High Temperature Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers

该项目旨在开发在高温下工作的太赫兹量子级联激光器（THz qcl），特别是在240 K以上，这样它们就可以方便地通过热电冷却器冷却。这种发展将对太赫兹频率的科学和技术产生重大影响，在传感、成像和通信方面有潜在的应用前景。智力优势：该项目将涉及大量的量子结构设计工作，这些量子结构由量子阱的各种组合组成。如果孤立量子阱可以看作是一维的“人工原子”，那么多量子阱（MQW）结构就是一个“人工分子”。这个项目无非是设计和制造这样的人工分子来执行太赫兹激光器所期望的功能。首席研究员在该领域有最好的记录，并且可以使用所有必要的设施来进行拟议的研究活动。更广泛的影响：首席研究员被邀请在许多著名会议上做邀请/全体会议/主题演讲。这项工作也被广泛的社区媒体报道，如技术评论、激光焦点、NPR市场、发现和大众科学。通过合作，PI小组开发的太赫兹激光器通过增加一个关键的使能组件，帮助加强了其他机构在太赫兹相关活动中的基础设施。首席研究员已将研究项目中的元素纳入固态物理学研究生课程和本科生核心课程信号与系统。将努力让代表性不足的群体成员和本科生参与研究活动。

Project Summary The proposed research seeks to develop terahertz quantum-cascade lasers (THz QCLs) that operate at high temperatures, specifically above 240 K, so that they can be conveniently cooled by thermoelectric coolers. Such a development will have a significant impact on the science and technologies in THz frequencies, where potential applications are promising in sensing, imaging, and communications. Intellectual merit: The project will involve a considerable amount of design effort of quantum structures composed with various combinations of quantum wells. If an isolated quantum well can be viewed as a one-dimensional "artificial atom", then a multiple quantum-well (MQW) structure is an "artificial molecule". This project is nothing short of designing and making such artificial molecules which perform the desired function of THz lasers. The principal investigator has the best track record in the field and has access to all the necessary facilities to carry out the proposed research activities. Broader impacts: The principal investigator has been invited to give invited/plenary/keynote talks at many prestigious conferences. The work has also been reported in media for broad communities such as Technology Review, Laser Focus, NPR Market Place, Discovery, and Popular Science. Through collaborations, the THz lasers developed in the PI's group have helped to enhance infrastructures at other institutions in THz-related activities by adding a crucial enabling component. The principal investigator has incorporated elements in the research project into a graduate course in solid-state physics and a undergraduate core course Signals and Systems. Effort will be made to involve members from underrepresented groups and undergraduate students in the research activities.