Abstract

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) operating at terahertz frequencies (1 – 10 THz) become a powerful radiation source with potential applications in medicine, environmental monitoring, security applications and communication. The development of QCLs is strongly focused on the optimization of unipolar carrier transport with prospect of high temperature operation (i.e. above cryogenic temperatures). Therefore, different modifications of QCL active region heterostructures are investigated in great details, but little effort is put on the system development, which is the key for field applications.

© 2013 IEEE