Pulsed tunable quantum cascade laser in the spectral range of 9.6–12.5 $\mu$m

A pulsed quantum cascade laser tunable in the spectral range of 9.6–12.5 $\mu$m is presented. The maximum pulse power is 199.8 mW, the maximum average power is 7.57 mW, the tuning step is 2 cm$^{-1}$ and the spectral line width is 2 cm$^{-1}$. The schematic diagram of the quantum cascade laser, the main components and their technical characteristics are described. The quantum cascade laser, a multi-pass Herriott gas cell with an optical path length of 76 m, and two mercury-cadmium-telluride thermoelectrically cooled photodetectors comprise an experimental setup intended for gas absorption infrared spectroscopy. The transmission spectra measurements of an acetone mixture at 100 ppm concentration in nitrogen are reported.