Semiconductor physics

Terahertz quantum cascade laser in a quantizing magnetic field

R. Kh. Zhukavin^a, M. A. Fadeev^a, A. V. Antonov^a, D. A. Postnov^ab, K. A. Kovalevsky^a, S. V. Morozov^ab, A. A. Dubinov^ab, A. A. Afonenko^c, D. V. Ushakov^c, A. Yu. Pavlov^d, D. S. Ponomarev^d, R. A. Khabibullin^d, V. I. Gavrilenko<sup>ab

a</sup> Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhnii Novgorod
^b Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod
^c Belarusian State University, Minsk
^d National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow

Abstract: Transport and emission characteristics of a quantum cascade laser with a “resonant-phonon” design with an emission frequency of 2.3 THz in strong magnetic fields up to 11.5 T at liquid helium temperature were studied experimentally and theoretically. In the 5–6 T magnetic field range, suppression of generation was observed due to “resonant” scattering from the zero Landau level (associated with the upper laser level) to the first Landau level (associated with the lower laser level) leading to a reduction in the population inversion of the working transition of the laser. A threefold decrease in the laser’s threshold current was demonstrated under a strong magnetic field up to 11.5 T was applied (compared to the zero field), attributed to the zero-dimensional nature of electron states, which suppresses parasitic scattering.

Received: 17.07.2025
Revised: 23.09.2025
Accepted: 23.09.2025

DOI: 10.61011/FTP.2025.07.62008.8378