Mid-infrared W quantum-well lasers for noncryogenic continuous-wave operation

We review the recent progress of electrically injected and optically pumped mid-IR lasers based on antimonide quantum wells with the type II W configu ration. W quantum-well diodes have achieved cw operation up to 195 K at lam bda = 3.25 mum. Optically pumped devices that employ the diamond pressure b ond heat sink have reached 290 K at 3 mum and 210 K at 6 mum. Pulsed power conversion efficiencies of up to 7% at 220 K have been attained by use of a n optical pumping injection cavity approach, in which an etalon cavity for the pump beam significantly enhances its absorptance. The angled-grating di stributed-feedback configuration has been used to obtain near-diffraction-l imited output for an optical pumping stripe width of 50 mum (C) 2001 Optica l Society of America OCIS codes: 140.2020, 140.3070, 140.3300, 140.3490, 14 0.5960.