Mid-IR type-II InAs/GaInSb interband cascade lasers

We report our progress to date in the development of type-II interband cascade lasers emitting in the mid-IR (3.8-to-4.0 micrometers ) spectral region. We have demonstrated significant improvements over previously reported results in terms of differential external quantum efficiency (approximately 500%), peak power (>4 W/facet), peak power conversion efficiency (approximately 7%), maximum operating temperature (217 K), and continuous-wave (cw) operation. We briefly review some results for pulsed excitation and then present more detailed operating characteristics for the cw performance of our lasers, including the output power characteristics and the dependence of the output spectrum on current.