QUANTUM CASCADE LASER THAT GENERATES WIDELY VIEWABLE MID-INFRARED LIGHT

摘要

A laser source assembly (324) for generating an output beam (326) that is in the mid-infrared range includes a quantum cascade gain media (338), a first lead (340), a second lead (342), and an infrared transmissive potting material (348). The quantum cascade gain media (338) generates the output beam (326) that exits from a first facet (350) of the gain media (338). The first lead (340) and the second lead (342) are electrically connected to the quantum cascade gain media (338). The infrared transmissive potting material (348) encloses and embeds the quantum cascade gain media (338), a portion of the first lead (340), and a portion of the second lead (342). Because theses components are enclosed and retained by the potting material (348), the resulting laser source assembly (324) is stable, rugged, small, portable, easy to manufacture, reliable, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.