New Types of Mid/Far-Infrared Semiconductor Lasers for CW Room-temperature Operation

用于连续波室温操作的新型中/远红外半导体激光器

• 批准号: 0501537
• 负责人: Vitaly Kocharovsky
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Texas A&M Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-06-01 至 2009-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0501537&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: New; Types; Mid; Far; Infrared

The goal of the project is the fabrication and study of Nonlinear-Mixing Lasers: a new type of mid/far-IR semiconductor lasers based on the original concept of difference-frequency generation by two self-generated optical fields in a composite, dual-wavelength laser cavity. Injection-pumped lasers with two vertically stacked active regions separated by thin tunnel junction that enables current flow through active regions in series will be developed. The edge-emitting and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers will be implemented, as well as lasers with two butt-joint optically-coupled diodes. The concept of nonlinear self-mixing has been already demonstrated in our prior work using butt-joint lasers as well as quantum cascade lasers. The dual wavelength laser will be based on the all-epitaxial, lithographically-defined fabrication technique. Due to the nonlinear, inversionless nature of difference-frequency generation, the laser threshold is effectively defined by a low threshold for lasing on the interband transitions. Thus, the proposed laser is expected to have a low threshold current density, which enables stable continuous-wave room-temperature operation.The proposed Nonlinear-Mixing Lasers combine unique features of standard near-IR diode lasers (high compactness, reliability, continuous-wave room-temperature operation, low threshold injection pumping, high efficiency) with possibility of a widely tunable operation in the mid/far-IR range, including THz range and atmospheric transparency windows. Due to this combination, and the lack of commercially available continuous-wave room-temperature semiconductor lasers in this range, they hold promise to find a wide range of highly demanded applications in pollution monitoring, defense, wireless communications, security systems, chemistry, biology, and medicine.The project will have strong broader impacts. Two graduate students will be involved in the project on a permanent basis and supported by the grant. The proposed collaboration of two major research and education centers of the nation - TAMU and UT-Austin - creates unique opportunity for human resource development and enhancement of the infrastructure for research and education. The Investigators are committed to organize an exchange of students on a regular basis and research student seminars alternating between TAMU and UT-Austin as well as to engage students to participate in scientific meetings. The project supports an extensive use of the multi-user facilities, such as MOCVD and MBE epitaxial growth facilities at the UT-Austin, which serve as major sites of research and mentoring for large number of science and engineering students. Benefits to the society are evident from the above list of applications.

该项目的目标是非线性混合激光器的制造和研究：一种新型的中/远红外半导体激光器，基于在复合双波长激光腔中由两个自生光场产生差频的原始概念。将开发具有两个垂直堆叠的有源区域的注入泵浦激光器，这些有源区域由薄隧道结分开，使电流能够串联流过有源区域。将实现边缘发射和垂直腔面发射激光器，以及具有两个对接光耦合二极管的激光器。非线性自混合的概念已经在我们之前使用对接激光器和量子级联激光器的工作中得到了证明。双波长激光器将基于全外延、光刻定义的制造技术。由于差频产生的非线性、无反转特性，激光阈值被有效地定义为带间跃迁的低阈值。因此，所提出的激光器有望具有低阈值电流密度，从而实现稳定的连续波室温操作。所提出的非线性混合激光器结合了标准近红外二极管激光器的独特特性（高紧凑性，可靠性，连续波室温操作，低阈值注入泵浦，高效率），以及在中/远红外范围（包括太赫兹范围和大气透明窗口）广泛可调操作的可能性。由于这种组合，以及在此范围内缺乏商用连续波室温半导体激光器，它们有望在污染监测，国防，无线通信，安全系统，化学，生物和医学中找到广泛的高需求应用。该项目将产生更广泛的影响。两名研究生将永久参与该项目，并获得资助。美国两大主要研究和教育中心——TAMU和UT-Austin的拟议合作，为人力资源开发和加强研究和教育基础设施创造了独特的机会。研究人员承诺定期组织学生交换，并在TAMU和UT-Austin之间轮流组织研究学生研讨会，并吸引学生参加科学会议。该项目支持广泛使用多用户设施，如得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的MOCVD和MBE外延生长设施，这些设施是大量理工科学生研究和指导的主要场所。从上面的应用列表中可以明显看出对社会的好处。