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Meadowlark Optics - Wave Plates 6/24 LB 2024
Photonics Dictionary

interband cascade laser

An interband cascade laser (ICL) is a type of semiconductor laser that operates based on interband transitions between energy bands in a semiconductor material. Unlike traditional semiconductor lasers, which rely on intraband transitions within a single conduction band or valence band, interband cascade lasers utilize a series of closely spaced quantum wells to facilitate the transfer of charge carriers (electrons and holes) between different bands.

The key feature of an interband cascade laser is its multiple quantum well structure, typically consisting of alternating layers of different semiconductor materials with varying bandgaps. Each quantum well serves as a potential barrier, allowing electrons to tunnel through and transition to adjacent wells. This process enables the sequential movement of charge carriers across multiple energy bands, leading to the emission of photons at each transition.

The cascading nature of interband cascade lasers allows for efficient extraction of energy from the charge carriers and results in enhanced performance characteristics, such as low threshold currents, high efficiency, and broad wavelength tunability. Additionally, ICLs are capable of operating at longer infrared wavelengths, making them suitable for various applications, including gas sensing, spectroscopy, telecommunications, and free-space optical communications.
 

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