Mid-infrared Ultra-strong Coupling Polariton Emitters

中红外超强耦合极化子发射器

• 批准号: 1508961
• 负责人: Anthony Hoffman
• 金额: $ 33.7万
• 依托单位: University of Notre Dame
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-05-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1508961&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Mid; infrared; Ultra; strong; Coupling

Abstract: Mid-infrared metamaterial intersubband polariton emittersNontechnical: The goal of the project is to develop mid-infrared optical sources by engineering the quantum mechanical interaction between light and semiconductor quantum wells in metamaterials with designer photonic environments. Many molecules of interest interact strongly with mid-infrared light (3-30 ìm) and these new sources will enable sensing and imaging for applications in industry, medicine, and homeland security. The program combines quantum and photonic engineering to design fundamentally new sources with improved emission efficiency. Special quantum states that are simultaneously light and matter are incorporated into metamaterials with engineered photonic environments. Both the quantum state and the photonic environment are designed to emit photons at an increased rate. In addition to advancing the state-of-the-art for mid-infrared emitters, this program also seeks to address education and diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by engaging local students in outreach events that focus on understanding the role of light and optics in consumer technologies. Technical:The program aims to improve the radiative quantum efficiency of incoherent mid-infrared sources by engineering ultra-strong coupling between the photon field in a metamaterial resonator and electronic intersubband transitions in semiconductor quantum wells. The overall theme of the proposal is to improve the emission rate of photons using quantum and photonic engineering rather than incremental improvements to devices such as quantum cascade lasers. Several innovations to increase the light-matter coupling strength are proposed, such as using InP-based materials and excited state intersubband transitions. Another innovation is the incorporation of hyperbolic metamaterials into the resonator design to enhance the photonic density of states, thus further improving spontaneous emission. The approach for the program is integrated, including, theoretical, computational, design, fabrication, and experimental efforts to (1) develop mid-infrared metamaterial resonators, (2) increase light-matter coupling strength, and (3) implement efficient electrical injection mid-infrared emitters. Designed metamaterials with quantum wells will be grown via molecular beam epitaxy and fabricated into devices in a state-of-the-art nanofabrication facility. The materials and devices will be characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The work in this program will develop a basis for incorporating metamaterials into active optoelectronic devices and also lay a foundation for engineering ultra-strong light-matter coupling in electrically pumped devices. The goals of this program are ambitious: incoherent mid-infrared sources with more than 3 mW of power and greater than 0.5% conversion efficiency superseding alternative approaches such as sub-threshold laser emission that is four to five orders of magnitude less efficient.

摘要：中红外超材料子带间极化子发射器非技术性：该项目的目标是通过在设计光子环境下设计超材料中光与半导体量子阱之间的量子力学相互作用来开发中红外光源。 许多感兴趣的分子与中红外光 (3-30 µm) 发生强烈相互作用，这些新光源将使工业、医学和国土安全应用的传感和成像成为可能。 该计划结合了量子和光子工程，设计出具有更高发射效率的全新光源。 同时是光和物质的特殊量子态被纳入具有工程光子环境的超材料中。 量子态和光子环境都被设计为以更高的速率发射光子。 除了推进最先进的中红外发射器之外，该计划还寻求通过让当地学生参与重点了解光和光学在消费技术中的作用的外展活动来解决科学、技术、工程和数学方面的教育和多样性问题。技术：该计划旨在通过设计超材料谐振器中的光子场与半导体量子阱中的电子子带间跃迁之间的超强耦合来提高非相干中红外源的辐射量子效率。 该提案的总体主题是利用量子和光子工程来提高光子的发射率，而不是对量子级联激光器等设备进行渐进式改进。 提出了一些提高光-物质耦合强度的创新，例如使用 InP 基材料和激发态子带间跃迁。 另一项创新是将双曲超材料纳入谐振器设计中，以增强光子态密度，从而进一步改善自发发射。 该计划的方法是综合的，包括理论、计算、设计、制造和实验工作，以（1）开发中红外超材料谐振器，（2）增加光-物质耦合强度，以及（3）实现高效的电注入中红外发射器。 设计的具有量子阱的超材料将通过分子束外延生长，并在最先进的纳米制造设施中制造成设备。 这些材料和器件将使用傅里叶变换红外光谱进行表征。 该项目的工作将为将超材料融入有源光电器件奠定基础，并为电泵器件中的超强光物质耦合工程奠定基础。 该计划的目标雄心勃勃：功率超过 3 mW、转换效率高于 0.5% 的非相干中红外光源取代替代方法，例如效率低四到五个数量级的亚阈值激光发射。