This paper explores enhancement of nonlinear susceptibility in strained quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) that lead to unique intracavity characteristics that include frequency mixing producing both fundamental and higher order modes that propagate freely within a GaAs matrix. Doing so provides a QCL cavity design with emission near the 3.5 mu m range, a region suitable for applications within the 3-5 mu m atmospheric transmission window. In this study, a self-consistent Schrodinger-Poisson solver was employed to analyze the effects of strain within an AlGaAs/InGaAs active region between AlGaAs/GaAs injectors on a [111] GaAs matrix for the purpose of enhancing nonlinear susceptibility. Strain relief available through the use of [111] GaAs allows increased indium composition in the active region and results in observation of second-harmonics below the 5 pm range with tunable optical dipole moments and oscillator strengths. Results demonstrate the feasibility of strained AIGaAs/InGaAs devices on GaAs for producing higher order harmonics that lay below the 4 mu m spectral limit. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.