Quantum cascade lasers for TDLS

Stéphane Blaser

5th International Conference on Tunable Diode LaserSpectroscopy (TDLS)Industry Session, July 12, 2005, Firenze (It)

1-3 Maximilien-de-MeuronCH-2000 NeuchâtelSwitzerland

The company

• Based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland• Founded in 1998, 100 kCHF initial capital• 13 employees• 30 years of cumulated experience in QCL design and manufacture• Strong Intellectual Property protection

• Independent product (bound-to-continuum)• Holder of a licence from Lucent Technologies

• Standard & built-to-order devices• Turnover 1.6 MCHF (2004)• Growth rate 50-80% per annum since foundation

Dr. Yargo BonettiDr. Stéphane BlaserSophie BrunnerEmmanuel GentilhommeStéphane GoeckelerSandra HofmannSandrine HuinDr. Lubos HvozdaraDr. Antoine MullerLim-Vitou NamAlexandre NetuschillVanessa PiotGuillaume Vandeputte

The team

TDLS Applications

Optical gas measurements• Infrared Spectroscopy• Quality analysis• Trace gas detection• Remote sensing• Environnement control• Security• Drug/explosive detection• Chemical/biological agents detection

Medical diagnostics• Breath analysis• Non-invasive techniques• Glucose monitoring

Other Applications

Energy deposition• Illumination• Countermeasures

Telecommunications• Free-space transmissions

Imaging with teraherz radiation• Imaging through packages• Scanning and sensing

Activities

RT-P-DFB LN2-CW-DFB RT-P-FP Inquire by email

HP-RT-P-DFBNew wavelength RT-P-DFBNew wavelength LN2-CW-DFB

RT-CW-DFBCryogenic-DFB-THzVery special devices

Standard Production

Special Production

Research Activities

} Check www.alpeslasers.ch

Activities: Standard production

RT-P-DFB Standard Production

Characteristics: P > 1 mW (average)Operating current: 1-4 A / Operating voltage: 8 -10 VOperating temperatures: -30°C to 30°CTypical duty cycle: up to 5%Tuning range: 0.4%Spectral linewidth ~ 1 GHz tested (FTIR resolution)

300MHz optimal (*)Lifetime: ageing measurements have shown τ > 5 years

Main applications: Chemical sensing / Medical diagnostics / Remote sensing

Available wavelengths Off-the-shelf: 4.25 to 11.8 µm

www.alpeslasers.ch

* K. Namjou et al., Opt. Lett. 23, p. 219 (1998), D. Nelson et al., Appl. Phys. B 75, p. 343 (2002), E. Normand et al., Opt. Lett. 28, p.16 (2003),T. Beyer et al., J. Appl. Phys. 95, p.4551 (2004)

Room-Temperature Pulsed DFB

Activities: Standard production LN2 continuous-wave DFB

LN2-CW-DFB Standard Production

Characteristics: P typical 2 mW (max up to 100 mW)Operating current: 0.3 - 2 A, typical 0.8 AOperating voltage: 8-10 VOperating temperature: 80K to ~120-160KTuning range: > 0.4%Spectral linewidth ~ 3 MHz / optimal: few Hz (*)Large tuning, but power decreases with increasing temperature

Main applications: Chemical sensing / Medical diagnostics / Remote sensing

Available wavelengths Off-the-shelf: 4.2 to 10.4 µm

www.alpeslasers.ch

* M. Taubman et al., Opt. Lett. 27, p. 2164 (2002)

Activities: Standard production Room-Temperature Pulsed FP

RT-P-FP Standard Production

Characteristics: P up to 100mWOperating current: 0.5 - 4 AOperating voltage: 8 -10VOperating temperatures: -30°C to 30°CMultiline spectraLinewidth 0.5µm @ 10µmMode spacing 1 – 2 cm-1

Main applications: Illumination / Energy deposition / Chemical sensing in liquids

Inquire by email

Activities

HP-RT-P-DFBNew wavelength RT-P-DFBNew wavelength LN2-CW-DFB

RT-CW-DFBCryogenic-DFB-THzVery special devices

Standard Production

Special Production

Research Activities

RT-P-DFB

LN2-CW-DFB

RT-P-FP

On request4.2 to 17µm

Activities: Special production Production line

Activities

RT-P-DFB LN2-CW-DFB RT-P-FP

HP-RT-P-DFBNew wavelength RT-P-DFBNew wavelength LN2-CW-DFB

RT-CW-DFBCryogenic-DFB-THzVery special devices

Production pulsed-DFB

Special pulsed-DFB

Research Activities On request

cw DFB QCL on TE-cooler at 5.46µm

Max. single-mode operating temperature: T = 27°CT0 = 170K

Threshold current density = 1.26 kA/cm2 (-30°C)

• 1.5mm-long, 18µm-wide laser• no coating

RT-CW-DFB-40-1830

• best device: cw up to 30°C

cw DFB QCL on TE-cooler at 5.46µm RT-CW-DFB-40-1830

Single-mode emission between -30 and 25°C

Tuning range Δν = 12 cm-1 at 1830cm-1 (0.65%)

• 1.5mm-long, 18µm-wide laser• no coating

cw DFB QCL on TE-cooler at 5.30µm RT-CW-DFB-5-1885

Max. single-mode operating T = -17°CThreshold current density = 2.0 kA/cm2 (-33°C)

• 1.5mm-long, 16µm-wide lasergoal: cw operation at 1900cm-1

Cryogenic cw THz DFB QCL at 86µm Cryogenic-CW-DFB-1-116

• 1.7mm-long, 200µm-wide laser

cw operation at 116 cm-1

Giacomo Scalari et al.

Conclusions

CW-RT QCL available at ~5.46µm and soon as standard products

Possibility to built devices to order

Please visit www.alpeslasers.ch

Please contact us

Stock of devices designed for TDLS

We have a booth here!Please visit us here in Florence at the exhibition center

References

Pulsed QC laser linewidth:K. Namjou et al., Opt. Lett. 23, p. 219 (1998)D. Nelson et al., Appl. Phys. B 75, p. 343 (2002)E. Normand et al., Opt. Lett. 28, p.16 (2003)T. Beyer et al., J. Appl. Phys. 95, p.4551 (2004)

Continuous-wave QC laser linewidth:S. Sharpe et al., Opt. Lett. 23, p. 1396 (1998)R. Williams et al., Opt. Lett. 24, p. 1844 (1999)T. Myers et al., Opt. Lett. 27, p. 170 (2002)M. Taubman et al., Opt. Lett. 27, p. 2164 (2002)

Chemical sensing:A. Kosterev et al., IEEE J. Quantum Elect. 38, p. 582 (2002)A. Kosterev et al., Appl. Phys. B 74, p. 95 (2002)and many others