DFB Interband Cascade Lasers (ICL) by Nanoplus
Overview of DFB Interband Cascade Lasers
Nanoplus offers a DFB Interband Cascade Laser (ICL) at any target wavelength in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum between 3 μm and 6 μm. The device operates in continuous wave (cw) mode around room temperature.
Applications of Tunable Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TLAS)
The nanoplus DFB ICL enables tunable laser absorption spectroscopy (TLAS) for novel MIR applications in industrial gas sensing. In the 3 μm to 6 μm wavelength window, many industrially relevant trace gases exhibit their strongest absorption bands.
These gases include prevalent molecules such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitric oxide (NO), and water (H2O), as well as hydrocarbons like methane.
Advantages of DFB Interband Cascade Lasers
- Accelerate sensing speed
- Reduce noise
- Miniaturise the sensor
The nanoplus ICLs are considered for various progressive applications in industry and research, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
Comparison with Other Laser Technologies
Compared to other sensing techniques, such as gas chromatography, TLAS-based sensors offer unmatched advantages of real-time analysis.
Nanoplus DFB ICL technology outperforms other MIR laser technologies, including GaSb-based type I interband diodes and intersubband quantum cascade lasers (QCL).
Award-Winning Technology
The nanoplus DFB interband cascade lasers (ICLs) won the “Prism Award for Green Photonics and Sustainable Energy” in 2012, demonstrating their efficacy in providing solutions for trace gas detection.
Summary of typical specifications in the 2800 nm to 6500 nm range:
Top Wavelength
For wavelengths between 2800 nm and 4000 nm:
| Parameters | Symbol | Unit | Min | Typ | Max |
|---|
| operating wavelength (at Top, Iop) | λop | nm | | 0.1 nm | |
| optical output power (at λop) | Pop | mW | | 10 | |
| operating current | Iop | mA | | 120 | |
| operating voltage | Vop | V | | 5 | |
| threshold current | Ith | mA | 15 | 30 | 50 |
| side mode suppression ratio | SMSR | dB | | > 35 | |
| current tuning coefficient | CI | nm / mA | | 0.10 | |
| temperature tuning coefficient | CT | nm / K | | 0.35 | |
| operating chip temperature | Top | °C | +10 | +20 | +50 |
| operating case temperature* | TC | °C | -20 | +25 | +50 |
| storage temperature* | TS | °C | -30 | +20 | +70 |
For wavelengths between 4000 nm and 4600 nm:
| Parameters | Symbol | Unit | Min | Typ | Max |
|---|
| operating wavelength (at Top, Iop) | λop | nm | | 0.1 nm | |
| optical output power (at λop) | Pop | mW | | 5 | |
| operating current | Iop | mA | | 120 | |
| operating voltage | Vop | V | | 5 | |
| threshold current | Ith | mA | 20 | 40 | 60 |
| side mode suppression ratio | SMSR | dB | | > 35 | |
| current tuning coefficient | CI | nm / mA | | 0.12 | |
| temperature tuning coefficient | CT | nm / K | | 0.45 | |
| operating chip temperature | Top | °C | +10 | +20 | +50 |
| operating case temperature* | TC | °C | -20 | +25 | +50 |
| storage temperature* | TS | °C | -30 | +20 | +70 |
For wavelengths between 4600 nm and 5300 nm:
| Parameters | Symbol | Unit | Min | Typ | Max |
|---|
| operating wavelength (at Top, Iop) | λop | nm | | 0.1 nm | |
| optical output power (at λop) | Pop | mW | | 3 | |
| operating current | Iop | mA | | 120 | |
| operating voltage | Vop | V | | 5 | |
| threshold current | Ith | mA | 30 | 40 | 70 |
| side mode suppression ratio | SMSR | dB | | > 35 | |
| current tuning coefficient | CI | nm / mA | | 0.14 | |
| temperature tuning coefficient | CT | nm / K | | 0.48 | |
| operating chip temperature | Top | °C | +10 | +20 | +50 |
| operating case temperature* | TC | °C | -20 | +25 | +50 |
| storage temperature* | TS | °C | -30 | +20 | +70 |
For wavelengths between 5300 nm and 5800 nm:
| Parameters | Symbol | Unit | Min | Typ | Max |
|---|
| operating wavelength (at Top, Iop) | λop | nm | | 0.1 nm | |
| optical output power (at λop) | Pop | mW | | 1 | |
| operating current | Iop | mA | | 120 | |
| operating voltage | Vop | V | | 5 | |
| threshold current | Ith | mA | 30 | 40 | 70 |
| side mode suppression ratio | SMSR | dB | | > 35 | |
| current tuning coefficient | CI | nm / mA | | 0.15 | |
| temperature tuning coefficient | CT | nm / K | | 0.5 | |
| operating chip temperature | Top | °C | 5 | 20 | 50 |
| operating case temperature* | TC | °C | -20 | +25 | +40 |
| storage temperature* | TS | °C | -30 | +20 | +70 |
For wavelengths between 5800 nm and 6500 nm:
| Parameters | Symbol | Unit | Min | Typ | Max |
|---|
| wavelength precision | δ | nm | | 0.1 | |
| optical output power | Pout | mW | | 1 | |
| forward current | If | mA | | 120 | |
| threshold current | lth | mA | 30 | 40 | 70 |
| current tuning coefficient | CI | nm / mA | | 0.15 | |
| temperature tuning coefficient | CT | nm / K | | 0.50 | |
| typical maximum operating voltage | Vop | V | | 5 | |
| side mode suppression ratio | SMSR | dB | | > 35 | |
| storage temperature | TS | °C | -40 | +20 | +80 |
| operational temperature at case | TC | °C | -20 | +20 | +45 |
| chip operational temperature | Top | °C | +15 | +20 | +70 |
For wavelengths at 3345 nm:
| Parameters | Symbol | Unit | Min | Typ | Max |
|---|
| operating wavelength (at Top, Iop) | λop | nm | | 3345 | |
| optical output power (at λop) | Pop | mW | | 40 | |
| operating current | Iop | mA | | | 120 |
| operating voltage | Vop | V | | 5 | |
| threshold current | Ith | mA | 15 | 25 | 40 |
| side mode suppression ratio | SMSR | dB | | > 35 | |
| current tuning coefficient | CI | nm / mA | | 0.1 | |
| temperature tuning coefficient | CT | nm / K | | 0.35 | |
| operating chip temperature | Top | °C | +15 | +20 | +40 |
| operating case temperature (non-condensing) | TC | °C | -20 | +25 | +55 |
| storage temperature (non-condensing) | TS | °C | -30 | +20 | +70 |
For wavelengths at 4565 nm:
| Parameters | Symbol | Unit | Min | Typ | Max |
|---|
| operating wavelength (at Top, Iop) | λop | nm | | 4565 | |
| optical output power (at λop) | Pop | mW | | 15 | |
| operating current | Iop | mA | | | 120 |
| operating voltage | Vop | V | | 5 | |
| threshold current | Ith | mA | 20 | 30 | 40 |
| side mode suppression ratio | SMSR | dB | | > 35 | |
| current tuning coefficient | CI | nm / mA | | 0.12 | |
| temperature tuning coefficient | CT | nm / K | | 0.45 | |
| operating chip temperature | Top | °C | +15 | +20 | +40 |
| operating case temperature (non-condensing) | TC | °C | -20 | +25 | +55 |
| storage temperature (non-condensing) | TS | °C | -30 | +20 | +70 |
