SBIR PHASE II: Type-II Mid-Infrared Lasers Grown on Compliant Substrates

这项小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段计划将在2英寸兼容的通用基板上展示3到5微米的高温中红外激光器，平均输出功率为10 mW。要彻底改变中红外市场，中红外半导体激光器必须能够在220K的热电制冷温度下工作，长脉冲长度为10 us，平均功率为10 mW。英镑冷却器的价格太贵，负担不起，而且不太可靠。目前的MIR半导体激光器受到可用衬底的强烈限制。在短期内，只有光泵激光器才能满足市场需求。第二类量子阱激光器具有室温以上运转、低阈值泵浦强度、高量子效率和高低温输出功率等优良性能。然而，这些器件存在丝位错和导热性能差的问题。通过在兼容的通用衬底上生长这些器件，这些问题可以得到很好的解决。关键的军事需求包括红外对抗、用于防御生物/化学战的化学传感、眼睛安全的隐蔽照明和自由空间通信，商业市场包括泄漏检测、现场过程控制、远程化学传感、红外光谱和葡萄糖分析。随着室温高功率激光器的发展，该计划将大大加快中红外激光器的商业化进程，以满足巨大的国防和商业市场的潜在需求。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II proposal will demonstrate high -temperature mid-IR lasers at 3 to 5 um with an average output power 10 mW on 2 inch compliant universal substrates.To revolutionize the mid-IR market, mid-IR semiconductor lasers must be able to operate at thermal-electrical cooled temperatures 220K with a long pulse length 10 us and an average power 10 mW. The cost of a sterling cooler is too expensive to be affordable, and is not very reliable. The current MIR semiconductor lasers are strongly limited by the available substrates. In a short term, only optically pumped lasers could meet the market requirements. Type-II QW lasers have demonstrated many excellent performances such as above room temperature operations, record-low threshold pump intensity, and high quantum efficiency and high output power at low temperatures. However, these devices suffer from the threading dislocations and poor thermal conductivity. These problems could be well solved by growing these devices on compliant universal substrates. Critical military needs include IR countermeasures, chemical sensing for defense against biological/chemical warfare, eye-safe covert illumination, and free-space communications, Commercial markets include leak detection, in-situ process control, remote chemical sensing, IR spectroscopy, and glucose analysis. With the development of room-temperature high-power lasers, this program should considerably accelerate the commercialization of mid-IR lasers to meet the potential needs of the huge defense and commercial market.