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Title: Broadband continuous single-mode tuning of a short-cavity quantum-cascade VECSEL

Abstract

Changing the length of a laser cavity is a simple method for continuously tuning the wavelength of a laser but is rarely used for broad fractional tuning, with a notable exception of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). This is because, to avoid mode hopping, the cavity must be kept optically short to ensure a large free spectral range compared to the gain bandwidth of the amplifying material. Terahertz quantum-cascade lasers are ideal candidates for such a short cavity scheme as they demonstrate exceptional gain bandwidths (up to octave spanning) and can be integrated with broadband amplifying metasurfaces. Our report presents such a quantum-cascade metasurface-based vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) that exhibits over 20% continuous fractional tuning of a single laser mode. Such tuning is possible because the metasurface has subwavelength thickness, which allows lasing on low-order Fabry–Pérot cavity modes. Good beam quality and high output power are simultaneously obtained.

Authors:
 [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
  2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1575261
Report Number(s):
SAND-2019-4109J
Journal ID: ISSN 1749-4885; 674633
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000; NA-0003525
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Photonics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 13; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1749-4885
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats

Curwen, Christopher A., Reno, John L., and Williams, Benjamin S. Broadband continuous single-mode tuning of a short-cavity quantum-cascade VECSEL. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1038/s41566-019-0518-z.
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Curwen, Christopher A., Reno, John L., & Williams, Benjamin S. Broadband continuous single-mode tuning of a short-cavity quantum-cascade VECSEL. United States. doi:10.1038/s41566-019-0518-z.
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Curwen, Christopher A., Reno, John L., and Williams, Benjamin S. Mon . "Broadband continuous single-mode tuning of a short-cavity quantum-cascade VECSEL". United States. doi:10.1038/s41566-019-0518-z. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1575261.
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@article{osti_1575261,
title = {Broadband continuous single-mode tuning of a short-cavity quantum-cascade VECSEL},
author = {Curwen, Christopher A. and Reno, John L. and Williams, Benjamin S.},
abstractNote = {Changing the length of a laser cavity is a simple method for continuously tuning the wavelength of a laser but is rarely used for broad fractional tuning, with a notable exception of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). This is because, to avoid mode hopping, the cavity must be kept optically short to ensure a large free spectral range compared to the gain bandwidth of the amplifying material. Terahertz quantum-cascade lasers are ideal candidates for such a short cavity scheme as they demonstrate exceptional gain bandwidths (up to octave spanning) and can be integrated with broadband amplifying metasurfaces. Our report presents such a quantum-cascade metasurface-based vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) that exhibits over 20% continuous fractional tuning of a single laser mode. Such tuning is possible because the metasurface has subwavelength thickness, which allows lasing on low-order Fabry–Pérot cavity modes. Good beam quality and high output power are simultaneously obtained.},
doi = {10.1038/s41566-019-0518-z},
journal = {Nature Photonics},
number = 12,
volume = 13,
place = {United States},
year = {2019},
month = {9}
}
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DOI:  10.1038/s41566-019-0518-z
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    A wavelength-size tunable Fabry–Pérot laser
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