Terahertz Electro-Optics and Intersubband Micro-Plasmonics in Semiconductor Quantum Well Devices

半导体量子阱器件中的太赫兹电光和子带间微等离子体

• 批准号: 0703925
• 负责人: Mark Sherwin
• 金额: $ 39万
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Barbara
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-07-01 至 2010-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0703925&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Terahertz; Electro; Optics; Intersubband; Micro

*****NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT**** This research program explores the response of semiconductor devices (designed and fabricated at UC Santa Barbara) in the "terahertz (THz) gap" of the electromagnetic spectrum between 0.1 and 10 THz. A frequency of 1 THz corresponds to 1 trillion (1012) cycles per second, 1000 times faster than the frequency at which cell phones broadcast, and 500 times lower than the frequency of green light. A new kind of detector for terahertz radiation will be explored, potentially useful for applications including security, medicine, and non-destructive materials testing. At the heart of this detector is a "gas" of electrons confined in a thin layer. The electrons will be forced perpendicular to the layer to search for the simultaneous existence of two stable operating states ("optical bistability," potentially useful as a terahertz-activated switch), spontaneous oscillation (a potential terahertz source) and a "chaotic" current induced by periodic driving (chaos is not normally observed in quantum mechanical systems). Strong terahertz radiation will also be used to enhance the functionalities of semiconductor optical devices, such as optical modulators used to transmit information over fiber-optic cables. Undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers will receive broad experimental training. Along with the PI, they will bring novel outreach materials to local K-12 schools. *****TECHNICAL ABSTRACT**** This research program explores the response of semiconductor quantum devices, designed and fabricated at UC Santa Barbara, to electromagnetic fields in the region of the spectrum between 0.1 and 10 THz. A new kind of antenna-coupled detector for terahertz radiation, based on intersubband transitions in semiconductor quantum wells, will be used as a platform for investigating a wide range of nonlinear quantum phenomena which are predicted to occur when a 2-D electron gas is forced perpendicular to the plane in which it is confined. The nonlinearity arises in theories from the strong electron-electron interaction. Strong THz radiation will also be used to search for modifications of the near-IR transmission of quantum wells. Predictions include cross-modulation of arbitrarily weak NIR beams in the presence of strong THz driving. Undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers will receive broad experimental training. They and the PI will also bring novel outreach materials to local K-12 schools.

***** 非技术摘要 **** 本研究计划探讨半导体器件（在加州大学圣巴巴拉分校设计和制造）在0.1至10 THz电磁频谱的“太赫兹（THz）间隙”中的响应。 1太赫兹的频率对应于每秒1万亿（1012）个周期，比手机广播的频率快1000倍，比绿色光的频率低500倍。一种新型的太赫兹辐射探测器将被探索，可能用于安全，医学和非破坏性材料测试等应用。 这种探测器的核心是一种被限制在薄层中的电子“气体”。 电子将被迫垂直于层，以寻找同时存在的两个稳定的操作状态（“光学双稳态”，可能用作太赫兹激活开关），自发振荡（潜在的太赫兹源）和由周期性驱动引起的“混沌”电流（混沌通常在量子力学系统中观察不到）。 强太赫兹辐射还将用于增强半导体光学器件的功能，例如用于通过光纤电缆传输信息的光学调制器。 本科生，研究生和博士后研究人员将接受广泛的实验培训。 沿着PI，他们将为当地的K-12学校带来新的宣传材料。 * 技术摘要 * 该研究项目探讨了在加州大学圣巴巴拉分校设计和制造的半导体量子器件对0.1至10 THz频谱区域内电磁场的响应。 基于半导体量子威尔斯阱中的子带间跃迁，设计了一种新型的天线耦合太赫兹辐射探测器，该探测器将被用作研究二维电子气垂直于其所处平面时可能发生的各种非线性量子现象的平台。 理论上的非线性是由电子-电子间的强相互作用引起的。 强太赫兹辐射也将被用来寻找量子威尔斯的近红外传输的修改。 预测包括交叉调制任意弱近红外光束在强太赫兹驱动的存在。 本科生，研究生和博士后研究人员将接受广泛的实验培训。 他们和PI还将为当地的K-12学校带来新的宣传材料。