Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are a class of semiconductor lasers that operate in the mid-infrared (MIR) portion of the optical spectrum. The MIR (~ 2.5 – 14 um) is a very important frequency range because it contains the vibrational/rotational modes of almost all molecules. MIR spectroscopy is, therefore, a fundamental method for the detection and identification of most chemicals regardless of whether they are in solid, liquid, or gaseous form. The invention and development of the QCL as a practical MIR laser has enabled the application of MIR spectroscopy in configurations (and with a level of performance) not previously possible. Since their invention in 1994, the output power, efficiency, wavelength coverage, and reliability of QCLs have significantly advanced and they are now finding their way into fielded systems. Block Engineering has pioneered the development of miniaturized external-cavity QCLs that can very rapidly tune across a large wavelength range. Today, Block’s spectrometers based on these lasers are being used in a variety of commercial and military applications. In this talk, I will briefly review the status of QCL technology and then discuss the near- and longer-term opportunities to apply this technology to chemical sensing.

Anish Goyal is currently the VP of Technology at Block Engineering in Marlborough, MA. Previously, he was at MIT Lincoln Laboratory (in the Laser Technology and Applications Group), Polaroid Corporation, AT&T Bell Labs, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He received his PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and BS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Also, he co-authored the book chapter “Active mid-infrared reflectometry and hyperspectral imaging” in Laser-Based Optical Detection of Explosives (CRC Press, 2015) and has served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics.

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