Short-wavelength (lambda similar to 3.6 mu m) quantum-cascade-laser (QCL) designs, employing a metamorphic buffer layer (MBL) on a GaAs substrate, have been developed for strong carrier confinement to the active regions, as a result of implementing the deep well and tapered active-region concepts. The strain thickness product values for the quantum wells and barriers comprising the QCL active regions (ARs) are kept basically the same as those employed for longer wavelength (lambda similar to 4.8 mu m) QCL AR structures grown on InP substrates. Strain-compensated superlattice (SL) structures, representative of the QCL AR, are grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on an AlInGaAs compositionally step-graded MBL. Structural characterization of the SL structures underscores the importance of reducing the top-surface roughness of the underlying MBL. Intersubband absorption has been observed for doped SL structures grown on hydride-VPE-grown MBLs. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.