Generation of Long-Wavelength Stimulated Emission in HgCdTe Quantum Wells with an Increased Auger Recombination Threshold

Various designs of dielectric waveguides made of heterostructures with CdHgTe quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy have been studied to generate stimulated emission in the 15–30 μm wavelength range. The reduction of radiation losses in optimized structures has made it possible to reduce the threshold intensity of the generation of stimulated emission to ~100 W/cm 2 . Modernized growth technology has ensured the reduction of the residual cadmium content in HgCdTe quantum wells to 2.5%, which has allowed us to increase the threshold energy of Auger recombination, as well as the maximum temperature for the observation of stimulated emission at interband transitions above 100 K. The results obtained are prerequisites for the implementation of coherent radiation sources exceeding in characteristics of lead–tin chalcogenide lasers used in the 15–30 μm spectral range.