Highly Efficient Laser Cryo-coolers Based on Adiabatic Bandgap Shift in Type-II Heterojunctions

目的：本研究的目的是研究和证明ii型量子阱中的绝热带隙位移，并利用这一过程将热负荷冷却到10开尔文以下。智力优势：本研究为研究许多重要的绝热和非绝热量子过程，如量子制冷、量子热泵和量子放大器提供了一个很好的实验平台。它还有助于推进许多相关设备的研究，如量子传感器和计算机。利用ii型量子阱，本研究推进了ii型异质结的深层物理学，包括其非线性电光效应、载流子寿命和内置电场。更广泛的影响：由该计划产生的小型非机械低温冷却器可以彻底改变我们的生活方式，因为它们可以实际访问我们最灵敏的光学传感器（超导体单光子探测器），磁传感器（SQUID），最精确的电压标准（约瑟夫森结）和时间标准（超导体振荡器）等等。将在这项研究工作中开发的仿真工具将通过万维网公开提供并与科学界共享。此外，本研究的部分成果将纳入固态课程及调制器进阶课程。来自弱势群体和少数群体的本科生和研究生将被鼓励通过研究生教育联盟和西北大学的教授项目参与这项研究。我们还将与一家大公司合作，验证结果，征求反馈，并制定商业化路径。

Objective: the objective of this effort is to study and demonstrate adiabatic bandgap shift in type-II quantum wells, and use this process to cool a heat load to below 10 degrees Kelvin.Intellectual Merit: The proposed research provides an excellent testbed to study many important adiabatic and diabatic quantum processes such as Quantum Refrigeration, Quantum Heat Pumps, and Quantum Amplifiers. It also helps advancing research inmany related devices, such as quantum sensors and computers. Using type-II quantum wells, this research advances the deep physics involved in Type-II heterojunctions, including their non-linear electrooptic effects, carrier lifetime, and built-in electric field.Broader Impact: Small, non-mechanical cryogenic coolers resulted from this program can revolutionize the way we live, since they lead to practical access to our most sensitive optical sensor (superconductor single photon detector), magnetic sensors (SQUID), the most accurate voltage standard (Josephson Junction) and time standards (Superconductor Oscillators) to name a few. Simulation tools that will be developed in this research effort will become publicly available and shared with the scientific community through World Wide Web. Also, some of the results of this research will be incorporated in a solid-state course and an advanced course on modulators. Undergraduate and graduate students from under-represented and minority groups will be encouraged to take part in this research through Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professorate program at Northwestern University. We will also collaborate with a major company to validate the results, solicit feedback, and produce a commercialization path.