Room temperature GaAs-based quantum cascade laser with GaInP waveguide cladding

Abstract
A GaAs-based quantum cascade laser utilising lattice matched Ga0.51In0.49P waveguide cladding is reported. Room temperature operation at a wavelength λ≃9.8 µm has been demonstrated, with threshold current densities ∼6 kAcm−2 at 12 K rising to ∼37 kAcm−2 at room temperature. A characteristic temperature T0∼105 K was obtained between 210 and 305 K. It is predicted that optimised GaInP waveguides can offer significantly lower loss than those based on either GaAs or AlGaAs.