Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves, Volume. 44, Issue 3, 384(2025)
Research on low-power consumption, high heat dissipation efficiency terahertz quantum cascade laser
A single-mode terahertz quantum cascade laser (THz-QCL) with a two-dimensional patch antenna array as a resonant cavity is proposed and realized. The active region of each patch antenna is sandwiched between two metal layers, exhibiting full-scale subwavelength characteristics and exciting a vertical electric quadrupole mode with low radiation loss. The inter-antenna coupling within the array effectively suppresses electromagnetic leakage in the plane, allowing for a high-quality factor and low threshold current density even with only a few antennas in the array. As a result, the laser's power consumption is reduced to 950 mW. Moreover, the discrete antenna array design provides a larger heat dissipation area compared to the heat-generating area, and with the lateral heat dissipation channels offered by the unpumped regions, the thermal resistance per unit area is as low as 5.6 mK/W/cm2. By significantly reducing power consumption and enhancing heat dissipation efficiency, the laser achieves a lasing frequency of 3.18 THz, a side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of 19.5 dB, and a beam divergence angle of 35°×35°. It operates continuously at 3.14 mW at 20 K, with a maximum continuous operation temperature of 90 K, notably higher than that of Fabry-Pérot cavity lasers made from the same material. This work provides a novel approach to improve the continuous operating temperature of THz-QCLs.
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Cheng TAN, Chuan-Feng YAN, Shan-Zhi ZANG, Kai WANG, Liang-Hua GAN, Chen-Tao CAO, Bing-Qi CHEN, Hong-Tai CHEN, Yue-Heng ZHANG, Yu-Long FANG, Gang-Yi XU. Research on low-power consumption, high heat dissipation efficiency terahertz quantum cascade laser[J]. Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves, 2025, 44(3): 384
Category: Millimeter Wave and Terahertz Technology
Received: Sep. 10, 2024
Accepted: --
Published Online: Jul. 9, 2025
The Author Email: Yu-Long FANG (yvloong@163.com), Gang-Yi XU (gangyi.xu@mail.sitp.ac.cn)