A concept for a tunable antenna-coupled intersubband terahertz (TACIT) detector

Detectors based on intersubband transitions in quantum wells have great potential for use between one and several terahertz. We propose a tunable, antenna-coupled, intersubband terahertz (TACIT) detector that is both sensitive and fast, with a speed limited only by the intersubband relaxation rate (1 ns at at ). The detector is sensitive over a narrow range of frequencies, and the frequency of peak absorption can be tuned by applying a bias voltage to the device.     

Phonon-assisted normal incidence intersubband absorption in semiconductor quantum wells

In the presence of a normally incident mid-IR pulsed laser field, phonon-assisted photon absorption by both intrasubband and intersubband phonon scattering of conduction electrons in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells are predicted. The novel non-resonant and non-linear intersubband absorption is found by including the photon-induced phonon scattering process in a Boltzmann equation for phonon energies smaller than the energy separation between two electron subbands in the quantum well. The predicted phonon-assisted photon absorption by intersubband transitions of electrons from the first to the second subband is a unique feature in quantum-well systems and is expected to have a significant effect on the electron populations in both subbands.     

Intersubband optical absorption in two-level quantum wells embedded in a planar microcavity

A theoretical analysis of the optical absorption including both the linear and third-order non-linearity arising from intersubband transitions in two-level quantum wells, which are embedded in a planar microcavity, has been performed. Starting from the Maxwell–Lorentz equations, the expressions of the field in each layer are explicitly given, and the field in the quantum wells is determined via an integral equation, in which the third-order non-linearity is included. Then, by matching the boundary conditions, the field in the quantum-well microcavity structure is rigorously determined, and the absorption coefficient is thus obtained. Detailed numerical calculations show that the optical intersubband absorption can be significantly modified due to the coupling between the quantum wells and the microcavity. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The phonon-assisted photon-drag effect in a two-dimensional semiconductor quantum-well structure

The phonon-assisted photon-drag effect in a two-dimensional semiconductor quantum well structure is investigated. By making use of second-order perturbation theory and the classical Boltzmann equation we found, by considering both intrasubband and the intersubband electronic transitions, that the electric field generated by the photon-drag effect in a typical GaAs–AlGaAs two-dimensional system is enhanced by almost one order of magnitude as compared with that of a bulk system. Moreover, the results can qualitatively account for the observed absorption spectra due to intersubband electronic transitions occurring in GaAs quantum wells.     

Monopolar optical orientation of electron spins in bulk semiconductors and heterostructures

It is shown that intraband absorption of circularly polarized light leads to spin polarization of the electron gas. A theory of this monopolar optical spin orientation is developed for indirect intraband transitions in bulk semiconductors and for indirect intrasubband and direct intersubband transitions in quantum wells.     

Optimization of a solar-blind and middle infrared two-colour photodetector using GaN-based bulk material and quantum wells

This paper calculates the wavelengths of the interband transitions as a function of the Al mole fraction of Al_xGa_1-xN bulk material. It is finds that when the Al mole fraction is between 0.456 and 0.639, the wavelengths correspond to the solar-blind (250~nm to 280~nm). The influence of the structure parameters of Al_yGa_1-yN/GaN quantum wells on the wavelength and absorption coefficient of intersubband transitions has been investigated by solving the Schr?dinger and Poisson equations self-consistently. The Al mole fraction of the Al_yGa_1-yN barrier changes from 0.30 to 0.46, meanwhile the width of the well changes from 2.9~nm to 2.2~nm, for maximal intersubband absorption in the window of the air (3~μm <λ <5~μm). The absorption coefficient of the intersubband transition between the ground state and the first excited state decreases with the increase of the wavelength. The results are finally used to discuss the prospects of GaN-based bulk material and quantum wells for a solar-blind and middle infrared two-colour photodetector.     

Intraband absorption and emission of light in quantum wells and quantum dots

High-resolution spectroscopy in the mid-infrared spectral range is used to study electronic transitions between size-quantization subbands in stepped quantum wells under picosecond interband excitation. The contributions from intersubband and intrasubband absorption of light are separated by using the difference in time profiles of the absorption coefficient for these cases. For stepped quantum wells, spontaneous interband luminescence and superluminescence are studied for different excitation levels. For structures with quantum dots, the intraband absorption spectra for n-and p-type structures and the spectra of photoinduced intraband absorption and emission (for polarized radiation) for undoped structures are studied.     

Improvement in intersubband optical absorption and the effects of device parameter variations in quantum wells with an applied electric field

The intersubband optical absorption in symmetric and asymmetric, single and coupled, double GaAs/ Ga_{1 − x}Al_xAs quantum wells is calculated. The results have been obtained in the presence of a uniform electric field as a function of the potential symmetry, size of the quantum well, and coupling parameter of the wells. In coupled double quantum wells we obtain a large Stark effect that can be used to fabricate tuneable photodetectors. We show that the effect of an applied electric field on the intersubband optical absorption is similar to changes in the dimensions of the structure. This behaviour in the intersubband optical absorption for different wells and barrier geometries can be used to study these systems in regions of interest, without the need for the growth of many different samples.     

SiGe/Si多量子阱中的光致子带间吸收研究

本文论述了硅锗量子阱中的光致子带间吸收的机理,并在实验中探测SiGe/Si量子阱价带间的红外光致吸收.载流子由氩离子激光器作为光泵浦源产生,所导致的红外吸收由一个步进式傅里叶变换光谱仪来探测.在硅锗量子阱中的光致吸收有两个来源:类似单一掺杂的SiGe薄层的体吸收的自由载流子吸收,及量子阱价带的子带间吸收.实验探测了TE和TM偏振方向的吸收.TM偏振方向的吸收是由偏离布里渊带中心的载流子的跃迁所造成的.我们认为这种光致吸收技术在研究价带耦合效应及其对子带间吸收的影响是非常有效的.     

Intersubband absorption peak broadening due to unscreened inhomogeneity of levels

The shape of the interband absorption peak in quantum wells with uneven heteroboundaries is studied theoretically. Although the large-scale variations of the ground level in strongly doped structures are screened, the energy of intersubband transitions remains inhomogeneous in the 2D plane due to unscreened changes of the energy of an excited level. The equations for intersubband polarization are derived taking into account the Coulomb contributions proportional to e ² and leading to a depolarization shift and the exchange renormalization of the spectrum. The shape of the intersubband absorption peak is analyzed both in the local approximation and taking into account the nonlocality of the response in the 2D plane. In the case of single-layer irregularities of heteroboundaries, this mechanism makes the main contribution to the intersubband absorption peak broadening for the far and intermediate IR range.     

Birefringence and absorption of infrared radiation in tunnel-coupled GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells in a longitudinal electric field

Birefringence and absorption modulation under electron heating in a longitudinal electric field in the tunnel-coupled GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells have been found and investigated in the spectral region corresponding to intersubband electron transitions. The observed phenomena are explained by electron heating in electric field and electron transfer in real space. The equilibrium absorption spectra at different lattice temperatures are analyzed.     

Can multiband coupling effects due to remote bands cause significant normal-incidence absorption inn-type direct-gap semiconductor quantum wells?

Surprisingly, several experiments have reported that normal-incidence light absorption due to inter-conduction-subband transitions in direct-gap semiconductor quantum wells is as strong as in-plane-incidence absorption. In contrast to other models, a recent theoretical study claimed that a 14-bandk  pmodel including multiband coupling terms due toremote-conduction bandsis able to explain the experimental results. In this work, a concise formulation extends the model beyond 14 bands. Nevertheless, after rederiving the optical transition matrix elements, this analysis clearly shows that the oscillator strength for the in-plane polarized optical intersubband transition due to the multiband coupling effects is much smaller than the oscillator strength for the normal-to-plane polarized optical intersubband transition. These results indicate that the multiband coupling effects due to remote-conduction bands cannot cause a sufficient in-plane polarized optical intersubband transition to produce the observed normal-incidence absorption in the desirablen-type III–V compound semiconductor quantum wells.     

Linear and nonlinear optical absorption in different graded quantum wells modulated by intense laser field

The laser field dependence of the linear and nonlinear intersubband optical absorption in different graded quantum wells (GQWs) is investigated in the effective mass approximation. Results obtained show that the position and the magnitude of the linear and total absorption coefficients depend on the laser parameter and the shape of GQW. The resonant peak of total absorption coefficient can be bleached at sufficiently high incident optical intensities. Such a dependence of the exciting optical intensity on the external field strengths in different GQWs can be very useful for several potential device applications. It should point out that by applying the laser field we can obtain a blue shift or a red shift in the intersubband optical transitions.     

Intersubband transitions from the second subband in a coupled quantum wells structure

Asymmetrical coupled quantum wells structures with energy separation between the first two subbands of the order of 10–50 meV are key structures in the design of optically pumped intersubband lasers. In these structures the population of the second subband is not negligible and intersubband transitions from the second to higher excited subbands can be observed. In this work we investigate the temperature dependency of the intersubband transitions from the second subband in an asymmetrical coupled quantum wells structure. We show that this approach provides a direct way to measure the energy separation between the second subband and the Fermi energy which is a crucial parameter in the design of optically pumped intersubband lasers.     

Intersubband transitions in quantum wells under intense laser field

An intense laser field effect on the intersubband transitions in quantum wells is theoretically investigated within the framework of the effective-mass approximation. Results obtained show that intersubbband optical transitions and energy levels in quantum wells can be significantly modified and controlled by an intense laser field. PACS 71.55.Eq; 73.21.Fg; 78.67.De     

Pure spin photocurrents in low-dimensional structures

As is well known, the absorption of circularly polarized light in semiconductors results in optical orientation of electron spins and helicity-dependent electric photocurrent, and the absorption of linearly polarized light is accompanied by optical alignment of electron momenta. Here, we show that the absorption of unpolarized light leads to the generation of a pure spin current, although both the average electron spin and electric current vanish. We demonstrate this for direct interband and intersubband as well as indirect intraband (Drude-like) optical transitions in semiconductor quantum wells.     

The dependence of the intersubband transitions in square and graded QWs on intense laser fields

The intersubband absorption in square and graded quantum wells under a laser field is calculated within the framework of the effective mass approximation. We conclude that, for quantum wells with different shapes, the laser field amplitude induces an important effect on the electronic and optical properties of the semiconductor structure. This gives a new degree of freedom in various device applications based on the intersubband transition of electrons.     

加偏置电场的双曲线量子阱中线性与三阶非线性光学吸收系数的计算

利用紧致密度矩阵近似方法,研究了加偏置电场双曲线量子阱中的线性与三阶非线性光学吸收系数. 得到了该系统中的线性与三阶非线性光学吸收系数的解析表达式.分析了势阱的形状、外加电场的大小以及入射光场的强度对吸收系数的影响规律. 文章以典型的AlxGa1－xAs/ GaAs双曲线量子阱为例作了数值计算.结果表明：随着势阱宽度的增加,系统的吸收系数将减小;随着外加电场的增加,系统的非对称性增加,系统的吸收系数将增加;随着外加光场强度的增加,系统的吸收系数将减小,并且当光强增加到一定值时会出现明显的饱和吸收现象,这一结论为进一步的实验研究提供了相应的理论依据.     

三势垒隧穿结构中由外加垂直磁场引入的高子带非热占据

在一个特殊设计的三垒双阱异质结构中 ,注入到入射端量子阱中的电子 ,首先经过子带间弛豫填充到较低能级 ,紧接着通过共振隧穿逃逸出后面的双势垒结构 ,流入收集电极 ,完成了整个输运过程。通过比较带间光荧光谱中E2 HH1 与E1 HH1 两峰的强度 ,我们发现外加垂直磁场可以抑制子带间的LO声子和LA声子散射 ,使能量较高的子带上出现了明显的非热平衡占据。这一发现提供了一种新的控制子带间散射速率 (量子级联激光器的主要机制 )的有效方法 ,使得在量子阱子带间实现粒子数反转变得更加容易。     

Intersubband absorption in strained AlGaN/GaN double quantum wells

The intersubband absorption of the four-energy-level system in strained AlGaN/GaN double quantum wells is calculated by considering the polarization effect and the strain modification on material parameters (e.g., the conduction band offset, the electron effective mass and the static dielectric constant). It is found that the electron wavefunctions mainly locate at the left well and penetrate into the left barrier. The absorption spectrum exhibits multiple peaks contributed by different transitions. The position and height of absorption peaks are not very sensitive to the structural parameters (i.e., composition and thickness) of the central barrier because of the strong built-in electric field. However, the coupling between two wells can be enhanced by strain modulation.