Effect of features of the band spectrum on the characteristics of stimulated emission in narrow-gap heterostructures with HgCdTe quantum wells

We report on the stimulated emission obtained in the wavelength range of 20.3–17.4 $\mu$m on the interband transitions at T = 8–50 K in HgCdTe quantum wells placed in a dielectric waveguide formed from wide-gap CdHgTe solid solution. Heterostructures with HgCdTe quantum wells are interesting for designing long-wavelength lasers operating in the wavelength range of 25–60 $\mu$m, which is not covered by currently available quantum cascade lasers. It is shown that the maximum temperature of stimulated emission is determined by the position of lateral maxima in the dispersion dependences in the first valence subband of the quantum well. Methods for suppressing nonradiative recombination in the structures with HgCdTe quantum wells are discussed.