Distributed Bragg reflector enhancement of electroluminescence from a silicon nanocrystal light emitting device

We demonstrate distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) enhanced electroluminescence from a silicon nanocrystal-based light emitting device. An a-Si/SiO₂ superlattice containing silicon nanocrystals serves as the intrinsic layer in an n-i-n device that is embedded in a DBR cavity consisting of alternating layers of silicon and silicon dioxide. The entire structure, including DBR, superlattice and contact layers, is deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The photoluminescence, electroluminescence (EL) and optical output power are measured and compared to a reference device. The DBR is found to enhance the peak EL intensity by a factor of 25 and the external quantum and power conversion efficiencies by a factor of 2.     

Distributed measurement of static strain in an optical fiber with multiple bragg gratings at nominally equal wavelengths

The Fourier transform relationship between the reflected light froma Bragg grating and the complex spatial modulation of the Bragg grating is used to produce a distributed strain sensing system. A tunable external cavity diode laser along with a reference reflector in anoptical fiber are used to produce a measurement of the phase and amplitude of the reflected light from the modulated Bragg grating as a function of wavelength. The system is demonstrated with 22 Bragg gratings in a single fiber on a cantilever beam and compared with foil strain gauge readings.     

Switching of output coupling in a grating coupler by diffraction transition to the distributed Bragg reflector regime

In a proposed switching grating coupler (SGC), the grating period Lambda is chosen so that the SGC converts from a first-order grating coupler to a third-order distributed Bragg reflector by means of a small change in the guided mode index. The principle for switching the radiated wave power and the effective aperture of the SGC were experimentally confirmed by use of the thermo-optic effect of a polymer waveguide. The extinction of the peak intensity of the wave radiated by the SGC and collected by an external lens was measured to be 5 dB with a temperature change of 10 degrees.     

Optical frequency-domain reflectometry with a rapid wavelength-scanning superstructure-grating distributed Bragg reflector laser

Superstructure-grating distributed Bragg reflector lasers are particularly suited for optical frequency-domain reflectometry optical-coherence tomography with wide wavelength tunability and frequency agility. We report theoretical estimates of and experimental results for the data acquisition speed, the observable depth range, the resolution, and the dynamic range of an optical frequency-domain reflectometry system that uses a superstructure-grating distributed Bragg reflector laser whose wavelength can be tuned from 1533 to 1574 nm with a tuning speed of 10 micros/0.1-nm step.     

Structural analysis of distributed Bragg reflector mirrors

Quantum cascade (QC) lasers and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are of great interest due to their potential importance for a variety of device applications. Both kinds of lasers call for very highly reflective mirrors. Usually distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirrors, which consist of periodic quarter wavelength stacks of high and low refractive index compound semiconductors are used. These stacks are superlattices containing more than 40 individual layers. To obtain very high reflectivity DBRs alternating GaAs and AlAs layers are used for both the high and low index mirrors.GaAs/AlAs DBR structures containing 15 periods were characterized by the complementary use of RBS/channeling, TEM and HRXRD. Since the total thickness of a DBR exceeds 2 μm the RBS analysis was performed at two He-ion energies: 1.7 MeV and 3.82 MeV. After some stopping power corrections TEM and RBS provided similar results. Discrepancies with HRXRD data were attributed to the lateral inhomogeneity of produced superlattice. Virtues and pitfalls of complementary use of these techniques were discussed.     

Wavelength-Tunable Mid-Infrared Lasing from Black Phosphorus Nanosheets

Van der Waals layered semiconductor materials own unique physical properties and have attracted intense interest in developing high-performance electronic and photonic devices. Among them, black phosphorus (BP) is distinct for its layer number-tuned direct band gap which spans from near- to mid-infrared (MIR) waveband. In addition, the puckered honey comb crystal lattice endows the material with highly linear-polarized emission and marked anisotropy in carrier transportation. These unique material properties render BP as an intriguing and promising building block for constructing mid-infrared-ranged coherent light sources. Here, a room temperature surface-emitting MIR laser based on single crystalline BP nanosheets coupled with a distributed Bragg reflector cavity is reported. MIR stimulated emission at 3611 nm is achieved with a near-unity linear polarization, which exhibits robust thermal stability up to 360 K. Most importantly, the lasing wavelength can be tuned from 3425 to 4068 nm by varying the cavity length via thickness control of BP layer. The demonstrated highly polarized lasing output and wavelength-tunable capacity of the proposed device scheme in MIR spectral range opens up promising opportunities for a broad array of applications in polarization-resolved IR imaging, range-finding, and free space quantum communications.     

Trade-offs between lens complexity and real estate utilization in a free-space multichip global interconnection module

The FAST-Net (Free-space Accelerator for Switching Terabit Networks) concept uses an array of wide-field-of-view imaging lenses to realize a high-density shuffle interconnect pattern across an array of smart-pixel integrated circuits. To simplify the optics we evaluated the efficiency gained in replacing spherical surfaces with aspherical surfaces by exploiting the large disparity between narrow vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) beams and the wide field of view of the imaging optics. We then analyzed trade-offs between lens complexity and chip real estate utilization and determined that there exists an optimal numerical aperture for VCSELs that maximizes their area density. The results provide a general framework for the design of wide-field-of-view free-space interconnection systems that incorporate high-density VCSEL arrays.     

以四面体非晶碳为布拉格反射栅高声阻抗材料的固贴式薄膜体声波谐振器性能仿真分析

为了提高固贴式薄膜体声波谐振器(SMR)的电学和声学品质,实现四面体非晶碳(ta-C)在体声波器件领域的新应用,建立了以ta-C为布拉格反射栅高声阻抗材料的SMR模型,利用MathCAD仿真研究布拉格反射栅层数对该SMR的谐振特性的影响以及ta-C中sp3杂化含量和高/低声阻抗层厚度偏差对SMR的品质因子(Q值)的影响。结果表明层数的增加提高了SMR的品质;ta-C薄膜sp3杂化含量越高,达到饱和Q值所需层数越少,当含量为80%时,至少需要6层(3对)布拉格反射层使SMR达到优异Q值;距离压电堆越近的高/低声阻抗层,其厚度偏差对Q值的影响越大,从而实现了高频率(8GHz)低损耗的SMR的设计。     

High-Q X-band distributed Bragg resonator utilizing an aperiodic alumina plate arrangement

This paper describes a high-Q X-band distributed Bragg resonator that uses an aperiodic arrangement of non-?/4 low loss alumina plates mounted in a cylindrical waveguide. An ABCD parameter waveguide model was developed to simulate and optimize the cavity. The dielectric plates and air waveguide dimensions were optimized to achieve maximum quality factor by redistributing the energy loss within the cavity. An unloaded quality factor (Q₀) of 196 000 was demonstrated at 9.93 GHz.     

Experimental method for high-accuracy reflectivity-spectrum measurements

An experimental method for accurate measurements of the reflectivity spectrum of mirrors is presented. It combines the noise reduction obtained with multiple beam reflections on two identical mirrors; high-beam quality, owing to the use of single-mode optical fibers; and high immunity against intensity variations of the beam. This method is demonstrated for characterizing a 30-period GaAs/Al(0.65)Ga(0.35)As distributed Bragg reflector designed for long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Its peak reflectivity is found to be 99.43 ? 0.04% at 1.562 mum, and an optical absorption coefficient of alpha = 36 ? 6 cm(-1) is derived. The peak internal reflectivity of this distributed Bragg reflector used as the top mirror in a wafer-fused vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser is calculated to be 98.87 ? 0.12%, and the transmission is 0.28%.     

Three-dimensional analysis of mode discrimination in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Optical mode discrimination in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers that contain distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) and a spatially limited gain medium is analyzed numerically. It is assumed that the output field is linearly polarized owing to gain selectivity. The analysis employs a three-dimensional model and an angular spectrum of plane-wave decomposition with the proper polarizations. Two types of round aperture are considered, namely, a Gaussian aperture and a ring-peak aperture that represents gain saturation. Coupled with the DBRs, the former aperture yields nearly Laguerre-Gaussian modes, whereas the latter aperture significantly distorts the mode shapes. In both cases, narrowband DBRs provide the best mode discrimination.     

Influence of surface roughness of Bragg reflectors on resonance characteristics of solidly-mounted resonators

The solidly mounted resonator (SMR) is fabricated using planar processes from a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between two electrodes upon Bragg reflectors, which then are attached to a substrate. To transform the effective acoustic impedance of the substrate to a near zero value, the Bragg reflectors are composed of alternating high and low acoustic impedance layers of quarter-wavelength thickness. This paper presents the influence of Bragg reflector surface roughness on the resonance characteristics of an SMR. Originally, an A1N/A1 multilayer is used as the Bragg reflector. The poor surface roughness of this Bragg reflector results in a poor SMR frequency response. To improve the surface roughness of Bragg reflectors, a molybdenum (Mo)/titanium (Ti) multilayer with a similar coefficient of thermal expansion is adopted. By controlling deposition parameters, the surface roughness of the Bragg reflector is improved, and better resonance characteristics of SMR are obtained.     

Hybrid Wavelength-Time-Domain Interrogation System for Multiplexed Fiber Bragg Sensors Using a Strain-Tuned Erbium-Doped Fiber Laser

A system for the interrogation of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors using a strain-tuned EDF laser with linear cavity is described. An optical switch is spliced to one end of the laser cavity and connects one of two high-strength draw-tower fiber Bragg gratings (DTGs). The gratings are simultaneously tuned by a stretching device and act as the end reflector of the laser cavity. By applying a ramp signal to the actuator synchronized to the optical switch, the laser signal sweeps over two different wavelength intervals, depending on the connected DTG. This approach represents a hybrid wavelength-time-domain interrogation for multiplexed sensors and doubles the number of sensors that may be addressed when compared with single DTG scanning. In addition, the use of the DTG allows a fivefold increase in the strain tuned wavelength interval over standard fiber Bragg gratings. An example application is demonstrated where temperature inside an electrical motor is measured during operation.     

Formation of high aspect ratio GaAs nanostructures with metal-assisted chemical etching

Periodic high aspect ratio GaAs nanopillars with widths in the range of 500-1000 nm are produced by metal-assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) using n-type (100) GaAs substrates and Au catalyst films patterned with soft lithography. Depending on the etchant concentration and etching temperature, GaAs nanowires with either vertical or undulating sidewalls are formed with an etch rate of 1-2 μm/min. The realization of high aspect ratio III-V nanostructure arrays by wet etching can potentially transform the fabrication of a variety of optoelectronic device structures including distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor lasers, where the surface grating is currently fabricated by dry etching.     

Active microwave pulse compressor utilizing an axisymmetric mode of a circular waveguide

A novel active microwave pulse compressor in the form of an axisymmetric cavity is implemented and investigated. The cavity is formed by: a) a Bragg reflector, b) a cylindrical section, and c) an output resonance reflector in the form of an electrically controlled gas-filled spark gap. The compressor is excited by the TE₀₁ mode of a circular waveguide at a frequency of 9.4 GHz. Working at atmospheric pressure, the compressor produces output pulses with a power of 1.8 MW and duration 25 ns at a compression coefficient of around 20. Pis’ma Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 24, 6–11 (October 26, 1998)     

Brillouin Optical Frequency-Domain Single-Ended Distributed Fiber Sensor

We propose a scheme for single-ended distributed fiber sensing based on stimulated Brillouin scattering, in which a fiber Bragg grating is used as wavelength-selective reflector. The proposed configuration requires access to only one end of the sensing fiber, and operates in the frequency domain. Measurements with a spatial resolution down to 1 m and sensing lengths up to 5 km are reported.      

Distributed bragg reflector resonators with cylindrical symmetry and extremely high Q-factors

A simple non-Maxwellian method is presented that allows the approximate solution of all the dimensions of a multilayered dielectric TE0qp mode cylindrical resonant cavity that constitutes a distributed Bragg reflection (DBR) resonator. The analysis considers an arbitrary number of alternating dielectric and free-space layers of cylindrical geometry enclosed by a metal cylinder. The layers may be arranged along the axial direction, the radial direction, or both. Given only the aspect ratio of the cavity, the desired frequency and the dielectric constants of the material layers, the relevant dimensions are determined from only a set of simultaneous equations, and iterative techniques are not required. The formulas were verified using rigorous method of lines (MoL) calculations and previously published experimental work. We show that the simple approximation gives dimensions close to the values of the optimum Bragg reflection condition determined by the rigorous analysis. The resulting solution is more compact with a higher Q-factor when compared to other reported cylindrical DBR structures. This is because it properly takes into account the effect of the aspect ratio on the Bragg antiresonance condition along the z-axis of the resonator. Previous analyses assumed the propagation in the z-direction was independent of the aspect ratio, and the layers of the Bragg reflector were a quarter of a wavelength thick along the z-direction. When the aspect ratio is properly taken into account, we show that the thickness of the Bragg reflectors are equivalent to the thickness of plane wave Bragg reflectors (or quarter wavelength plates). Thus it turns out that the sizes of the reflectors are related to the free-space propagation constant rather than the propagation constant in the z-direction.     

Output radiation focusing in curved-grating distributed Bragg reflector laser

Output radiation focusing in AlGaAs/GaAs quantum-well curved-grating distributed Bragg reflector (c-DBR) lasers has been theoretically and experimentally studied. It is established that the focal spot size for c-DBR lasers is determined to a considerable extent by the spectral perfection of laser radiation.     

Distributed Bragg reflector made of anodic alumina membrane

A new kind of distributed Bragg reflector is made of layer-by-layer anodic alumina membrane using electrochemical anodization, which is consisted of periodically stacked main stem channel layers and branched channel layers with the period comparable to the optical wavelength. The first Bragg condition peak, which is characterized for main inhibition of incident light perpendicular to the surface of anodic alumina membrane, could be modulated from 727 to 1200 nm by modifying the anodizing voltage waveform. It possibly provides a plan to fabricate light filters in large area, which have very low transmissivity within stop band but high transmissivity in other ranges.     

Distributed measurement of the complex modulation of a photoinduced Bragg grating in an optical fiber

A method of measuring the complex modulation of a Bragg grating is derived from a one-dimensional model of light propagating in an optical fiber. Interference fringes between the Bragg grating and a reference air-gap reflector are measured, and a Fourier transform of the interference fringes generated as a laser is swept through the wavelength is used to compute the complex modulation function of the Bragg grating over a restricted domain. Supporting data, taken by temperature tuning a distributed feedback diode laser, are shown.