Charge Carrier Transport in Quantum Cascade Lasers in Strong Magnetic Field

We have developed a comprehensive rate equations based model for calculating the optical gain in the active region of a quantum cascade laser in magnetic field perpendicular to the structure layers, which takes into account all the relevant scattering channels. The model is applied to gain-optimized quantum cascade laser active region, obtained by a systematic optimization procedure based on the use of genetic algorithm, which we have previously set up for designing novel structures and improving performance of existing ones. It has proven to be very efficient in generating optimal structures which emit radiation at specified wavelengths corresponding to absorption fingerprints of particular harmful pollutants found in the atmosphere. We also illustrate another interesting prospective application of quantum cascade laser-type structures: the design of metamaterials with tunable complex permittivity, based on amplification via intersubband transitions. In this case, the role of the magnetic field is to assist the attainment of sufficient optical gain (population inversion), necessary to effectively manipulate the permittivity and fulfill the conditions for negative refraction (left-handedness).