Fingerprints of spatial charge transfer in Quantum Cascade Lasers

We show that mid infrared transmission spectroscopy of a quantum cascade laser provides clear cut information on changes in charge location at different bias. Theoretical simulations of the evolution of the gain/absorption spectrum for the $\lambda \sim$ 7.4 $\mu$m InGaAs/AlInAs/InP quantum cascade laser have been compared with the experimental findings. Transfer of electrons between the ground states in the active region and the states in the injector goes in hand with a decrease of discrete intersubband absorption peaks and an increase of broad high-energy absorption towards the continuum delocalised states above the barriers.