Quantum Cascade Laser Frequency Combs

Nanophotonics

article

Jérôme Faist¹  Gustavo Villares¹  Giacomo Scalari¹  Markus Rösch¹  Christopher Bonzon¹  Andreas Hugi²  Mattias Beck¹ 

[1] Institute for Quantum Electronics;IRsweep GmbH

关键词: spectroscopy;    mid-infrared;    dual-comb;    multiheterodyne;   

DOI  :  10.1515/nanoph-2016-0015

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: De Gruyter

【 摘 要 】

It was recently demonstrated that broadband quantum cascade lasers can operate as frequency combs. As such, they operate under direct electrical pumping at both mid-infrared and THz frequencies, making them very attractive for dual-comb spectroscopy. Performance levels are continuously improving, with average powers over 100mW and frequency coverage of 100 cm -1 in the mid-infrared region. In the THz range, 10mW of average power and 600 GHz of frequency coverage are reported. As a result of the very short upper state lifetime of the gain medium, the mode proliferation in these sources arises from four-wave mixing rather than saturable absorption. As a result, their optical output is characterized by the tendency of small intensity modulation of the output power, and the relative phases of the modes to be similar to the ones of a frequency modulated laser. Recent results include the proof of comb operation down to a metrological level, the observation of a Schawlow-Townes broadened linewidth, as well as the first dual-comb spectroscopy measurements. The capability of the structure to integrate monothically nonlinear optical elements as well as to operate as a detector shows great promise for future chip integration of dual-comb systems.

【 授权许可】

CC BY