Plasmonic lasers (spasers) generate coherent surface-plasmon-polaritons (SPPs) and could be realized at subwavelength dimensions in metallic cavities for applications in nanoscale optics. Plasmonic cavities are also utilized for terahertz quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs), which are the brightest available solid-state sources of terahertz radiation. A long standing challenge for spasers that are utilized as nanoscale sources of radiation, is their poor coupling to the far-field radiation. Unlike conventional lasers that could produce directional beams, spasers have highly divergent radiation patterns due to their subwavelength apertures. Here, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate a new technique for implementing distributed-feedback (DFB) that is distinct from any other previously utilized DFB schemes for semiconductor lasers. The so-termed antenna-feedback scheme leads to single-mode operation in plasmonic lasers, couples the resonant SPP mode to a highly directional far-field radiation pattern, and integrates hybrid SPPs in surrounding medium into the operation of the DFB lasers. Experimentally, the antenna-feedback method, which does not require the phase matching to a well-defined effective index, is implemented for terahertz QCLs, and single-mode terahertz QCLs with beam divergence as small as 4• × 4• are demonstrated, which is the narrowest beam reported for any terahertz QCL to-date. Moreover, in contrast to negligible radiative-field in conventional photonic band-edge lasers, in which the periodicity follows the integer multiple of half-wavelength inside active medium, antenna-feedback breaks this integer-limit for the first time and enhances the radiative-field of lasing mode. Terahertz lasers with narrow-beam emission will find applications for integrated as well as standoff terahertz spectroscopy and sensing. The antennafeedback scheme is generally applicable to any plasmonic laser with a Fabry-Pérot cavity irrespective of its operating wavelength, and could bring plasmonic lasers closer to practical applications.

Significant progress has recently been made toward improving the power output, beam quality and spectral characteristics of terahertz quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). However, the maximum operating temperature of the best-performing devices has become relatively stagnant and is in the range of 150-200 K for QCLs designed to emit in the frequency range of 2-4 THz. Such QCLs are primarily designed with resonant-phonon depopulation schemes. The requirement to cryogenically cool terahertz QCLs leads to stringent limitations on their use for various applications. Although significant advances have been made to model quantum transport in quantum cascade superlattices, the relative role of various electron transport mechanisms as a function of temperature is not clear. This article discusses temperature behavior of resonantphonon terahertz QCLs with respect to a variety of active-region design schemes, and argues that precise understanding of high-temperature transport remains elusive for terahertz QCLs. The role of electron-phonon scattering, collisional-broadening, thermal leakage, and interface-roughness scattering towards the degradation of intersubband optical gain at higher temperatures is discussed for the popular terahertz QCL designs.

A 2.1 THz quantum cascade laser (QCL) based on a scattering-assisted injection and resonant-phonon depopulation design scheme is demonstrated. The QCL is based on a four-well period implemented in the GaAs/Al0.15Ga0.85As material system. The QCL operates up to a heat-sink temperature of 144 K in pulsed-mode, which is considerably higher than that achieved for previously reported THz QCLs operating around the frequency of 2 THz. At 46 K, the threshold current-density was measured as ∼ 745 A/cm2 with a peak-power output of ∼10 mW. Electrically stable operation in a positive differential-resistance regime is achieved by a careful choice of design parameters. The results validate the robustness of scattering-assisted injection schemes for development of low-frequency (ν < 2.5 THz) QCLs.

Terahertz quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) with a broadband gain medium could play an important role for sensing and spectroscopy since then distributed-feedback schemes could be utilized to produce laser arrays on a single semiconductor chip with wide spectral coverage. QCLs can be designed to emit at two different frequencies when biased with opposing electrical polarities. Here, terahertz QCLs with bidirectional operation are developed to achieve broadband lasing from the same semiconductor chip. A three-well design scheme with shallow-well GaAs/Al0.10Ga0.90As superlattices is developed to achieve high-temperature operation for bidirectional QCLs. It is shown that shallow-well heterostructures lead to optimal quantum-transport in the superlattice for bidirectional operation compared to the prevalent GaAs/Al0.15Ga0.85As material system. Broadband lasing in the frequency range of 3.1–3.7 THz is demonstrated for one QCL design, which achieves maximum operating temperatures of 147 K and 128 K respectively in opposing polarities. Dual-color lasing with large frequency separation is demonstrated for a second QCL, that emits at ~3.7 THz and operates up to 121 K in one polarity, and at ~2.7 THz up to 105 K in the opposing polarity. These are the highest operating temperatures achieved for broadband terahertz QCLs at the respective emission frequencies, and could lead to commercial development of broadband terahertz laser arrays.

Many molecules have strong and characteristic rotational and vibrational transitions at terahertz (THz) frequencies, which makes this frequency range unique for applications in spectroscopic sensing of chemical and biological species. Here, we propose a broadband THz sensor based on arrays of single-mode QCLs, which could be utilized for sensing of the refractive-index of solids or liquids in reflection geometry. The proposed scheme does not require expensive THz detectors and consists of no movable parts. A recently developed antenna-feedback geometry is utilized to enhance optical coupling between two single-mode QCLs, which facilitates optical downconversion of the THz frequency signal to microwave regime. Arrays of THz QCLs emitting at discrete frequencies could be utilized to provide more than 2 THz of spectral coverage to realize a broadband, low-cost, and portable THz sensor.