Intracavity wave mixing of self-generated fields in semiconductor lasers for mid/far-infrared generation

Abstract

This study analyzes various types of semiconductor nonlinearities and discuss the most promising schemes of nonlinear-mixing lasers (NML), which may be used for the sum- and difference-frequency generation in a wide infrared range. The NMLs can be implemented both in the interband lasers (diode-type lasers) and intersubband lasers (quantum cascade lasers). This paper reviews theoretical and experimental investigations in the field and discusses possible applications.