Quantum-cascade lasers as local oscillators for heterodyne spectrometers in the spectral range around 4.745 THz

Local oscillators in terahertz heterodyne spectrometers have to be operated in continuous-wave mode at precisely defined target frequencies. In particular, for advanced airborne instruments, several specifications such as operating temperature and cooling requirements are necessary to be considered....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Semiconductor science and technology 2013-03, Vol.28 (3), p.35011
Main Authors: Schrottke, L, Wienold, M, Sharma, R, Lü, X, Biermann, K, Hey, R, Tahraoui, A, Richter, H, Hübers, H-W, Grahn, H T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
heterodyne receiver
Lasers
Optics
Physics
quantum-cascade lasers
Semiconductor lasers
laser diodes
terahertz
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Summary:Local oscillators in terahertz heterodyne spectrometers have to be operated in continuous-wave mode at precisely defined target frequencies. In particular, for advanced airborne instruments, several specifications such as operating temperature and cooling requirements are necessary to be considered. We have developed a quantum-cascade laser (QCL) applicable as a local oscillator for heterodyne spectroscopy of the OI line at 4.745 THz, which is of particular interest for astronomy. We demonstrate a distributed-feedback QCL operating in continuous-wave mode up to about 60 K, which can be tuned precisely to the target frequency when operated in a mechanical cooler.
ISSN:0268-1242
1361-6641
DOI:10.1088/0268-1242/28/3/035011