Design of surface emitting distributed feedback quantum cascade laser with single-lobe far-field pattern and high outcoupling efficiency

A 7.8-mu m surface emitting second-order distributed feedback quantum cascade laser (DFB QCL) structure with metallized surface grating is studied. The modal property of this structure is described by utilizing coupled-mode theory where the coupling coefficients are derived from exact Floquet-Bloch solutions of infinite periodic structure. Based on this theory, the influence of waveguide structure and grating topography as well as device length on the laser performance is numerically investigated. The optimized surface emitting second-order DFB QCL structure design exhibits a high surface outcoupling efficiency of 22% and a low threshold gain of 10 cm(-1). Using a pi phase-shift in the centre of the grating, a high-quality single-lobe far-field radiation pattern is obtained.

Broadband external cavity tunable quantum dot lasers with low injection current density

Broadband grating-coupled external cavity laser, based on InAs/GaAs quantum dots, is achieved. The device has a wavelength tuning range from 1141.6 nm to 1251.7 nm under a low continuous-wave injection current density (458 A/cm(2)). The tunable bandwidth covers consecutively the light emissions from both the ground state and the 1st excited state of quantum dots. The effects of cavity length and antireflection facet coating on device performance are studied. It is shown that antireflection facet coating expands the tuning bandwidth up to similar to 150 nm, accompanied by an evident increase in threshold current density, which is attributed to the reduced interaction between the light field and the quantum dots in the active region of the device.

Kondo effect in a triangular triple quantum dots ring with three terminals

For a triangular triple quantum dots (TTQDs) ring with three terminals, when lowering one of the dot-lead coupling to realize the left-right (L-R) reflection symmetry coupling, the internal C-upsilon of the TTQDs is well preserved in the absence of many-body effect for the symmetric distribution of the dot-lead coupling on the molecular orbits. In the presence of Kondo effect, the decrement of one of the dot-lead couplings suppresses the inter-dot hopping. This happens especially for the coupled quantum dot (QD), which decouples with the other two ones gradually to form a localized state near the Fermi level As a result, the internal dynamic symmetry of the TTQDs ring is reduced to L-R reflection symmetry, and simultaneously, the linear conductance is lifted for the new forming molecular orbit near the Fermi level

High resistance AlGaAs/GaAs quantum cascade detectors grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy operating above liquid nitrogen temperature

This work was supported by the National Research Projects of China (grant numbers are 60525406, 60736031, 60806018, 60906026, 2006CB604903, 2007AA03Z446 and 2009AA03Z403, 10990100, respectively). The authors would like to thank P Liang, Y Hu, H Sun, X L Zhang, B J Sun, H L Zhen and N Li for their help in processing and characterization.

Self-Heating Effect on the Two-State Lasing Behaviors in 1.3-mu m InAs-GaAs Quantum-Dot Lasers

Experimental and theoretical study of the self-heating effect on the two-state lasing behaviors in 1.3-mu m self-assembled InAs-GaAs quantum dot (QD) lasers is presented. Lasing spectra under different injected currents, light-current (L-I) curves measured in continuous and pulsed regimes as well as a rate-equation model considering the current heating have been employed to analyze the ground-state (GS) and excited-state (ES) lasing processes. We show that the self-heating causes the quenching of the GS lasing and the ES lasing by the increased carrier escape rate and the reduced maximum modal gain of GS and ES.

EFFECTIVE-MASS THEORY FOR GAAS/GA1-XALXAS QUANTUM WIRES AND CORRUGATED SUPERLATTICES GROWN ON (311)-ORIENTED SUBSTRATES

The electronic structures of GaAs/Ga1-xAlxAs quantum wires (corrugated superlattices) grown on (311)-oriented substrates are studied in the framework of the effective-mass envelope-function method. The electron and hole subband structure and optical transition matrix elements are calculated. When x=1, the results are compared with experiments, and it is found that the direct transition becomes an indirect transition as the widths of well and barrier become smaller.

PRESSURE-DEPENDENCE OF PHOTOLUMINESCENCE IN IN(X)GA(1-X)AS/AL(Y)GA(1-Y)AS STRAINED QUANTUM-WELLS WITH DIFFERENT WIDTH

A systematic investigation on the photoluminescence (PL) properties of InxGa1-xAs/AlyGa1-xAs (x = 0.15, y = 0, 0.33) strained quantum wells (SQWs) with well widths from 1.7 to 11.0 nm has been performed at 77 K under high pressure up to 40 kbar. The experimental results show that the pressure coefficients of the exciton peaks corresponding to transitions from the first conduction subband to the heavy-hole subband increase from 10.05 meV/kbar of 11.0 nm well to 10.62 meV/kbar of 1.8 nm well for In0.15Ga0.85As/GaAs SQWs. However, the corresponding pressure coefficients slightly decrease from 9.93 meV/kbar of 9.0 nm well to 9.73 meV/kbar of 1.7 nm well for In0.15Ga0.85As/Al0.33Ga0.67As SQWs. Calculations based on the Kronig-Penney model reveal that the increased or decreased barrier heights and the increased effective masses with pressure are the main reasons of the change in the pressure coefficients.

GIANT CAPACITANCE OSCILLATIONS RELATED TO THE QUANTUM CAPACITANCE IN GAAS ALAS SUPERLATTICES

We have observed periodic current and capacitance oscillations with increasing bias on doped GaAs/AlAs superlattices at a temperature of 77 K. The maximum of the observed capacitance is larger than usual geometric capacitances in superlattices, being comparable to the quantum capacitance of the two-dimensional (2D) electron system proposed by Luryi. A model based on well-to-well sequential resonant tunneling due to the movement of the boundary between the electric field domains in superlattice was proposed to explain the origin of the giant capacitance oscillations. It was demonstrated that the capacitance at the peaks of capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics reflects the quantum capacitance of the space-charge region at the boundary between the domains (a novel 2D electron system).

LO-PHONON-ASSISTED TUNNELING IN ASYMMETRIC DOUBLE-WELL STRUCTURES WITH THICK BARRIERS

Nonresonant electron tunneling between asymmetric double quantum wells in AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs systems has been investigated by using steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra. Experimental evidence of LO-phonon-assisted tunneling through thick barriers has been obtained by enhancing excitation power densities or applying electric fields perpendicular to the well plane. LO-phonon-assisted tunneling times have also been estimated from the variation of the decay time of the narrow-well photoluminescence with applied electric fields. Our findings suggest that LO phonons in the barriers play an important role in the tunneling transfer.

PHOTOLUMINESCENCE STUDIES OF INXGA1-XAS/GAAS STRAINED QUANTUM-WELLS UNDER HYDROSTATIC-PRESSURE

The photoluminescence from InxG1-xAs/GaAs strained quantum wells with thickness from 30 to 160 angstrom have been studied at 77 K under hydrostatic pressure up to 60 kbar. It was found that the pressure coefficients of the exciton peaks corresponding to transitions from the first conduction subband to the heavy-hole subband increased with reduced well width, in contrast to the case of GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs quantum wells. Calculations revealed that the increased barrier height with pressure was the major cause of the change in the pressure coefficients. Two peaks related to indirect transitions were observed at pressures higher than 50 kbar. They are attributed to type-I transitions from the lowest conduction-band edge, which are the strain splitted X(xy) valleys, to the heavy-hole subband in the InxGa1-xAs well.

EXTREMELY LOW THRESHOLD CURRENT, BURIED-HETEROSTRUCTURE STRAINED INGAAS GAAS MULTIQUANTUM WELL LASERS

A very low CW threshold current of 1.65 mA at room temperature was obtained for an uncoated buried-heterostructure strained layer multiquantum well InGaAs-GaAs laser fabricated using hybrid molecular beam epitaxy and liquid phase epitaxy crystal growth technique. External differential quantum efficiency as high as 44.6% (0.53 mW/mA) and output power of more than 30 mW per facet were achieved in the same laser.

THIN-FILM BIPBSRCACUO DIRECT-CURRENT SUPERCONDUCTING QUANTUM INTERFERING DEVICES OPERATING AT 78-K

Direct current SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference devices) have been successfully fabricated by using a Pb-doped BiSrCaCuO superconducting thin film made by mixed evaporation of a single source composed of related components with a resistance heater. The dc SQUID comprises a square washer with a small hole. These SQUIDs show perfectly periodic voltage-flux characteristics without magnetic shield, that is, typically, the flux noise and energy resolution at a frequency range from dc to 1 Hz and at 78 K being 1.7 x 10(-3) PHI-0/ square-root Hz and 3.6 x 10(-26) J/Hz, respectively. Meanwhile, we have found out that one of the SQUIDs still was able to operate on flux-locked mode without bias currents and showed voltage-flux second harmonic characteristics. This phenomenon is not well understood, but it may be related to I-V (current-voltage) characteristics of the dc SQUID.

PRESSURE BEHAVIOR OF INXGA1-XAS/GAAS STRAINED QUANTUM-WELLS WITH DIFFERENT WIDTHS

The photoluminescence of InxGa1-xAs/GaAs strained quantum wells with widths of 30 angstrom to 160 angstrom have been studied at 77 K under hydrostatic pressure up to 60 kbar. It is found that the pressure coefficients of exciton peaks from 1st conduction subband to heavy hole subband increase from 9.74 meV/kbar for a 160 angstrom well to 10.12 meV/kbar for a 30 angstrom well. The calculation based on the Kronig-Penney model indicated that the extension of the electronic wave function to the barrier layer in the narrow wells is one of the reasons for the increase of the pressure coefficients with the decrease of well width. Two peaks related to indirect transitions were observed at pressures higher than 50 kbar.

ELECTRONIC-STRUCTURES OF QUANTUM WIRES FORMED BY LATERAL STRAIN

The electronic structures of quantum wires formed by lateral strain are studied in the framework of the effective-mass envelope-function method. The hole energy levels, wave functions, and optical transition matrix elements are calculated for the real quantum-wire structure, and the results are compared with experiment. It is found that one-dimensional confinement effects exist for both electronic and hole states related to the n (001) = 1 state. The lateral strained confinement causes luminescence-peak redshifts and polarization anisotropy, and the anisotropy is more noticeable than that in the unstrained case. The variation of hole energy levels with well widths in the [110] and [001] directions and wave vector along the [110BAR] direction are also obtained.

INFLUENCES OF ALLOY DISORDER AND INTERFACE ROUGHNESS ON OPTICAL-SPECTRA OF INGAAS/GAAS STRAINED-LAYER QUANTUM-WELLS

We present studies of alloy composition and layer thickness dependences of excitonic linewidths in InGaAs/GaAs strained-layer quantum wells grown by MBE, using both photoluminescence and optical absorption. It is observed that linewidths of exciton spectra increase with indium content and well size. Using the virtual crystal approximation, the experimental data are analyzed. The results obtained show that the alloy disorder is the dominant mechanism for line broadening at low temperature. In addition, it is found that the absorption spectra related to light hole transitions have varied from a peak to a step-like structure as temperature increases. This behavior can be understood by the indirect space transitions of light holes.