Semiconductor Quantum Electron-Wave Optoelectronic Devices

9410720盖洛德中红外和远红外光源需要用于眼睛安全的无线光纤网络、遥感、医疗和许多其他应用。本项目针对这一需求，研究了一类新型半导体光电光源的建模、制造和测试。这些装置是基于量子力学的电子波传播效应。在以前的支持下，介质中的电磁传播和半导体中的弹道电子传输之间的定量类比正被用于设计纳米结构的红外发射器、探测器和调制器。这些新器件中的光学跃迁使用经典的自由准束缚能级。在这些能态中，电子经典地是自由的(非束缚的)。然而，由于其量子力学波动的性质，光学干涉效应在法布里-珀罗型态中产生空间限制。利用这些准束缚态，人们正在尝试设计、制造和测试第一个室温半导体中红外半导体激光器。正在开发的程序允许指定准束缚态的能量位置和寿命，以便可以任意选择激光的波长。除了评估这些器件的光学方法外，还使用弹道电子发射显微镜/光谱学(一种扫描隧道显微镜)的方法对通过这些纳米结构的电子传输进行了一系列独立的测量。这允许对所设计的结构的电子特性进行单独的独立测试。

9410720 Gaylord Mid-infrared and far-infrared sources are needed for eye-safe wireless optical networks, remote sensing, medical treatment, and numerous other applications. This project investigates the modeling, fabrication, and testing of a new class of semiconductor optoelectronic sources directed at this need. These devices are based on quantum-mechanical electron-wave propagation effects. The quantitative analogies between electromagnetic propagation in dielectrics and ballistic electron transport in semiconductors, as developed with previous support, are being used to design nanostructure infrared emitters, detectors, and modulators. The optical transitions in these new devices use classically-free quasibound energy levels. In these energy states, an electron is free (unbound) classically. However, due to their quantum-mechanical wave nature, optical interference effects produce spatial confinement in Fabry-Perot type states. Using these quasibound states, the design, fabrication and testing of the first room-temperature semiconductor mid-infrared semiconductor laser is being attempted. Procedures are being developed that allow the energy positions and lifetimes of the quasibound states to be specified so that the wavelength of the laser can be chosen arbitrarily. In addition to optical methods for evaluating these devices, a series of independent measurements of electron transport through these nanostructures is being performed using the methods of ballistic electron emission microscopy/spectroscopy (a type of scanning tunneling microscopy). This allows separate independent testing of the electronic characteristics of the designed structures.