Multimode instabilities in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers

Abstract

We present experimental evidence for mid-infrared frequency comb based on AlGaAs/GaAs quantum cascade laser. The comb-like emission spectra span over ~50 cm^-1 at a center wavenumber ~1080 cm^-1. The measured width of the comb lines is < 20 MHz. The instability sets in when the intracavity power is sufficiently large. In addition, intersubband transitions feature strong third-order optical nonlinearities chi⁽³⁾, due to the large matrix element between the upper and lower laser states, allowing parametric process due to four-wave mixing. The observed spectral behavior is similar in many ways to the Risken-Nummedal-Graham-Haken (RNGH) instability.

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