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Recent Advances of Efficient Design of Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers

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Abstract

Terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are electrically pumped and heterostructure based semiconductor laser sources with intersubband transitions of electrons in different layers of the quantum wells and barriers. The THz QCLs have high output power in THz region which make them important from application point of view. Recently intensive research has been carried out by researchers for obtaining efficient designs of THz sources. Most of the researchers have investigated the THz frequency range between 0.1 and 3 THz; however, the output power of the THz sources in the frequency range 3–5 THz is small because of transit time and resistance-capacitance effects. Nevertheless, the present review is focused for the development of efficient THz QCL sources in the frequency range from 3 to 5 THz where one of the major problem of thermal backfilling of the carriers has to be overcome by engineering the heterostructure.

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Acknowledgments

The experimental facilities and constructive discussions extended by H.T. Grahn, L. Schrottke, and M. Wienold, Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Berlin, Germany, are sincerely acknowledged by the corresponding author Rajesh Sharma.

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  1. Department of Physics, University Institute of Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, 140413, India

    Rajesh Sharma, Harpreet Kaur & Manjot Singh

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  1. Rajesh Sharma
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Correspondence to Rajesh Sharma.

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Sharma, R., Kaur, H. & Singh, M. Recent Advances of Efficient Design of Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers. Plasmonics 16, 449–461 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-020-01295-4

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