fachverband Halbleiterphysik
HL 60: Poster II: Optical Properties, incl. Photonic Crystals and Ultrafast Phenomena
HL 60.7: Poster
Thursday, March 25, 2010, 18:00–20:00, Poster D1
Gain photonic crystal resonators for THz quantum-cascade lasers — •Alexander Benz1, Christoph Deutsch1, Gernot Fasching1, Karl Unterrainer1, Aaron M. Andrews2, Pavel Klang2, Werner Schrenk2, and Gottfried Strasser2 — 1Photonics Institute and Center for Micro- and Nanostructures, Vienna University of Technology, Gusshausstrasse 29/387, A-1040 Vienna, Austria — 2Institute of Solid-State Electronics and Center for Micro- and Nanostructures, Vienna University of Technology, Floragasse 7/362, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
The terahertz (THz) spectral region is very attractive for applications such as real-time imaging, heterodyne detection or spectroscopy. The preferred, monolithic sources are quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs). Due to inhomogeneous gain broadening a multi-mode emission is typically observed. Photonic crystals (PhCs) are excellent systems for laser resonators, as the full dispersion relation can be designed.
Here, we present the design are realization of microcavity lasers based on active PhCs. The PhC consists of an array of isolated, sub-wavelength pillars and is fabricated directly from the active region of the THz-QCLs [1, 2]. Thereby, we are able to realize a spatially distributed gain, a central gain region is not required. This resonator concept offers a stable single-mode emission, independently of the driving conditions, and a lithographic tuning range of 15 % of the center lasing frequency.
[1] H. Zhang et al., Opt. Express 15, 16818 (2007)
[2] A. Benz et al., Opt. Express 17, 941 (2009)