About

IRGLARE is a manufacturer of high-performance quantum cascade lasers for defense, industrial and medical applications. The company offers laser components in various packages ranging from uncoated laser chips to turn-key systems. Our product line features the highest power MWIR and LWIR QCLs as well as the only dual-band QCLs on the market. The company has also developed cost-effective, high-power lasers for large volume applications. IRGLARE’s core expertise in quantum cascade laser design and fabrication allows for a rapid turn-around time for custom solutions. IRGLARE is based in Orlando, FL.

High-Brightness Lasers

IRGLARE offers a wide selection of high-brightness quantum cascade lasers in the 3.6µm – 12µm spectral region with a focus on the main infrared atmospheric windows. Laser characteristics listed in this section assume continuous wave operation at 293K. All devices in the inventory have a nearly diffraction limited beam quality with M² < 1.5. IRGLARE constantly develops new laser structures and the inventory of available lasers is regularly updated. Devices operating at other wavelengths can also be developed upon request.

Dual-Band Lasers

A dual-band chip lases at two different central wavelengths at the same time. These unique devices can be used in ultra-compact infrared platforms covering two spectral bands. The laser characteristics shown in this section are for devices with approximately one-to-three optical power split between Bands IVa and IVb, respectively. The split and the central wavelengths can be controlled by adjusting the laser core design.

Single-Mode Lasers

IRGLARE offers the development of pulsed and CW single-mode lasers upon request. A laser structure intended for single-mode devices can be designed to have its gain peak centered anywhere in the 3.6µm – 12µm spectral range and lasers emitting within +/- 50 cm^-1 relative to the gain peak can be fabricated from the same laser material. Representative tuning rate, linewidth, and optical power are -0.15 cm^-1/K, <1cm^-1, and several hundred milliwatts, respectively.

Package Options

IRGLARE offers turn-key solutions for the laser operation in the laboratory environment. The laser head module is capable of dissipating well over 100W of heat waste power, allowing for maximum performance for the most demanding high-power devices, including laser arrays. A separate power module allows the end-user to remotely control laser current and modulation parameters. The maximum modulation rate exceeds 10kHz. A custom software with a graphical user interface is also included for control and monitoring of the laser.

These lightweight and small-footprint packages offer a hermetically sealed housing for high-power quantum cascade lasers for improved long-term reliability. Each package contains a laser submount with a mounted thermistor and a collimating lens. Four copper pins on the backside of the package allow for an easy electrical interface to the thermistor and laser contacts.

Quantum cascade lasers are also offered on the submount level, where laser die are bonded onto an aluminum nitride (AlN) submount for proper electrical interfacing and heat transfer. This reduces technical risk for a system integrator associated with the basic laser packaging. Our submounts are offered in various lengths and widths depending on the bonded laser die. A symmetric submount pad design allows flexibility in submount packaging when interfacing with the electrical contacts.

Quantum cascade lasers at the die-level are intended for customers that require their own packaging interface. Processed wafers are divided into die that have variable cavity lengths and standard widths using a scribe and break machine. These chips are carefully positioned into a Gel-Pak box for proper containment and shipping.

Research & Development

Research &
Development

Our research and development efforts are focused on increasing the laser brightness and efficiency, as well as on improving control over laser spectral characteristics. Other areas of interest include understanding mechanisms responsible for laser degradation and failure, reduction in laser thermal resistance, the development of single mode arrays with a broad spectral coverage, and monolithic laser integration onto silicon substrates. IRGLARE is open to collaboration with research institutions, national labs, and system integrators to broaden the scope of our R&D efforts.

Tree array configuration leverages integrated photonics to scale the brightness of QCL chips. Optical power from multiple QCL emitters is coherently and monolithically combined into a single output aperture for power scaling with excellent beam quality.
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Epitaxial growth of QCL structures onto large-diameter silicon substrates enables the development of ultra-compact infrared platforms with both electronic and photonic components on a single cost-effective chip. Recent research by IRGLARE has demonstrated record wall plug efficiency from QCLs grown on large diameter silicon wafers, with high fabrication yield.
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Catastrophic optical damage is one of the main failure modes of high power QCLs. This research aims to improve our understanding of facet heating mechanisms in QCLs and translate these findings into improved high power laser design.
Read the full paper

Contact Us

For general business inquiries, including technical questions, sales, and employment opportunities, please use the email listed below.

Email: info@irglare.com

IRGLARE, LLC
3259 Progress Drive,
Orlando, FL 32826