Focusing metasurface quantum-cascade laser with a near diffraction-limited beam

Xu, Luyao; Chen, Daguan; Itoh, Tatsuo; Reno, John L.; Williams, Benjamin S.

doi:10.1364/oe.24.024117

Title: Focusing metasurface quantum-cascade laser with a near diffraction-limited beam

Journal Article · Mon Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Optics Express

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.24.024117· OSTI ID:1340512

Xu, Luyao ^[1]; Chen, Daguan ^[1]; Itoh, Tatsuo ^[1]; Reno, John L. ^[2]; Williams, Benjamin S. ^[1]

Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

A terahertz vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-laser (VECSEL) is demonstrated using an active focusing reflectarray metasurface based on quantum-cascade gain material. The focusing effect enables a hemispherical cavity with flat optics, which exhibits higher geometric stability than a plano-plano cavity and a directive and circular near-diffraction limited Gaussian beam with M² beam parameter as low as 1.3 and brightness of 1.86 × 10⁶ Wsr^–1m^–2. As a result, this work initiates the potential of leveraging inhomogeneous metasurface and reflectarray designs to achieve high-power and high-brightness terahertz quantum-cascade VECSELs.

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Research Organization:: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000

OSTI ID:: 1340512

Report Number(s):: SAND-2016-8993J; OPEXFF; 647332

Journal Information:: Optics Express, Vol. 24, Issue 21; ISSN 1094-4087

Publisher:: Optical Society of America (OSA)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 27 works

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Terahertz quantum cascade VECSEL with watt-level output power Curwen, Christopher A.; Reno, John L.; Williams, Benjamin S. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 113, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5033910	journal	July 2018
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