A Simplified Soft-output QRD-M MIMO Detector

In this paper, a low-complexity soft-output QRD-M detection algorithm is proposed for high-throughput Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. By employing novel expansion on demand and distributed sorting scheme, the proposed algorithm can reduce 70% and 85% foundational operations for 16-QAM and 64-QAM respectively compared to the conventional QRD-M algorithm. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm can yield soft information to improve the bit error rate (BER) performance. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve a near-NIL detection performance with less foundational operations

Room temperature operation of photonic-crystal distributed-feedback quantum cascade lasers with single longitudinal and lateral mode performance

We demonstrate room temperature operation of photonic-crystal distributed-feedback quantum cascade lasers emitting at 4.7 mu m. A rectangular photonic crystal lattice perpendicular to the cleaved facet was defined using holographic lithography. The anticrossing of the index- and Bragg-guided dispersions of rectangular lattice forms the band-edge mode with extended mode volume and reduced group velocity. Utilizing this coupling mechanism, single mode operation with a near-diffractive-limited divergence angle of 12 degrees is obtained for 33 mu m wide devices in a temperature range of 85-300 K. The reduced threshold current densities and improved heat dissipation management contribute to the realization of devices' room temperature operation.

A 10 Gb/s Directly-Modulated 1.3 mu m InAs/GaAs Quantum-Dot Laser

We demonstrate 10 Gb/s directly-modulated 1.3 mu m InAs quantum-dot (QD) lasers grown on GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The active region of the QD lasers consists of five-stacked InAs QD layers. Ridge-waveguide lasers with a ridge width of 4 mu m and a cavity length of 600 mu m are fabricated with standard lithography and wet etching techniques. It is found that the lasers emit at 1293 nm with a very low threshold current of 5 mA at room temperature. Furthermore, clear eye-opening patterns under 10 Gb/s modulation rate at temperatures of up to 50 degrees C are achieved by the QD lasers. The results presented here have important implications for realizing low-cost, low-power-consumption, and high-speed light sources for next-generation communication systems.

Characterization and analysis of two-dimensional GaAs-based photonic crystal nanocavities at room temperature

This paper describes the design and fabrication process of a two-dimensional GaAs-based photonic crystal nanocavity and analyzes the optical characterization of cavity modes at room temperature. Single InAs/InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) layer was embedded in a GaAs waveguide layer grown on an Al0.7Ga0.3As layer and GaAs substrate. The patterning of the structure and the membrane release were achieved by using electron-beam lithography, reaction ion etching, inductively coupled plasma etching and selective wet etching. The micro-luminescence spectrum is recorded from the fabricated nanocavities, and it is found that some high-order cavity modes are clearly observed besides the lowest-order resonant mode is exhibited in spite of much high rate of nonradiative recombination. The variance of resonant modes is also discussed as a function of r/a ratio and will be used in techniques aimed to improve the probability of achieving spectral coupling of a single QD to a cavity mode.

Nano-Ag on vanadium dioxide. II. Thermal tuning of surface plasmon resonance

Thermal tuning of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Ag nanoparticles on a thermochromic thin film of VO2 was studied experimentally. The tuning is strongly temperature dependent and thermally reversible. The LSPR wavelength lambda(SPR) shifts to the blue with increasing temperature from 30 to 80 degrees C, and shifts back to the red as temperature decreases. A smart tuning is achievable on condition that the temperature is controlled in a stepwise manner. The tunable wavelength range depends on the particle size or the mass thickness of the metal nanoparticle film. Further, the tunability was found to be enhanced significantly when a layer of TiO2 was introduced to overcoat the Ag nanoparticles, yielding a marked sensitivity factor Delta lambda(SPR)/Delta n, of as large as 480 nm per refractive index unit (n) at the semiconductor phase of VO2.

Two-dimensional photonic lattices in polymer-dispersed liquid crystal composites

The relationship between liquid crystal orientational ordering and optical diffraction properties is investigated for a two-dimensional square photonic lattice fabricated in a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) composite. Modifications of the nematic director field in the liquid crystal domains were induced by an external applied voltage and by heating over the nematic-isotropic (N-I) phase transition. They were studied by optical polarization microscopy and by analysing far-field optical diffraction patterns. The intensities of various diffraction orders (from the zeroth up to the eighth diffraction order) were monitored with a CCD camera, and their variations were correlated with the modifications of the director field.

溶胶-凝胶软石印法制备稀土发光薄膜及其图案化

利用溶胶-凝胶法合成了一系列稀土离子掺杂的发光薄膜，包括三元氧磷灰石稀土硅酸盐Ca2RS（SiO4）6O2（R＝YGd）体系，YVO4体系，LaPO4体系以及钒磷酸盐形成的固熔体体系1并研究了稀土离子Eu3+，Tb3+，Dy3+，Sm3+，Er3+和类汞离子Pb2＋在这些薄膜中的发光性质和能量传递性质。同时利用软石印法结合毛细管微模板技术实现了发光薄膜的图案化。SEM以及AFM结果表明，利用溶胶一凝胶法制备的发光薄膜表面致密均匀，无开裂。通过增加镀膜溶液的粘度、镀膜的次数可以有效的控制薄膜的厚度，使其达到理想的范围。由此可见溶胶一凝胶法是一种比较理想的制备发光薄膜的方法。在三元氧磷灰石稀土硅酸盐Ca2R8（SiO4）6O2（R＝YGd）体系中，稀土离子Eu3+，Tb3+在Ca2Y8（SiO4）6O2基质中占据低刘·称性格位6h（Cs）和4f（C3），并以其特征的红光发射（5Do-7F2）和绿光发射（5D4-7F5）为主。Eu3+，Tb3+发光的最佳浓度分别为Y3+的10mol％和6mol％，Ca2Y8（51O4）6O2:Eu3＋薄膜样品的发光强度和寿命随着烧结温度的升高而增加，Ca2Y8（SiO4）6O2:Tb3+薄膜样品的发光强度和寿命在800℃时最大，随后又随烧结温度的升高有所下降，Pb2＋可以敏化Ca2Gd8（SiO4 ）6O2中Gd3+的基质晶格，通过Pb2＋→Gd3十→（Gd3＋）n→A3＋形式传递和转移能量。在YVO4体系中，利用Pechini溶胶一凝胶法以无机盐为主要原料，柠檬酸为络合剂，利用聚乙二醇调节镀膜溶液的粘度，制备了YvO4:A（A＝Eu3＋ Dy3＋，Sm3＋，Er3＋）纳米发光薄膜。结合软石印法，通过简单工艺实现了发光薄膜图案化烧结过程中图案化薄膜有一定程度的收缩，存在一定的缺陷。得到的条纹在紫外灯下发出明亮的红光。掺杂的稀土离子在YVO4薄膜中显示它们特征发射，同时VO43-和稀土离子之间存在能量传递。Dy3＋，Sm3＋，Er3十发光的最佳浓度皆为Y3+的2mol％，这三者的发光淬灭是由交叉驰豫引起的。在LaPO4发光薄膜中，Etl3+以591nm的5Do-7Fl跃迁发射为主，呈现红橙光；Tb3＋以543nm的5D4-7F5发射为主，属于绿光发射。Ce3＋则由其特有的5d-4f双峰发射组成。Tb3＋和Eu3+掺杂的样品发光强度和荧光寿命随烧结温度的升局而增加。Tb3+和Eu3+的寿命曲线符合指数衰减，但Tb3十在LaPO4:Ce，Tb薄膜中，所得的寿命曲线不符合单指数衰减。Ce3+和Tb3+之间存在吸收能量传递。通过计算得到能量传递效率可以达到95％以上。XRD结果表明，从x＝0到x＝1 YVxP1-xO4:Eu3+薄膜形成了一系列具有错石结构的固熔体。在YVxP1-xO4:Eu3+（0≤x≤1）系列薄膜中，随着x值的增加，Eu3+的发光强度和红橙比逐渐增大。除x＝0，其它的Eu3+的红橙比都大于1，说明在发射光谱中，以Eu3+禁戒5Do一7F2电偶极跃迁为主，Etls十在基质中处于低对称性格位。当x＝0时，即Y0.98Eu0.l2PO4薄膜中，Eu3+，仍处于D2d低对称性格位，但5D0一7FI橙光发射却比SD0一7F2红光发射强。x对Y0.98Eu0.02VxP1-xO4（0≤x≤l）薄膜寿命曲线有很大的影响，当0≤x≤0.5时，Eu3+5 D0-7F2发射呈单指数衰减；当x≥0.6时，Eu3+5D0-7F2发射的衰减曲线比较复杂，不能用单指数拟合。YVxP1-xO4:A3＋（0≤x≤1，A＝Er，Sm）薄膜中，由于存在VO43-A3+，以及VO43-（VO43-）n-A3+（n≥1）形式的能量传递，同时由于浓度淬灭，VO43-的蓝光发射在0.1≤x≤1范围内，随x的增加而减弱，当x＝1时，VO43-的蓝光发射被完全淬灭，而A3+发光强度随x的增加而增加。在RVO4:A3+（R＝Y，La，Gd，A＝Eu，Sm，Er）纳米发光薄膜中，R对稀土离子发光性质的影响主要是由于基质晶体结构的不同。A3+在YVO4和GdVO4中属于D2d对称性，在YVO4和GdVO4薄膜中A3+的光谱性质基本相同，而LaVO4属于单斜晶系，具有独居石结构。A3+在LaVO4中属于C1对称性。C1对称性比D2d对称性低，A3+的发光光谱中谱线的位置以及谱线的劈裂数目都略有不同。由于Gd3+和发光离子之间的能量传递，A3+在GdVO4基质中的发光最强。

溶胶-凝胶软石印法制备硅酸盐发光薄膜及其图案化

利用瑞利波信息反演层状半空间介质的性质和状态，是地震勘探、岩土工程、及超声检测领域关注的研究课题。本文由层状半空间瑞利波的实验数据，分析给出了层状半空间中瑞利波的传播模式和频散曲线，并进而利用基阶和（或）高阶模式瑞利波频散曲线反演了层状介质参数。本文分别用数值模拟和实验分析进行了深入的研究。在数值模拟中，采用地震勘探中常用的爆炸点源激发产生的瑞利波，利用频率波数分析方法分析了层状半空间瑞利波的频散，考察了源检距，道间距，接收道数目等因素对频散曲线的影响，给出了这些参数的定量要求。研究表明频率波数分析方法得到的频散曲线和按激发强度占主导的模式随频率的变化而形成的跳跃频散曲线一致。对于速度递增的层状半空间，反演时可以仅考虑基阶模式的瑞利波频散曲线，对于含有低速层的层状半空间，则必须考虑模式跳跃后形成的“之”字形频散曲线。在用遗传算法反演介质参数时，也必须考虑激发强度占主导地位的模式随频率的变化，从而恰当地设计目标函数，才能得出对层状介质参数的正确反演。在超声实验中，用表面圆形法向力源激发的瑞利波，对三个层状半空间模型，即均匀半空间，速度递增的两层半空间，含低速层的三层半空间，利用我们实验室自行研制的数字式多通道发射和接收系统，进行了超声探测实验。通过对实验得到的多道瑞利波信号，利用频率波数分析的方法得到了和理论结果一致的实验频散曲线，并基此利用遗传算法实现了层状介质参数的正确反演，得到了和实际介质参数相符的反演结果。数值模拟和实验研究的结果均表明，由实验数据正确给出频散曲线和相应的采用遗传算法发展的适合层状半空间介质的反演方法，是一种优良的反演方法，一般可以找到全局的最优解。获得介质性状较好反演结果的原因，是因为我们首次考虑到了由激发强度决定的占主导地位的模式随频率的变化规律，对应地我们建立了爆炸点源和表面法向力源激发下，分层半空间多模瑞利波模式分析及频散曲线获取和介质参数反演的系统方法。此外，本文最后为了与频率波数分析的结果进行对比，研究了时频分析方法一魏格纳维尔分布，用数值模拟和实验结果分析了层状介质中瑞利波的频散曲线。结果表明时频分析方法获得的频散曲线不及多道频率波数分析得到的瑞利波频散曲线准确。不过由于时频分析仅需要一个接收道的数据就能给出结果，比多道频率波数分析方法要简便，如果能对此方法加以改进，还是一种具有前景的分析方法。总的来说，本文系统地给出了用瑞利波反演分层半空间介质性质和层厚的方法，并给出了相应的软件。数值模拟和实验研究表明，本文给出的建立在严格理论基础上的方法，为用瑞利波探测地层和超声探测层状介质，奠定了可靠的基础。在此基础上，进一步发展相应的系统解释软件，可望能提供给地层勘探，层状材料和薄膜的超声探测等领域应用。

InP-base resonant tunneling diodes

We have fabricated In_0.53Ga_0.47As/AlAs/InP resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) based on the air-bridge technology by using electron beam lithography processing.The epitaxial layers of the RTD were grown on semi-insulating (100) InP substrates by molecular beam epitaxy.RTDs with a peak current density of 24.6 kA/cm~2 and a peak-to-valley current ratio of 8.6 at room temperature have been demonstrated.

A High Performance AlGaN/GaN HEMT with a New Method for T-Gate Layout Design

We propose and fabricate an A1GaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor （HEMT） on sapphire substrate using a new kind of electron beam （EB） lithography layout for the T-gate. Using this new layout,we can change the aspect ratio （ratio of top gate dimension to gate length） and modify the shape of the T-gate freely. Therefore, we obtain a 0.18μm gate-length AlGaN/GaN HEMT with a unity current gain cutoff frequency （f_T） of 65GHz. The aspect ratio of the T-gate is 10. These single finger devices also exhibit a peak extrinsic transconductance of 287mS/mm and a maximum drain current as high as 980mA/mm.

One-Dimensional InP-Based Photonic Crystal Quantum Cascade Laser Emitting at 5.36μm

An InP-based one-dimensional photonic crystal quantum cascade laser is realized. With photo lithography instead of electron beam lithography and using inductively coupled plasma etching, four-period air-semiconductor couples are defined as Bragg reflectors at one end of the resonator. The spectral measurement at 80K shows the quasi-continuous-wave operation with the wavelength of 5.36μm for a 22μm-wide and 2mm-long epilayer-up bonded device.

Experimental Study on the Subthreshold Swing of Silicon Nanowire Transistors

SOI based wrap-gate silicon nanowire FETs are fabricated through electron beam lithography and wet etching. Dry thermal oxidation is used to further reduce the patterned fins cross section and transfer them into nanowires. Silicon nanowire FETs with different nanowire widths varying from 60 nm to 200 nm are fabricated and the number of the nanowires contained in a channel is also varied. The on-current (I-ON) and off-current (I-OFF) of the fabricated silicon nanowire FET are 0.59 mu A and 0.19 nA respectively. The subthreshold swing (SS) and the drain induced barrier lowering are 580 mV/dec and 149 mVN respectively due to the 30 nm thick gate oxide and 1015 cm(-3) lightly doped silicon nanowire channel. The nanowire width dependence of SS is shown and attributed to the fact that the side-gate parts of a wrap gate play a more effectual role as the nanowires in a channel get narrower. It seems the nanowire number in a channel has no effect on SS because the side-gate parts fill in the space between two adjacent nanowires.

Surface Emitting Distributed Feedback Quantum Cascade Laser around 8.3 mu m

We demonstrate surface emitting distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers emitting at wavelengths from 8.1 mu m at 90 K to 8.4 mu m at 210 K. The second-order metalized grating is carefully designed using a modified coupled-mode theory and fabricated by contact lithography. The devices show single mode behavior with a side mode suppression ratio above 18 dB at all working temperatures. At 90 K, the device emits an optical power of 101 mW from the surface and 199 mW from the edge. In addition, a double-lobe far-field pattern with a separation of 2.2 degrees is obtained in the direction along the waveguide.

Production of EUV power with SECRAL

The high power EUV source is one of key issues in the development of EUV lithography which is considered to be the most promising technology among the next generation lithography. However neither DPP nor LPP seems to meet the requirements of the commercial high-volume product. Insufficiency of DPP and LPP motivate the investigation of other means to produce the EUV radiation required in lithography. ECR plasma seems to be one of the alternatives. In order to investigate the feasibility of ECR plasma as a EUV light source, the EUV power emitted by SECRAL was measured. A EUV power of 1.03W in 4 pi sr solid angle was obtained when 2000W 18GHz rf power was launched, and the corresponding CE was 0.5%. Considering that SECRAL is designed to produce very high charge state ions, this very preliminary result is inspiring. Room-temperature ECR plasma and Sn plasma are both in the planned schedule.