Long-wave infrared frequency combs based on quantum cascade lasers

Abstract

Ever since the invention of quantum cascade laser (QCL), the performance and the flexibility in design has made it a desirable source for a wide range of applications, such as trace-chemical sensing, health monitoring, frequency metrology, noninvasive imgaing and infrared countermeasures. The LWIR region (or mid-infrared region), roughly ranging from 2-20 [mu]m, is of particular importance to spectroscopy applications, since many molecular species have their strongest rotational-vibrational absorption bands in that area. Infrared laser spectroscopy began about 40 years ago and has been using a variety of different tunable laser-based sources, particularly lead salt diodes, color center lasers, difference frequency generation and optical parametric oscillators. The large tunabilitiy in the design (lasing frequency, tunability, power, material system, etc.) and the compactness in fabrication and packaging has made QCL an ideal source for laser-based spectroscopy. Traditional spectroscopy systems suffer from problems like large physical dimensions, long data-processing times and spectral resolution restrictions. Therefore the development of a simple, robust, compact and inexpensive optical source/system like QCL frequency combs can largely benefit spectroscopy systems. In the past few years, QCLs have proven to be able to form comb radiation in both LWIR and THz regions. And dual comb spectroscopy has been demonstrated using QCL frequency combs with very short acquisition time ([mu]s). The development of a broadband, high power, narrow linewidth and stable LWIR frequency comb based on quantum cascade laser is the key to realizing such broadband ultrafast spectrometer in the mid-infrared range. This thesis explores the design, fabrication and characterization techniques towards the development of LWIR QCL frequency comb devices for spectroscopic purposes. A complete wet etch epi-up fabrication process is reported, with preliminary results on the dry-etch technique to incorporate dispersion compensation strucutre and epi-down fabricaiton for high power CW mode QCL device. Formation of comb(-like) regime has been observed in two devices, with the Gires-Tournois Interferometer (GTI) mirror providing dispersion from the rear facet. In order to improve the comb performance of these devices, dispersion of the device is measured to provide essential information for the design of chirped top cladding for dispersion compensation. This thesis provides an important step towards the realization of a room temperature, broadband, CW mode LWIR QCL frequency comb device for spectroscopic purposes.