Quantum-Cascade Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (QC-VCSEL)

The paper is devoted to physics of an operation of new semiconductor lasers, namely – the quantum-cascade vertical-cavity surface-emitting diode lasers (QC-VCSELs). These lasers are expected to exhibit advantages of both the vertical-cavity surface-emitting diode lasers (VCSELs) and the unipolar quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs). As in VCSELs, QC-VCSELs should emit a low-divergent output beam of a single-longitudinal mode radiation without astigmatism and it is possible, in these lasers, to test quality of their structures before any processing. At the same time, it is also possible to design the laser structure for emission of desired radiation of the wavelength established simply by parameters of its quantum well and not by using for a laser active region an appropriate semiconductor material of a required energy gap.