Wavelength coverage of lead-europium-selenide-telluride diode lasers

Abstract

Diode lasers made from a new semiconductor material, Pb1−xEuxSeyTe1−y, have recently been developed for sensor applications. This material is grown by molecular beam epitaxy and may be lattice matched to PbTe substrates. Double heterojunction mesa stripe diode lasers have been fabricated and the laser emission energy determined as a function of composition. At 80 K, the emission energy follows the relation E (in eV)=0.219+5.51x. With the range of active region compositions so far explored (up to x=0.046, y=0.054), the wavelength range 6.6–2.6 μm can be covered under pulsed conditions (6.6–3.8 μm cw). Laser operation up to 190 K pulsed, 147 K cw, has been attained with up to 1-mW single mode output power. These devices are useful for spectroscopic measurements of molecules in a gas or adsorbed onto surfaces.