Abstract

Mid-infrared semiconductor light sources emitting around 2–3 μm wavelength are instrumental for an increasing number of applications, such as molecular spectroscopy, trace-gas sensing, medical diagnostics and eye-safe LIDAR. For example, the monitoring of greenhouse gases (C₂H₂, CO₂, CO and N₂O) can be done with higher sensitivity using their molecular fingerprints in this wavelength range [1]. On the other hand, for a wider penetration to applications other important aspects, such as cost, power efficiency, portability and reproducibility are the key enablers. To this end, mid-IR silicon-photonics technology has emerged as a developed platform, yet so far relaying on the use of extended-cavity tunable laser concepts [2]. Alternatively, we have proposed the use of high power, spectrally broadband ridge waveguide (RWG) GaSb-based superluminescent diodes (SLDs) exhibiting single-transverse mode for efficient coupling to silicon photonics waveguide and enabling the development of spectral-programmable broadband light sources [3].

© 2019 IEEE