Lasing mode pattern of a quantum cascade photonic crystal surface-emitting microcavity laser

The identification of the lasing mode within a quantum cascade photonic crystal microcavity laser emitting at lambdasimilar to8 mum is presented. The symmetry of the lasing mode is determined by the position of nodal lines within micro-bolometer camera measurements of its polarized spatial distribution. Full three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations are also performed, and the resulting vertically emitted radiation field pattern is seen to follow the experimental results closely. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.