MEMS-based tunable terahertz wire-laser over 330 GHz
Author(s)
Qin, Qi; Reno, John L.; Hu, Qing
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We demonstrate continuous tuning of a terahertz quantum cascade wire laser over a broad range of ~ 330 GHz ( ~ 8.6% of the 3.85 THz center frequency) with single-mode operation. Tuning is achieved with a narrow laser ridge ( ~ λ[subscript o]/8 ) and a moveable MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) side object (plunger) to manipulate the transverse optical mode. The frictionless MEMS plunger enables continuous and reversible tuning. We demonstrate ~ 30 GHz redshift tuning using a silicon plunger and ~ 300 GHz blueshift tuning using a metal plunger. The blueshift tuning range is limited by the bandwidth of the gain medium rather than the tuning mechanism.
Date issued
2011-02Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Research Laboratory of ElectronicsJournal
Optics Letters
Publisher
Optical Society of America
Citation
Qin, Qi, John L. Reno, and Qing Hu. “MEMS-Based Tunable Terahertz Wire-Laser over 330 GHz.” Optics Letters 36, no. 5 (March 1, 2011): 692. © 2011 Optical Society of America
Version: Final published version
ISSN
0146-9592
1539-4794