Proposal for room-temperature generation of midinfrared radiation in near-infrared quantum-well heterolasers

This letter is devoted to the consideration of a method for midinfrared (mid-IR) generation in near-IR quantum-well heterolasers. It relies on the inversion creation at an inhomogeneously broadened intraband laser transition via depletion of its lower level by a strong near-IR field simultaneously generated in the same structure. In comparison with previous studies, I propose to invert this transition only in the spectral range resonant with the mid-IR signal. It allows for significant reduction of the corresponding threshold pumping current density and hope to operate such a device under room temperature in the continuous-wave regime.