AbstractWe present calculations of the intersubband absorption and Auger recombination rate of superlattices based on the InAs/GaInSb material system involving more than two layers in the repeating unit cell and strain balanced to match the GaSb substrate. We demonstrate theoretically the presence of final-state optimization in a 4.0 μm strain-balanced brokengap superlattice. This system's band structure is optimized not only at the band edge, where the valence density of states has been reduced, but also at resonance energies, where reside final states for Auger and intersubband processes. The spectral structure of the intersubband absorption, which for some wavelengths near the lasing wavelength can exceed 500 cm−1 at lasing threshold, has been considered when designing this active region. Fortunately, final-state optimized designs which minimize Auger recombination tend to minimize intersubband absorption as well. The effectiveness of final-state optimization is evaluated by considering band structures with identical band edge structure, but different final-state structure.