General discussions:

Gain in a quantum cascade laser is proportional to the current density, G=gJ; where
g is the gain coefficient,
The formula for g is

Z32 dipole matrix element; Lp length of one period;2 FWHM broadening of the
transition; wavelength of the emitted light; 2 lifetime at total laser state 2; 32
intersubband scattering rate.
In a QCL normally the guided optical mode extends in the z direction outside of
the active region. The gain is then reduced in the proportion of the spatial overlap
of the guided mode with the active region.
G=gJ;
Threshold condition: Threshold condition refers to laser states when the gain in the
cavity compensates the losses.
That is gJth= tot;
Loss mechanisms:
Supposing that the device dies not have electrical leaks due to fabrication problem
the total loss can be divided into two catagories:
Mirror loss and cavity loss;
Mirror loss depends on the cavity length. It is given by the equation

Total waveguide losses can be divided into various components.

n-r=non-resonant losses;
fc = free-carrier absorption;
scatt = scattering losses; de =absorption in lossy insulating layer; bf =
losses due to thermal backfilling.
The losses other than the thermal backfilling losses are called as total optical
losses.
Non-resonant losses: Absorption spectrum of a quantum cascade laser is complex
and depends on the design. Intersubband transitions between subband states in the
injection region typically lead to a strong absorption at low energies. Transitions
between subbnad states in the injector and the parasitic states that lie above the
injector or continuum states cause absorption features at high energies. The energy
of the lasing transition lies somewhere in between. Because the feature of this
absorption that lie at the energies other than the lasing transition, it is called nonresonant absorption.
Free carrier absorption: It arises from the interaction between free electrons in the
active region and the cladding layers and the optical mode in the cavity. Free
carrier absorption is modeled by Drude model. We consider a free electron gas of
m* effectives mass and collision time in the order of 100fs. The absorption of
this free carrier loss is given by

Scattering losses: It arises from the light scattering processes in the cavity due to
material defects and sidewall roughness.
Absorption in lossy insulating layer: Standard Fabry-Perot ridge waveguides are
isolated from the top contact metal layer by a thin dielectric layer (typically SixNy
or SiO2). These materials have strong characteristic absorption peaks depending on
the wavelength of the optical mode in the cavity and its overlap with the dielectric
layer may cause absorption losses.
To have a better gain we have to optimize the active region.
a) Improve injection efficiency;
b) Decrease lower state lifetime;
c) Increase upper state lifetime or upper state confinement