Time-Resolved Thermal Quenching of THz Quantum Cascade Lasers

The thermal dynamic behaviors of terahertz quantum cascade lasers are investigated using a spectrally matching terahertz quantum-well photodetector. The THz output power of a lasing device under a pulse excitation is found to decrease with time, which is attributed to the increase of active-region temperature. The measurements show that the duration of output lasing pulse ranges from a few microseconds up to 77 ¿s, depending on device bias and heat-sink temperature. A theoretical analysis based on a two-dimensional heat diffusion model is presented. The model calculates lasing quenching time based on an ¿average active-region temperature¿ criterion as well as a ¿reserve of gain¿ criterion. The best fit for quenching time is found when the vertical thermal conductivity in the quantum well region is two orders of magnitude lower than that of substrate. The measured lasing quenching time is in very good agreement with theoretical modeling calculated using both criteria.