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We report on terahertz quantum-cascade lasers exhibiting discontinuities in the continuous-wave (cw) current-voltage and output power characteristics, which are related to the presence of electric-field domains (EFDs). The investigated lasers are based on a GaAs/Al0.25Ga0.75As heterostructure emitting between 4.2 and 4.4 THz and operate in cw mode up to 50 K. The observed effects related to EFDs are similar to those occurring in weakly coupled superlattices and can be described by the same equations, using an effective drift velocity-field relation. A qualitative agreement between experiments and simulations has been found.
Wienold et al. (2011) studied this question.