1.3μm自组织InGaAs/InAs/GaAs量子点激光器分子束外延生长

报道了分子束外延生长的1.3μm多层InGaAs/InAs/GaAs自组织量子点及其室温连续激射激光器.室温带边发射峰的半高宽小于35meV,表明量子点大小比较均匀.原子力显微镜图像显示,量子点密度可以控制在(1～7)×1010cm-2范围之内,而面密度处于4×1010cm-2时有良好的光致发光谱性能.含有三到五层1. 3μm量子点的激光器成功实现了室温连续激射.     

Effects of extraction barrier width on performance of terahertz quantum-cascade lasers

Experimental results are presented on the effects of extraction barrier on the performance of resonant phonon terahertz quantum-cascade lasers. The extraction barrier is varied from 48 to 39 A in an otherwise identical 3.4 THz laser structure. It is found that, when the extraction barrier width decreases from 48 to 39 A, the threshold current density at 10 K increases monotonously from 900 A/cm to 1.4 kA/ cm , and the maximum lasing temperature increases from 95 to 110 K. No optimum extraction barrier width was found for maximum lasing temperature.     

Low-voltage terahertz quantum-cascade lasers based on LO-phonon-assisted interminiband transitions

A report is presented on GaAs/(Al,Ga)As terahertz (THz) quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) based on alternating photon and longitudinal optical (LO) phonon-assisted transitions between quasi-minibands. The design is optimised for low threshold current densities and low operating voltages, resulting in reduced ohmic heating during continuous-wave (CW) operation. The QCLs exhibit lasing over a broad range of frequencies from 2.91 to 3.21 THz. Using single-plasmon waveguides, pulsed operation up to 114 K and CW operation up to 65 K has been achieved.     

中红外量子级联激光器的研究进展

以不同结构类型的有源区为主线,如三阱垂直跃迁有源区、超晶格有源区、应变补偿量子阱有源区、束缚-连续跃迁有源区和四阱双声子共振有源区等,介绍了半导体能带工程在量子级联激光器中的应用。以不同技术指标和特性参数为主要内容,如激射波长、阈值电流密度、工作温度和输出功率等,评述了量子级联激光器在近3～5年内的研究进展。提出了进一步改善器件性能的可能途径,并指出了其今后研究的新方向。     

Energy spectrum and thermal properties of a terahertz quantum-cascade laser based on the resonant-phonon depopulation scheme

The dependences of the electronic-level positions and transition oscillator strengths on an applied electric field are studied for a terahertz quantum-cascade laser (THz QCL) with the resonant-phonon depopulation scheme, based on a cascade consisting of three quantum wells. The electric-field strengths for two characteristic states of the THz QCL under study are calculated: (i) “parasitic” current flow in the structure when the lasing threshold has not yet been reached; (ii) the lasing threshold is reached. Heat-transfer processes in the THz QCL under study are simulated to determine the optimum supply and cooling conditions. The conditions of thermocompression bonding of the laser ridge stripe with an n ⁺-GaAs conductive substrate based on Au–Au are selected to produce a mechanically stronger contact with a higher thermal conductivity.     

Analysis of terahertz surface emitting quantum-cascade lasers

An analysis of surface-emitting terahertz quantum-cascade lasers operating at wavelengths near 100 /spl mu/m is presented. The devices use distributed feedback through second-order Bragg metal gratings to generate strong emission of radiation normal to the laser surface. The analysis is based on coupling between the exact Floquet-Bloch eigenmodes of infinite periodic structures in finite length devices. The results show performance of surface-emitting terahertz lasers comparable to edge-emitting devices, with high radiative efficiencies and low threshold gains. Using phase-shifts in the grating, high-quality single-lobe beams in the farfield are obtained.     

Theory of the Intrinsic Linewidth of Quantum-Cascade Lasers: Hidden Reason for the Narrow Linewidth and Line-Broadening by Thermal Photons

We have developed a theory of the intrinsic linewidths of laser output of single-mode quantum-cascade (QC) lasers in mid-infrared and terahertz (THz) ranges. In the theoretical treatment, the concept of an effective coupling efficiency of spontaneous emission, given by a fractional rate of spontaneous emission coupled into a lasing mode to total nonlasing relaxation, is introduced to clarify a hidden reason for the narrowness of the linewidths. A narrow linewidth (12-kHz) reported with a frequency-stabilized 8.5- distributed-feedback QC laser is successfully interpreted in terms of an extremely small effective coupling efficiency of spontaneous emission, caused by ultrafast nonradiative scatterings. The present theory predicts the presence of a minimum ldquolinewidth floorrdquo in a high-injection-current region and the independence of linewidth on detuning between gain-peak and emission wavelengths. The theoretical treatment is expanded to derive the further modified Schawlow-Townes formula including the line-broadening by black body radiation in a THz QC laser. The linewidth of a THz QC laser is predicted to be considerably broadened by black body radiation.     

GaAs-based long-wavelength InAs bilayer quantum dots grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Molecular beam epitaxy growth of a bilayer stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dot structure on a pure GaAs matrix has been systemically investigated.The influence of growth temperature and the InAs deposition of both layers on the optical properties and morphologies of the bilayer quantum dot（BQD） structures is discussed.By optimizing the growth parameters,InAs BQD emission at 1.436μm at room temperature with a narrower FWHM of 27 meV was demonstrated.The density of QDs in the second layer is around 9×10⁹ to 1.4×10¹⁰ cm^-2. The BQD structure provides a useful way to extend the emission wavelength of GaAs-based material for quantum functional devices.     

在半绝缘SiC衬底上制备的S波段2W碳化硅MESFET

介绍了用热壁反应炉在50mm SiC半绝缘衬底上制备的SiC MESFET外延材料.其沟道层厚度约为0.35μm,掺杂浓度约为1.7×1017cm-3.沟道和衬底之间的缓冲层为非有意掺杂的弱n型.欧姆接触用的帽层掺杂浓度约1019cm-3.器件制备采用了ICP刻蚀等技术.微波测试结果表明,1mm栅宽功率器件封装后在2GHz下输出功率达到了2W.     

共振声子太赫兹量子级联激光器研究

针对四阱有源区、一阱注入区及三阱有源设计,采用蒙特卡洛模拟方法研究了共振声子太赫兹量子级联激光器的性能差异。采用傅里叶变换光谱仪及远红外探测器测量了四阱共振声子太赫兹量子级联激光器的低温电光特性。详细讨论了提高太赫兹量子级联激光器发射功率的方案。     

共振声子辅助的太赫兹量子级联激光器中杂质散射的蒙特卡洛模拟

通过蒙特卡洛方法研究了基于共振声子散射的太赫兹量子级联激光器中杂质散射对激光器性能的影响.使用单子带静态屏蔽模型来处理电子与杂质的散射过程.发现电子与杂质的散射为电子在有源区中的注入和抽取过程提供了另外一个通道.这一过程可以影响电子在不同子带的占据数以及器件的电流.所以,在考虑基于共振声子散射的太赫兹量子级联激光器中的电子输运过程时,需要包含电子与杂质的散射过程.     

Monte Carlo Simulation of Impurity Scattering Effect in Resonant-Phonon-Assisted Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers

通过蒙特卡洛方法研究了基于共振声子散射的太赫兹量子级联激光器中杂质散射对激光器性能的影响.使用单子带静态屏蔽模型来处理电子与杂质的散射过程.发现电子与杂质的散射为电子在有源区中的注入和抽取过程提供了另外一个通道.这一过程可以影响电子在不同子带的占据数以及器件的电流.所以，在考虑基于共振声子散射的太赫兹量子级联激光器中的电子输运过程时，需要包含电子与杂质的散射过程.     

Second quantized state lasing and gain spectra measurements inn-type modulation doped GaAs-AlGaAs quantum-well lasers

The emission characteristics of n-type modulation doped GaAs-AlGaAs quantum-well lasers are studied for constant doping density and stepped doping density laser cores. Constant doping density cores are found to have a shift to shorter wavelength with increasing doping density but suffer from a corresponding large increase in threshold current density. Stepped doping density cores exhibit clear wavelength shifting from the first to second quantized state transitions with increased doping near the quantum well while maintaining low threshold current densities. Threshold current densities of 440 A/cm² are measured for second quantized state lasing in stepped core lasers. Gain spectra are measured for the stepped doping density core devices and modulation doping is shown to improve the gain bandwidth by 50% over undoped devices     

RF-MBE生长的AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管特性

用射频分子束外延技术研制出了室温迁移率为1035cm2/(V·s),二维电子气浓度为1.0×1013cm-2,77K迁移率为2653cm2/(V·s),二维电子气浓度为9.6×1012cm-2的AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管材料.用此材料研制的器件(栅长为1μm,栅宽为80μm,源-漏间距为4μm)的室温非本征跨导为186mS/mm,最大漏极饱和电流密度为925mA/mm,特征频率为18.8GHz.     

808 nm大功率无铝有源区非对称波导结构激光器

采用分别限制非对称波导结构,将光场从对称分布变为非对称分布,降低了载流子光吸收损耗,并允许p型区具有更高的掺杂水平,从而使器件电阻降低.对GaAsP/GaInP张应变单量子阱(SQW)非对称波导结构激光器的光场特性进行了理论分析,设计了波导层厚度,并制作了波长为808 nm的无铝有源区大功率半导体激光器.器件综合特性测试结果为:腔长900μm器件的阈值电流密度典型值为400 A/cm2,内损耗低至1.0 cm-1;连续工作条件下,150μm条宽器件输出功率达到6 W,最大斜率效率为1.25 W/A.器件激射波长为807.5 nm,平行和垂直结的发散角分别为3.0°和34.8°.20~70℃范围内特征温度达到133 K.结果表明,分别限制非对称波导结构是降低内损耗,提高大功率半导体激光器特性的有效措施.     

Electron Transport and Terahertz Gain in Quantum-Dot Cascades

Electron transport through quantum-dot (QD) cascades was investigated using the formalism of nonequilibrium Green's functions within the self-consistent Born approximation. Polar coupling to optical phonons, deformation potential coupling to acoustic phonons, as well as anharmonic decay of longitudinal optical phonons were included in the simulation. A QD cascade laser structure comprising two QDs per period was designed and its characteristics were simulated. Significant values of population inversion enabling lasing in the terahertz frequency range were predicted, with operating current densities being more than an order of magnitude smaller than in existing terahertz quantum-well-based quantum-cascade lasers.     

At the Dawn of a New Era in Terahertz Technology

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT, Japan) started the Terahertz Project in April 2006. Its fundamental purpose in the next five years is to enable a nationwide technical infrastructure to be created for diverse applications of terahertz technology. The technical infrastructure includes the development of semiconductor devices such as terahertz quantum cascade lasers, terahertz-range quantum well photodetectors, and high-precision tunable continuous wave sources. It also includes pulsed terahertz measurement systems, modeling and measurement of atmospheric propagation, and the establishment of a framework to construct a materials database in the terahertz range including standardization of the measurement protocol. These are common technical infrastructure even in any terahertz systems. In this article, we report the current status of developments in these fields such as terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz-QCLs) (with peak power of 30 mW, 3.1 THz), terahertz-range quantum well photodetectors (THz-QWPs) (tuned at 3 THz) an ultrawideband terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) system (with measurement range of from 0.1 to 15 THz), an example of a database for materials of fine art, and results obtained from measuring atmospheric propagation.     

低阈值连续波工作的2.9 THz量子级联激光器

为了获得低阈值连续波工作太赫兹源,采用固源分子束外延技术生长了GaAs/AlGaAs束缚态向连续态跃迁的太赫兹量子级联激光器(QCL)有源区,基于半绝缘-等离子体波导工艺制作了太赫兹量子级联激光器。获得了激光器(腔面未镀高反射膜)的发射光谱和相应的输出特性等性能,其中器件在10 K工作温度、350 mA激励电流下的中心频率为2.93 THz,连续波工作模式的阈值电流密度为156 A/cm2,器件的最大光输出功率为7.84 mW,最高工作温度为62 K。     

Analysis of Terahertz Radiation Spectra in Multilayer GaAs/AlGaAs Heterostructures

The results of examination of the terahertz radiation spectra of multilayer GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures synthesized on GaAs substrates are presented. The dependence of the radiation spectrum on the amplitude of the excitation current pulse and temperature dependences of the threshold lasing current and the radiation power of terahertz quantum cascade lasers with a double metallic waveguide, which were built on the basis of these structures, have been obtained. The maximum amplitude of the total radiation power is estimated at 28 μW in the range 3.25–3.32 THz at a temperature of 15 K. The spectral radiation density of the oscillator is measured. Changes in the mode content of radiation induced by the bias-current variation have been observed.     

Heterostructures of Single-Wavelength and Dual-Wavelength Quantum-Cascade Lasers

The results of development of the basic structure and technological conditions of growing heterostructures for single- and dual-frequency quantum-cascade lasers are reported. The heterostructure for a dual-frequency quantum-cascade laser includes cascades emitting at wavelengths of 9.6 and 7.6 μm. On the basis of the suggested heterostructure, it is possible to develop a quantum-cascade laser operating at a difference frequency of 8 THz. The heterostructures for the quantum-cascade laser are grown using molecularbeam epitaxy. The methods of X-ray diffraction and emission electron microscopy are used to study the structural properties of the fabricated heterostructures. Good agreement between the specified and realized thicknesses of the epitaxial layers and a high uniformity of the chemical composition and thicknesses of the epitaxial layers over the area of the heterostructure is demonstrated. A stripe-structured quantum-cascade laser is fabricated; its generation at a wavelength of 9.6 μm is demonstrated.