Rigorous modeling of mid-IR QCLs with strong photon-induced carrier transport

Accurate simulation of V-I characteristics for mid-IR quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) with photon-induced carrier transport (PICT) is achieved by using the non-equilibrium Green’s function method coupled with the interface-roughness scattering formalism taking into account graded interfaces and axial correlation lengths. Analysis of 4.9 µm- and 8.3 µm-emitting, buried-heterostructure (BH) QCLs reveals that PICT action reduces the differential resistance by a factor of 2.5 and increases the maximum-current density by ~ 30 % compared to conventional BH QCLs, which explains their record-high, single-facet wall-plug efficiency values (i.e., 27 % and 17 %). Interface grading allows obtaining emission wavelengths close to experiment.