InAs-based interband cascade lasers at 4.0 μm operating at room temperature

InAs-based interband cascade lasers (ICLs) with InAs plasmon waveguides or InAs/AlSb superlattice (SL) waveguides were demonstrated at emission wavelengths below 4.1 μm. The threshold current densities of the lasers with SL waveguides were 37 A/cm² at 77 K in continuous wave mode. The operation temperature of these lasers reached room temperature in pulsed mode. Compared with the thick InAs n⁺⁺ plasmon cladding layer, the InAs/AlSb superlattice cladding layers have greater advantages for ICLs with wavelengths less than 4 μm even in InAs based ICLs because in the short-wavelength region they have a higher confinement factor than InAs plasmon waveguides. (paper)