Interband Cascade (IC) and Type-II Superlattice (SL) Diode Lasers for Chemical Sensing Applications

Task Leaders: Han Q. Le at HQLe@UH.edu and Chih-Hsiang Thompson Lin CHLin@UH.edu

For trace gas detection and chemical sensing applications, which may have less demand on the brightness of IR sources, the electrically pumped diode lasers offer the advantages of light weight, small volume, and rougness and are ideal for low cost portable chemical sensing systems. In addition to the more conventional type-II SL lasers, a novel interband cascade laser (IC) laser, which combines the advantages of the type-II QWs with the type-I Quantum Cascade Lasers, was also proposal (U. S. Patent 5,281,542). In collaboration with Sandia National Laboratory, we demonstrated the world first IC laser (UH Press Release, February 21,1997 at http://www.uh.edu/admin/media/). High output power (~0.5 W) and high quantum efficiencies (> 300%, or emitting more than three photons per injected electron) at the atmosphere transmission window of 3-5 mm has already been achieved. A two-color mid-IR laser has already been demonstrated for chemical sensing with the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique. High power light emitting diodes (LEDs) operating at wavelengths up to 15 microns were also realized.


Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center
Web page created by Heidi Nussmeyer at hnussmey@bayou.uh.edu

Last modified: May 17, 1999