250 MHz repetition rate monolithically integrated modulated mode-locked semiconductor laser

We present the first monolithically integrated semiconductor pulse source consisting of a mode-locked laser diode, Mach-Zehnder pulse picker, and semiconductor optical amplifier. Pairs of 5.6 ps pulses are generated at a 250 MHz repetition rate. © 2012 OSA.

Comparison of the coherence properties of superradiance and laser emission in semiconductor structures

The coherence properties of a transient electron-hole state developing during superradiance emission in semiconductor laser structures have been studied experimentally using a Michelson interferometer and Young's classic double-slit configuration. The results demonstrate that, in the lasers studied, the first-order correlation function, which quantifies spatial coherence, approaches unity for superradiant emission and is 0.2-0.5 for laser emission. The supercoherence is due to long-range ordering upon the superradiant phase transition. © 2012 Kvantovaya Elektronika and Turpion Ltd.

Nature of the electronic band gap in lanthanide oxides

Accurate electronic structures of the technologically important lanthanide/rare-earth sesquioxides (Ln2O3, with Ln=La, ⋯,Lu) and CeO2 have been calculated using hybrid density functionals HSE03, HSE06, and screened exchange (sX-LDA). We find that these density functional methods describe the strongly correlated Ln f electrons as well as the recent G0W0@LDA+U results, generally yielding the correct band gaps and trends across the Ln period. For HSE, the band gap between O 2p states and lanthanide 5d states is nearly independent of the lanthanide, while the minimum gap varies as filled or empty Ln 4f states come into this gap. sX-LDA predicts the unoccupied 4f levels at higher energies, which leads to a better agreement with experiments for Sm2O 3, Eu2O3, and Yb2O3. © 2013 American Physical Society.