Optically pumped lead-chalcogenide IR-emitters

Two types of infrared emitters realised with IV-VI (lead chalcogenide) narrow-gap semiconductor materials on Si substrates are described. First, edge-emitting PbSe quantum well lasers with Pb_1-xEu_x Se claddings are grown on a BaF₂ buffer layer on Si[100] substrates, removed from the substrate by dissolving the buffer layer and cleaved into resonator structures. Lasing around 4-5 μm wavelength is observed up to 240 K when illuminating with about 5W_p from a 900 nm pump-laser-diode. Secondly, a resonant cavity PbSe/Pb_1-xEu_x Se structure on Si[111] with a one or two-pair BaF₂/Pb_1-yEu_ySe bottom mirror and a three-pair BaF₂/EuSe top mirror exhibiting emission at e.g. 4.1 μm and 4% line-width, operates at room temperature and is tunable by design.