Laser & Optoelectronics Progress, Volume. 62, Issue 19, 1906003(2025)
Research Advances in Beam Combining Techniques for Quantum Cascade Lasers (Invited)
Quantum cascade laser (QCL) exhibit considerable potential for applications in diverse fields including chemical sensing, free-space optical communications, and infrared countermeasure systems, owing to their distinctive characteristics of broad spectral coverage, compact size, and manufacturability at scale. Nevertheless, the performance of current mid-infrared QCL devices is fundamentally limited by existing material systems and fabrication technologies, resulting in wall-plug efficiencies that remain substantially inferior to those of near-infrared semiconductor lasers. Furthermore, the constrained output power from individual devices presents a significant barrier to their practical implementation in these application areas. Beam combining methodologies have consequently emerged as a promising approach for power scaling of QCL systems. This review comprehensively examines contemporary advancements in beam combining techniques specifically developed for QCLs, providing a systematic evaluation of their respective merits and prevailing technical limitations.
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Xuchao Liu, Jianzeng Guo, Qing Li, Junjie Guo, Hongchun Li, Xiaohong Zhou, Hao Wen, Xiaojun Zhang, Xiongfei Qiu, Xiankui Liu, Xiaoming Ren, Jie Wang. Research Advances in Beam Combining Techniques for Quantum Cascade Lasers (Invited)[J]. Laser & Optoelectronics Progress, 2025, 62(19): 1906003
Category: Fiber Optics and Optical Communications
Received: Jun. 3, 2025
Accepted: Jun. 30, 2025
Published Online: Sep. 24, 2025
The Author Email: Jianzeng Guo (guojianzeng718@126.com), Qing Li (moyi6969@163.com), Jie Wang (wangjie_24@163.com)
CSTR:32186.14.LOP251368