Spontaneous and stimulated light emission due to radiative recombination in forward biased lead telluride P-N junctions

Since the discovery in 1962 of laser action in semiconductor diodes made from GaAs, the study of spontaneous and stimulated light emission from semiconductors has become an exciting new field of semiconductor physics and quantum electronics combined. Included in the limited number of direct-gap semiconductor materials suitable for laser action are the members of the lead salt family, i.e . PbS, PbSe and PbTe. The material used for the experiments described herein is PbTe . The semiconductor PbTe is a narrow band- gap material (E_g = 0.19 electron volt at a temperature of 4.2°K). Therefore, the radiative recombination of electron-hole pairs between the conduction and valence bands produces photons whose wavelength is in the infrared (λ ≈ 6.5 microns in air).

The p-n junction diode is a convenient device in which the spontaneous and stimulated emission of light can be achieved via current flow in the forward-bias direction. Consequently, the experimental devices consist of a group of PbTe p-n junction diodes made from p –type single crystal bulk material. The p - n junctions were formed by an n-type vapor- phase diffusion perpendicular to the (100) plane, with a junction depth of approximately 75 microns. Opposite ends of the diode structure were cleaved to give parallel reflectors, thereby forming the Fabry-Perot cavity needed for a laser oscillator. Since the emission of light originates from the recombination of injected current carriers, the nature of the radiation depends on the injection mechanism.

The total intensity of the light emitted from the PbTe diodes was observed over a current range of three to four orders of magnitude. At the low current levels, the light intensity data were correlated with data obtained on the electrical characteristics of the diodes. In the low current region (region A), the light intensity, current-voltage and capacitance-voltage data are consistent with the model for photon-assisted tunneling. As the current is increased, the light intensity data indicate the occurrence of a change in the current injection mechanism from photon-assisted tunneling (region A) to thermionic emission (region B). With the further increase of the injection level, the photon-field due to light emission in the diode builds up to the point where stimulated emission (oscillation) occurs. The threshold current at which oscillation begins marks the beginning of a region (region C) where the total light intensity increases very rapidly with the increase in current. This rapid increase in intensity is accompanied by an increase in the number of narrow-band oscillating modes. As the photon density in the cavity continues to increase with the injection level, the intensity gradually enters a region of linear dependence on current (region D), i.e. a region of constant (differential) quantum efficiency.

Data obtained from measurements of the stimulated-mode light-intensity profile and the far-field diffraction pattern (both in the direction perpendicular to the junction-plane) indicate that the active region of high gain (i.e. the region where a population inversion exists) extends to approximately a diffusion length on both sides of the junction. The data also indicate that the confinement of the oscillating modes within the diode cavity is due to a variation in the real part of the dielectric constant, caused by the gain in the medium. A value of τ ≈ 10^-9 second for the minority- carrier recombination lifetime (at a diode temperature of 20.4°K) is obtained from the above measurements. This value for τ is consistent with other data obtained independently for PbTe crystals.

Data on the threshold current for stimulated emission (for a diode temperature of 20. 4°K) as a function of the reciprocal cavity length were obtained. These data yield a value of J’_th = (400 ± 80) amp/cm² for the threshold current in the limit of an infinitely long diode-cavity. A value of α = (30 ± 15) cm^-1 is obtained for the total (bulk) cavity loss constant, in general agreement with independent measurements of free- carrier absorption in PbTe. In addition, the data provide a value of n_s ≈ 10% for the internal spontaneous quantum efficiency. The above value for n_s yields values of t_b ≈ τ ≈ 10^-9 second and t_s ≈ 10^-8 second for the nonradiative and the spontaneous (radiative) lifetimes, respectively.

The external quantum efficiency (n_d) for stimulated emission from diode J-2 (at 20.4° K) was calculated by using the total light intensity vs. diode current data, plus accepted values for the material parameters of the mercury- doped germanium detector used for the measurements. The resulting value is n_d ≈ 10%-20% for emission from both ends of the cavity. The corresponding radiative power output (at λ = 6.5 micron) is 120-240 milliwatts for a diode current of 6 amps.

Upconversion and fluorescence spectral studies of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped Bi(2)Q(3)-GeO2-Ga(2)Q(3)-Na2O glasses

The absorption spectra and upconversion fluorescence spectra of Er3+/-Yb3+-codoped natrium-gallium-germanium-bismuth glasses are measured and investigated. The intense green (533 and 549 nm) and red (672 nm) emission bands were simultaneously observed at room temperature. The quadratic dependence of the green and red emission on excitation power indicates that the two-photon absorption processes occur. The influence of Ga2C3 on upconversion intensity is investigated. The intensity of green emissions increases slowly with increasing Ga2O3 content, while the intensity of red emission increases significantly. The possible upconversion mechanisms for these glasses have also been discussed. The maximum phonon energy of the glasses determined based on the infrared (IR) spectral analysis is as low as 740 cm(-1). The studies indicate that Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3-Na2O glasses may be potential materials for developing upconversion optical devices (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Nd3+螯合物的含氢有机溶液光谱性能研究

Tris-thenoyltrifluroacetonate of Nd3+ has been prepared and dissolved in DMF solation with very high concentration, and the contained hydrogen has not been substituted by deuterium. The absorption spectrum, emission spectrum, and fluorescence lifetime of the solution were measured. Very obvious characteristic fluorescence peaks were observed at 898 and 1058 nm. Based on Judd-Ofelt theory, three intensity parameters were obtained: Omega(2) = 4.9 x 10(-20) cm(2), Omega(4) = 5.1 x 10(-20) cm(2) and Omega(6) = 2.5 x 10(-20) cm(2). Line strengths S-cal, oscillator strengths f(cal), radiative transition probabilities A(ed), radiative lifetimes tau(r) and branch ratios beta were calculated too. The measured lifetime tau of 1058 nm peak is 460 mu s, and that of 898 nm 505 mu s. Comparison between theoretically computed radiative lifetime tau(r)(682 mu s) and the measured lifetime indicates that the non-radiative transition probability of the solution is very low and the fluorescence quantum efficiency very high. High values of three intensity parameters prove the high asymmetric surroundings of Nd3+, which is important for Nd3+ to absorb the excitation energy. Spectropic quality factor Omega(4)/Omega(6) > 1 makes radiation at 898 nm stronger than at 1058 nm.

掺镱双包层光纤放大器高功率脉冲放大特性

从放大器速率方程出发，分析了掺镱双包层光纤放大器的放大特性。模拟计算了无信号输入时放大器上能级粒子数、泵浦功率和放大自发辐射（ASE）在放大器中的稳态分布。分析了前向和后向泵浦时，高功率高斯脉冲放大时的脉冲波形畸变、上能级粒子数的时间特性、放大器存储能量和脉冲能量演化等动态特性。讨论了掺镱双包层光纤放大器输出脉冲能量随不同输入脉冲峰值功率和泵浦功率的关系。该模型和结论对高功率脉冲放大器的设计和优化具有一定的理论指导意义。

增益随机散射介质中的非相干辐射

用蒙特卡罗方法仿真了增益随机散射体中的非相干辐射，观察了非相干随机激光的特性。当抽运能量超过一定阈值时，散射体的整体辐射谱突然变窄；随着抽运能量继续增大，在光滑谱背景上会出现分离尖峰；散射体内空间某位置处频率组成不是单一的；辐射谱中某单个频率的空间方向分布和位置分布比较广。增益随机散射体中产生的非相干随机激光本质上既不同于无反馈的普通放大自发辐射，又不同于相干反馈形成的常规激光。解释了非相干随机激光辐射谱上出现分离尖峰的原因，出现这种现象是由于少数光子在增益散射体中经历较多次数散射后得到了相对充分的放大。

Optimization of Pulse Temporal Contrast in Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplification

In optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA), the degradation of temporal contrast of the compressed signal pulse mainly results from spectral clipping in the grating stretcher with finite size of the optics, parametric fluorescence (PF) and the spectral variations transferred from temporal fluctuation of the pump pulse. The temporal contrast of the recompressed amplified pulse in the OPCPA system is studied numerically and a number of solutions are considered and optimized to achieve the highest temporal contrast.

一种新的芴类衍生物的三光子吸收诱导荧光和光限幅效应研究

通过对新合成的芴的一种具有对称性衍生物4-2-（7-（4-氨基苯乙烯基）-9，9-二（2-乙基己基）-9H-芴-2-）乙烯基）苯胺（BASF）的DMF溶液的研究，发现其具有很强三光子吸收频率上转换荧光发射特性，实验测出上转换荧光的波长范围是456-775nm，在510nm处的荧光强度与入射光强的三次方成正比．在0．03mol／L的浓度下就有明显的三光子吸收诱导的光限幅效应．非线性吸收系数和吸收截面分别为y=4．34×10^20 cm^3／W^2和σ3=2．4×10^-39 cm^6／W^2．

Origin of Chinese ancient glasses;study on the earliest Chinese ancient glasses

The earliest Chinese ancient glasses before the West Han Dynasty (200 BC) from different regions are studied. The glass samples were unearthed from Hunan, Hubei, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangdong and Xinjiang of China. The chemical composition of these glasses samples is analyzed by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) method and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). It is shown that the glass chemical compositions belong to barium-lead silicate BaO-PbO-SiO2, potash soda lime silicate K2O (Na2O)-CaO-SiO2 (K2O/Na2O > 1), soda potash lime silicate Na2O (K2O)-CaO-SiO2 (K2O/Na2O < 1) and potash silicate K2O-SiO2 glass systems, respectively. The origins of the earliest Chinese ancient glasses are discussed from the archaeological and historical points of view. These four types of Chinese ancient glasses were all made in Chinese territory using local raw materials. The glass preparation technology was related to the Chinese ancient bronze metallurgy and proto-porcelain glaze technology. The glass technology relationship between the East and the West is analyzed at the same time.

一批中国古玻璃化学成分的质子激发X射线荧光分析

质子激发X射线荧光(proton induced X-ray emission，PIXE)技术是一种高灵敏度、非破坏性、多元素定量测定的分析方法。采用外束PIXE技术对内蒙古地区和博山出土的一批古代玻璃的化学成分进行了定量测定。结果表明：内蒙古地区出土的玻璃中，西周时期的玻璃珠是含有少量K2O和CaO助熔剂的釉砂，其主要成分为SiO2；汉代的玻璃珠属于PbO—SiO2玻璃；多数元代的玻璃制品和部分北魏时期的玻璃珠属于K2O—CaO—SiO2玻璃。博山出土的元末明初的玻璃基本为KzO-CaO—SiO2系玻璃