Abstract-Reversible mode switching in Y-coupled terahertz lasers

Owen P. Marshall¹, Subhasish Chakraborty¹, Md Khairuzzaman¹, Harvey E. Beere², and David A. Ritchie²

¹School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
²Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom 

http://apl.aip.org/resource/1/applab/v102/i11/p111105_s1?isAuthorized=no 

Electrically independent terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are optically coupled in a Y configuration. Dual frequency, electronically switchable emission is achieved in one QCL using an aperiodic grating, designed using computer-generated hologram techniques, and incorporated directly into the QCL waveguide by focussed ion beam milling. Multi-moded emission around 2.9 THz is inhibited, lasing instead occurring at switchable grating-selected frequencies of 2.88 and 2.92 THz. This photonic control and switching behaviour is selectively and reversibly transferred to the second, unmodified QCL via evanescent mode coupling, without the transfer of the inherent grating losses.

© 2013 American Institute of Physics