The room-temperature (300 K), pulsed mode operation of a GaAs-based quantum-cascade laser is presented. This has been achieved by the use of a heterostructure which offers the maximum Γ–Γ band offset (390 meV) for this material system without inducing the presence of indirect barrier states. Thus, better electron confinement is achieved, countering the loss of injection efficiency with temperature. These devices show ∼100 K increase in operating temperature with respect to equivalent designs using an heterostructure. We also measure 600 mW peak power at 233 K a temperature readily accessible by Peltier coolers.
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