基于太赫兹量子级联激光器的无线信号传输的实现

文章采用连续波激射的太赫兹量子级联激光器(THz QCL) 为发射端、光谱匹配的THz量子阱探测器(THz QWP) 为接收端, 搭建了基于THz波的无线传输演示系统. 测量并分析了该演示系统的传输带宽. 采用搭建的无线传输系统演示了基于4.13 THz电磁波的图片文件的无线传输过程, 得到了与源文件一致的结果, 验证了采用THz QCL和THz QWP进行THz信号无线传输的可行性.最后, 分析了演示系统的传输速率, 给出了提高系统传输速率的方法.     

Room‐temperature terahertz emission from ZnSe‐based quantum cascade structures: A simulation study

We identified conditions for room‐temperature operation of terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz QCLs) where variable barrier heights are used on ZnSe/Zn_1–xMg_x Se material systems. The THz QCL devices are based on three‐level two‐well design schemes. The THz QCL lasers with alternating quantum barriers with different heights were compared with THz QCL laser structures with fixed quantum barrier heights. It is found that the THz QCL device with novel design employing variable barrier heights achieved the terahertz emission of about 1.45 THz at room‐temperature (300 K), and has improved laser performance due to the suppression of thermally activated carrier leakage via higher‐energy parasitic levels. Thus, THz QCL devices employing the design with variable barrier heights may lead to future improvements of the operating temperature and performance of THz QCL lasers. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

半绝缘等离子体波导太赫兹量子级联激光器工艺研究

采用气态源分子束外延设备生长了GaAs/AlGaAs束缚态到连续态跃迁结构的太赫兹（THz）量子级联激光器（QCL）有源区结构,研究了半绝缘等离子体波导THz QCL的器件工艺,采用远红外傅里叶变换光谱仪以及探测器测量了器件的电光特性.器件激射频率为32 THz,10 K下的阈值电流密度为275 A/cm². 关键词： 太赫兹 量子级联激光器 波导 器件工艺     

Surface plasmon quantum cascade lasers as terahertz local oscillators

We characterize a heterodyne receiver based on a surface-plasmon waveguide quantum cascade laser (QCL) emitting at 2.84 THz as a local oscillator, and an NbN hot electron bolometer as a mixer. We find that the envelope of the far-field pattern of the QCL is diffraction-limited and superimposed onto interference fringes, which are similar to those found in narrow double-metal waveguide QCLs. Compared to the latter, a more directional beam allows for better coupling of the radiation power to the mixer. We obtain a receiver noise temperature of 1050 K when the mixer is at 2 K, which, to our knowledge, is the highest sensitivity reported at frequencies beyond 2.5 THz.     

太赫兹量子级联激光器材料生长及表征

采用气态源分子束外延方法生长了束缚态到连续态跃迁太赫兹量子级联激光器（terahertz quantum-cascade laser,简称THz QCL）有源区结构,并且采用电化学CV仪、霍尔测试仪以及高分辨X射线衍射对材料的质量进行表征,得出THz QCL有源区具有很高的晶体质量.另外,采用蒙特卡罗方法模拟了共振声子THz QCL器件的I-V曲线,分析了在不同偏压下子能级的对齐状况和电子的输运特征. 关键词： 太赫兹 量子级联激光器 分子束外延 X射线衍射     

Material growth and device fabrication of terahertz quantum-cascade laser based on bound-to-continuum structure

The terahertz quantum-cascade laser （THz QCL） based on bound-to-continuum structure is demonstrated. The X-ray diffraction measurement of the material shows a high crystalline quality of the active region. A THz QCL device was fabricated with semi-insulating surface-plasmon waveguide. The test device is lasing at about 3 THz and operating up to 60 K. It shows a single frequency property under different drive currents and temperatures. At 9 K, the maximum output power is greater than 2 mW with a threshold current density of 159 A/cm2.     

Detection of a directly modulated terahertz light with quantum-well photodetector

We demonstrate a wireless transmission link at 3.9 THz over a distance of 0.5 m by employing a terahertz （Hz） quantum-cascade laser （QCL） and a THz quantum-well photodetector （QWP）. We make direct voltage modulation of the THz QCL and use a spectral-matched THz QWP to detect the modulated THz light from the laser. The small signal model and a direct voltage modulation scheme of the laser are presented. A square wave up to 30 MHz is added to the laser and detected by the THz detector. The bandwidth limit of the wireless link is also discussed.     

2.9THz束缚态向连续态跃迁量子级联激光器研制

采用气源分子束外延技术生长了GaAs/AlGaAs束缚态向连续 态跃迁的太赫兹量子级联激光器材料, 基于半绝缘等离子体波导工艺制作了太赫兹量子级联激光器. 测量了激光器的发射光谱和功率-电流-电压关系曲线, 研究了器件的激光特性. 器件激射频率约2.95 THz, 脉冲模式下, 最高工作温度为67 K. 连续波模式下, 阈值电流密度最低为230 A/cm², 最大光输出功率1.2 mW, 最高工作温度为30 K. 关键词： 太赫兹 量子级联激光器 分子束外延 波导     

太赫兹量子级联激光器中有源区上激发态电子向高能级泄漏的研究

利用热力学统计理论和激光器输出特性理论,建立了太赫兹量子级联激光器(THz QCL)有源区中上激发态电子往更高能级电子态泄漏的计算模型,以输出功率度量电子泄漏程度研究分析了晶格温度和量子阱势垒高度对电子泄漏的影响.数值仿真结果表明,晶格温度上升会加剧电子泄漏,并且电子从上激发态泄漏到束缚态的数量大于泄漏到阱外连续态,同时温度的上升也会降低激光输出功率.增加量子阱势垒高度能抑制电子泄漏,并且有源区量子阱结构中存在一个最优量子阱势垒高度. THz QCL经过最优量子阱势垒高度优化后,工作温度得到提升,其输出功率相比于以往的结果也有所提高.研究结果对优化THz QCL有源区结构、抑制电子泄漏和改善激光器输出特性有指导作用.     

Integrated injection seeded terahertz source and amplifier for time-domain spectroscopy

We used a terahertz (THz) quantum cascade laser (QCL) as an integrated injection seeded source and amplifier for THz time-domain spectroscopy. A THz input pulse is generated inside a QCL by illuminating the laser facet with a near-IR pulse from a femtosecond laser and amplified using gain switching. The THz output from the QCL is found to saturate upon increasing the amplitude of the THz input power, which indicates that the QCL is operating in an injection seeded regime.     

Surface Emitting THz Wave Parametrical Oscillator Using MgO：LiNbO3

Room-temperature operation terahertz （THz） wave source is demonstrated using three MgO：LiNbO3 crystals which have a noncollinear arrangement. The experimental results show that the THz wave can be tunable from 0.8 THz to 3.0 THz, and the peak energy output is 103 pJ/pulse at 1.5 THz. The noncoilinear cavity configuration makes the THz beam have Gaussian-like spatial distribution, small divergence angle, perpendicularly eradiated from the crystal surface. The beam quality factor M2 is measured to be Mx^2 = 1.15, Mx^2 = 1.25 for characterizing the THz wave beam. Experiments also show that the THz beam can be focused by using a polyethylene lens, and the focal spot size is close to the diffraction limit.     

基于太赫兹量子级联激光器的实时成像研究进展

太赫兹(THz)实时成像是THz技术中颇具潜力的一个领域,具有成像速度快、成像分辨率高等特点,基于THz量子级联激光器(QCL)的实时成像系统是其中最重要的一种,系统体积小、重量轻、成像信噪比高等特点使其在实际应用中具有独特的优势。本文主要介绍了THz QCL器件及其实时成像系统的研究进展,采用超半球高阻硅透镜改善了THz QCL的输出激光,实现了准高斯光束输出,搭建了基于二维摆镜消干涉技术的THz实时成像系统,单帧成像光斑面积45mm×30 mm,实现了对刀片、药片的实时成像演示,成像分辨率优于0.5 mm;最后对成像系统激光源、成像光路和探测端的改进以及成像效果的改善方面进行了综述,并探讨了THz实时成像系统未来的发展趋势及其在材料分析和生物医学成像方面的应用前景。     

An Artificially Garnet Crystal Materials Using In Terahertz Waveguide

A hypothesis is brought forward that the materials with low propagation loss in both optical and microwave band may exhibit good performance in terahertz （THz） band because THz wave band interspaces those two wave bands. For the purpose-of exploring a kind of low-loss material for THz waveguide, Lu2.1Bi0.9Fe5O12（LuBiIG） garnet films are prepared by liquid phase epitaxy （LPE） method on a gadolinium gallium garnet （GGG） substrate from lead-free flux because of the good properties in both optical and microwave bands. In microwave band, the ferromagnetic resonance （FMR） linewidth of the film 2△H = 2.8-5.1Oe; in optical band, the optical absorption coefficient is 600cm^-1 at visible range and about 100-170cm^-1 when the wavelength is longer than 800nm. In THz range, our hypothesis is well confirmed by a THz-TDS measurement which shows that the absorbance of the film for THz wave is 0.05-0.3 cm 1 and the minimum value appears at 2.3 THz. This artificial ferromagnetic material holds a great promise for magnetic field tunable THz devices such as waveguide, modulator or switch.     

Terahertz imaging through self-mixing in a quantum cascade laser

We demonstrate terahertz (THz) frequency imaging using a single quantum cascade laser (QCL) device for both generation and sensing of THz radiation. Detection is achieved by utilizing the effect of self-mixing in the THz QCL, and, specifically, by monitoring perturbations to the voltage across the QCL, induced by light reflected from an external object back into the laser cavity. Self-mixing imaging offers high sensitivity, a potentially fast response, and a simple, compact optical design, and we show that it can be used to obtain high-resolution reflection images of exemplar structures.     

太赫兹量子级联激光器频率梳的色散

群速度色散会限制太赫兹量子级联激光器频率梳的稳定以及频谱宽度.对于太赫兹量子级联激光器频率梳,其色散主要由器件增益、波导损耗、材料损耗引起.研究基于4.2 THz量子级联激光器双面金属波导结构,通过建立德鲁德模型,利用有限元法计算了激光器的波导损耗;器件未钳制的增益由费米黄金定则计算得到,结合增益钳制效应,计算了器件子带电子跃迁吸收以及镜面损耗,得到了器件钳制后的增益;利用Kramers-Kronig关系得到了器件的增益、波导损耗、材料损耗引起的色散,结果表明器件的激射区域存在非常严重的色散(–8×10~5—8×10~5 fs~2/mm).同时,计算了一种基于Gires-Tournois干涉仪结构的色散,结果表明,该结构的色散具有周期性,可以用于太赫兹量子级联激光器的色散补偿.     

Three-Step Growth Optimization of AlN Epilayers by MOCVD

A three-step growth process is developed for depositing high-quality aluminium-nitride （AlN） epilayers on （001） sapphire by low pressure metalorganic chemical vapour deposition （LP-MOCVD）. We adopt a low temperature （LT） A1N nucleation layer （NL）, and two high temperature （HT） A1N layers with different V/Ⅲ ratios. Our results reveal that the optimal NL temperature is 840-880℃, and there exists a proper growth switching from low to high V/Ⅲ ratio for further reducing threading dislocations （TDs）. The screw-type TD density of the optimized AIN film is just 7.86×10^6 cm^-2, about three orders lower than its edge-type one of 2×10^9 cm^-2 estimated by high-resolution x-ray diffraction （HRXRD） and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy （TEM）.     

Real-time reflection imaging with terahertz camera and quantum-cascade laser

A real-time reflection imaging employing a terahertz （THz） camera as the imager and a 3.9 THz quantum- cascade laser （QCL） as the light source is demonstrated. The imaging light is collected and guided by only one off-axis parabolic mirror. The imaging distance is about 1 m. THz images of a coin and a knife are aacquired and analyzed. An actual soatial resolution with a value of about 0.33 mm is achieved.     

Frequency and phase-lock control of a 3 THz quantum cascade laser

We have locked the frequency of a 3 THz quantum cascade laser (QCL) to that of a far-infrared gas laser with a tunable microwave offset frequency. The locked QCL line shape is essentially Gaussian, with linewidths of 65 and 141 kHz at the -3 and -10 dB levels, respectively. The lock condition can be maintained indefinitely, without requiring temperature or bias current regulation of the QCL other than that provided by the lock error signal. The result demonstrates that a terahertz QCL can be frequency controlled with 1-part-in-10(8) accuracy, which is a factor of 100 better than that needed for a local oscillator in a heterodyne receiver for atmospheric and astronomic spectroscopy.     

Power Consideration for Pulsed Discharges in Potassium Seeded Argon

Minimization of energy consumed in plasma generation is critical for applications, in which a large volume of plasmas is needed. We suggest that a high electron density atmospheric pressure plasmas can be generated by pulsed discharges in potassium seeded argon at an elevated temperature with a very small power input. The ionization efficiency and power budget of pulsed discharges in such plasmas are analytically studied. The results show that ionization efficiency of argon, especially at small reduced electric field E/N （the ratio of the electric field to the gas number density）, is improved effectively in the presence of small amount of potassium additives. Power input of pulsed discharge to sustain a prescribed average level of ionization in potassium seeded argon is three orders of magnitude lower than that in pure argon. Further, unlike in pure argon, it is found that very short high-voltage pulses with very high repetition rates are unnecessary in potassium seeded argon. A pulse with lOOns of pulse duration, 5kHz of repetition rate, and 2Td （1 Td = 1 × 10^-21 Vm^2） of E/N is enough to sustain an electron density of 10^19 m^-3 in 1 arm 1500K Ar＋0.1% K mixture, with a very small power input of about 0.08 × 10^4 W/m^3.     

掺杂BaTiO3/SrTiO3多层膜与太赫兹波相互作用

掺杂半导体中的载流子吸收在THz波段非常明显,其相互作用研究是研制THz通信中的关键器件之一的基础。采用氟化氪（KrF）脉冲准分子激光烧蚀沉积（PLD）技术,制备了Ni掺杂BaTiO3/SrTiO3多层膜。基于辐射频率为3.09 THz、脉冲功率为10 mW量级的THz 量子级联激光器(QCL)光源研究了太赫兹波在Ni掺杂BaTiO3/SrTiO3多层膜中的传输,发现损耗主要是Ni颗粒的非共振吸收导致。