Abstract

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs)[1] are widely used sources of coherent radiation based on intersubband (ISB) transitions in quantum wells (QWs) with particularly good performance in the mid-IR spectral region. Due to their operation mechanism, QCLs would benefit from improved confinement in the upper lasing state by the introduction of 3D-confined quantum dots (QDs)[2] or quantum dashes (QDashes), which would also allow for transverse-electric polarized light unachievable in QW-based QCLs due to ISB selection rules. We demonstrate for the first time transverse-electric (TE) electroluminescence (EL) from an in-plane-confined state of InAs/AlInAs QDashes grown in a QC structure[3].

© 2013 IEEE