Photoreflectance characterization of InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots grown by ALMBE

We report on a photoreflectance investigation in the 0.8-1.5 eV photon energy range and at temperatures from 80 to 300 K on stacked layers of InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) grown by Atomic-Layer Molecular Beam Epitaxy. We observed clear and well-resolved structures, which we attribute to the optical response of different QD families. The dependence of the ground state transition energy on the number of stacked QD layers is investigated and discussed considering vertical coupling between dots of the same column. It is shown that Coulomb interaction can account for the observed optical response of QD families with different morphology coexisting in the same sample. Received 17 November 1999     

Comprehensive self-consistent three-dimensional simulation of an operation of the GaAs-based oxide-confined 1.3-μm quantum-dot (InGa)As/GaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

In the paper, a comprehensive fully self-consistent three-dimensional simulation of an operation of the GaAs-based oxide-confined long-wavelength 1.3-m quantum-dot (QD)(InGa)As/GaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting diode lasers is demonstrated. The model has been intentionally prepared for the PC-class microcomputers to enable its easy application in designing optimal structures of the above devices with desired performance characteristics. An impact of some structure parameters on QD VCSEL room-temperature (RT) continuous-wave (CW) lasing thresholds is discussed. A stable RT CW operation on a single fundamental mode has been found to be possible in modern QD VCSELs with active regions containing more uniform and more dense QDs in stacks of QD layers. The desired single fundamental-transverse-mode operation is possible for smaller active regions of diameters not exceeding 8 m. In the case of larger active regions, on the other hand, higher-order transverse modes of an increasing order are excited first because of increasingly more non-uniform optical-gain distributions.     

Spatial weak infrared-light bright and dark solitons in semiconductor quantum-dot nanostructures

The formation of spatial weak infrared-light solitons through interband and intersubband transitions in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is theoretically investigated with feasible parameters. Our analysis is shown using GaAs-Al-GaAs QD structures that allow operation at communication wavelength. Such a three-level QD solid-state system for the infrared-light-soliton operation is much more practical than that in gaseous media as a result of its flexible design and the wide adjustable parameters and thus facilitate more practical applications in optical signal processing and telecommunication.     

High-pressure subsonic mode operation of chemical oxygen-iodine laser

A new regime of chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL), high-pressure subsonic mode operation, was demonstrated using a jet-type singlet oxygen generator (SOG). The laser output power of 342 W with chemical efficiency of 20.9% was obtained at the Cl₂ flow rate of 18 mmol/s and the operating pressure of 6.4 Torr in the laser cavity. The specific energy was 3.1 J/l which was four times higher than our supersonic device, and was comparable to the highest value for the supersonic regime. The experimental results were in good agreement with the numerical simulation results. Received: 26 February 1999 / Revised version: 13 July 1999 / Published online: 30 November 1999     

Efficient distributed feedback solid state dye laser with a dynamic grating

We present the first operation of a distributed feedback solid state dye laser with a dynamic, pump-induced grating. Broadly tunable, narrow band operation in the region of 616 nm (604–649 nm) has been demonstrated with perylene red laser dye doped in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), when pumped with a frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser. Conversion efficiencies of 20%, corresponding to 35% optical-to-optical efficiency, have been measured. The laser bandwidth was between 0.01 and 0.04 nm, and smooth tuning over more than 200 GHz has been demonstrated. Received: 29 March 1999 / Published online: 24 June 1999     

The electric field effect on binding energy of hydrogenic impurity in zinc-blende GaN/AlxGa1−xN spherical quantum dot

Within the framework of effective mass approximation, the binding energy of a hydrogenic donor impurity in zinc-blende GaN/Al_xGa_1−xN spherical quantum dot (QD) is investigated using the plane wave basis. The results show that the binding energy is highly dependent on impurity position, QD size, Al content and external field. The binding energy is largest when the donor impurity is located at the centre of the QD and the binding energy of impurity is degenerate for symmetrical positions with respect to the centre of QD without the external electric field. The maximum of the donor binding energy is shifted from the centre of QD and the degenerating energy levels for symmetrical positions with respect to the centre of QD are split in the presence of the external electric field. The binding energy is more sensitive to the external electric field for the larger QD and lower Al content. In addition, the Stark shift of the binding energy is also calculated.     

Facet degradation of high-power diode laser arrays

Micro-Raman facet temperatures of high-power diode lasers with different waveguide architectures are compared. For regular operation conditions, the thermal behavior of ‘unaged’ arrays emitting in the 808-nm wavelength region with different architectures is similar, however, with an increased load thermal behaviors differ significantly and exhibit failure events at facet temperatures typically between 150 and 450 °C. From various experiments, among them facet temperature measurements for ultrahigh-power operation as well as by preparative failure analytics, we provide evidence that in arrays the front facets are significantly affected by device operation and influence the failure behavior of the whole high-power diode laser also in cases when the device failure is accompanied by dislocation creation inside the device. Received: 3 October 1999 / Accepted: 9 November 1999 / Published online: 8 March 2000     

Hydrogenic impurity states in zinc-blende InGaN quantum dot

Within the framework of effective-mass approximation, the binding energy of a hydrogenic donor impurity in a zinc-blende (ZB) InGaN/GaN cylindrical quantum dot (QD) is investigated using a variational procedure. Numerical results show that the donor binding energy is highly dependent on impurity position and QD size. The donor binding energy E_b is largest when the impurity is located at the center of the QD. The donor binding energy is decreased when the dot height (radius) is increased.     

Remote sensing of volcanic gases with a DFB-laser-based fiber spectrometer

We demonstrate monitoring of H₂O and CO₂ emitted in a volcanic area, using a spectrometer equipped with two distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor diode lasers. Each laser is resonant with a molecular species and is fiber-coupled to allow remote operation of the spectrometer. Recordings of H₂O and CO₂ lines made at the Solfatara volcano, in southern Italy, are shown, and the application of such a spectrometer as a new tool for the continuous monitoring and surveillance of volcanoes is discussed. Received: 28 June 1999 / Revised version: 20 December 1999 / Published online: 23 February 2000     

Microstructural and optical properties of multiple closely stacked InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dot arrays

The microstructural and the optical properties of multiple closely stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) arrays were investigated by using atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The AFM and the TEM images showed that high-quality vertically stacked InAs QD self-assembled arrays were embedded in the GaAs barriers. The PL peak position corresponding to the interband transitions from the ground electronic subband to the ground heavy-hole band (E₁-HH₁) of the InAs/GaAs QDs shifted to higher energy with increasing GaAs spacer thickness. The activation energy of the electrons confined in the InAs QDs increased with decreasing with GaAs spacer thickness due to the coupling effect. The present results can help to improve the understanding of the microstructural and the optical in multiple closely stafcked InAs/GaAs QD arrays.     

cw dual-wavelength operation of a diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser

A dual-wavelength continuous wave (cw) diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO₄ laser that generates simultaneous laser action at the wavelengths 1064 nm and 1342 nm is demonstrated. The optimum oscillation condition for the simultaneous dual-wavelength operation in a diode-end-pumped solid-state laser has been derived. The relationship between the laser cavity and the output stability is also studied. Experimental results show that the stability of the output power at the two wavelengths could be enhanced by use of a three-mirror cavity. Received: 26 August 1999 / Revised version: 11 October 1999 / Published online: 23 February 2000     

Exciton states and interband optical transitions in ZnO/MgZnO quantum dots

Within the framework of the effective-mass approximation, the exciton states confined in wurtzite ZnO/MgZnO quantum dot (QD) are calculated using a variational procedure, including three-dimensional confinement of carriers in the QD and the strong built-in electric field effect due to the piezoelectricity and spontaneous polarizations. The exciton binding energy and the electron-hole recombination rate as functions of the height (or radius) of the QD are studied. Numerical results show that the strong built-in electric field leads to a remarkable electron-hole spatial separation, and this effect has a significant influence on the exciton states and optical properties of wurtzite ZnO/MgZnO QD.     

Efficient cw sodium dimer Raman laser operation in a high-temperature sapphire cell

cw Raman lasing of Na₂ molecules generated in a heated, sealed-off, all-sapphire cell is demonstrated. Being not damaged by highly corrosive alkaline vapours, this type of cell enables operation without buffer gas in contrast to the normal heatpipe operation of these lasers. This allows us to study Raman lasers in alkaline vapours in new regimes and under ideal conditions. With an argon ion pump laser at 488 nm, Raman laser operation at 525 nm with more than 10% efficiency and thresholds below 0.2 mW for a cell without buffer gas (length 9 cm) have been obtained so far. The low thresholds, being a factor of 10 less than for comparable heatpipe operation, gives us the chance to use low-power diode lasers as pump sources and to realize compact reliable Raman laser systems. Received: 17 May 1999 / Published online: 25 August 1999     

1 Tb/s high quality factor NOR gate based on quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier

The performance of all-optical logic gate NOR has been simulated. NOR operation is realized by using Mach–Zehnder interferometer utilizing semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) with quantum-dot (QD) active region. Nonlinear dynamics including carrier heating and spectral hole-burning in the QD–SOA are taken into account together with the rate equations in order to realize the all-optical logic NOR operation. The study is carried out when the effect of amplified spontaneous emission is taken into account in the simulation analysis. Results show that the NOR operation is capable of operating at a data speed of 1 Tb/s with high output quality factor (Q-factor). The dependence of the output $Q$ -factor on QD–SOA parameters is also investigated and discussed.     

Hydrostatic pressure effects on impurity states in InAs/GaAs quantum dot

Within the framework of effective-mass approximation, the hydrostatic pressure effects on the donor binding energy of a hydrogenic impurity in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dot(QD) are investigated by means of a variational method. Numerical results show that the donor binding energy increases when the hydrostatic pressure increases for any impurity position and QD size. Moreover, the hydrostatic pressure has a remarkable influence on the donor binding energy for small QD. Realistic cases, including the impurity in the QD and the surrounding barrier, are considered.     

Single FIR-photon detection using a quantum dot

We study single-electron-transistor (SET) operation of the quantum dot (QD) in a strong magnetic field under weak illumination of far-infrared (FIR) radiation, which causes cyclotron resonance (CR) excitation inside the QD. We find that the SET conductance resonance is exceedingly sensitive to the FIR: It switches on (off) upon the excitation of just one electron to a higher Landau level inside the QD, whereby enabling us to detect individual events of FIR-photon (hν 6 meV) absorption.     

Transition behavior from uncoupled to coupled multiple stacked CdSe/ZnSe self-assembled quantum-dot arrays

Transition behavior from uncoupled to coupled multiple stacked CdSe/ZnSe quantum-dot (QD) arrays grown by molecular beam epitaxy were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy showed that vertically stacked self-assembled CdSe QD arrays were embedded in the ZnSe barriers. The results for the photoluminescence (PL) data at 18 K demonstrated clearly that the transition behavior from uncoupled to coupled peaks depended on the ZnSe barrier thickness. The temperature-dependent PL measurements showed that the activation energy of the electrons confined in the CdSe QDs increased dramatically with decreasing ZnSe spacer layer thickness due to the strong coupling between CdSe/ZnSe QD arrays. The present observations can help improve understanding of the dependence of the coupling behavior and activation energy in CdSe/ZnSe QDs on the spacer layer thickness.     

Operation characteristics of the Au-II 690-nm laser transition in a segmented hollow-cathode discharge

Single-mode operation at the Au-II 690-nm transition was obtained in a segmented hollow-cathode discharge laser without the use of any additional frequency-selective device. The pressure of the helium buffer gas, which is responsible for the significant homogeneous broadening of the laser line, was varied between 10 and 20 mbar. The discharge was excited with rectangular current pulses (up to 3 A) six times exceeding the threshold value. The time dependence of the laser output during the 1-ms-long discharge pulses is explained on the basis of the temperature and pressure changes in the tube. The highest small-signal gain at optimal discharge conditions was 11%m⁻¹. Received: 1 July 1999 / Revised version: 4 November 1999 / Published online: 23 February 2000     

Effect of the lateral dimension on the grating formation and stability in the double-phase-conjugate mirror: application to interconnects between single-mode fibres

We develop a phenomenological model of the double-phase-conjugate mirror grating formation based on geometrical considerations. We show that the grating develops from one lateral side of the interaction zone towards the other side. This model is confirmed by the behaviour of different configurations of a 2-zone double-phase-conjugate mirror. Finally, we obtained stable operation in InP:Fe, this made it possible to implement a 1×8 switch between single-mode fibres at telecom wavelength with 12% global efficiency and 200 ms reconfiguration time. Received: 6 November 1998 / Revised version: 18 February 1999 / Published online: 7 April 1999     

Towards new lasers in Ti:Er:LiNbO3 waveguides: a study of the excited Er3+ states

Detailed excited state absorption measurements under pumping at 980 nm and 1.5 μm together with conventional absorption and emission spectroscopy is employed to investigate optical transitions of Er³⁺ in Ti:LiNbO₃ channel-waveguides. The experimental data were evaluated using the Judd–Ofelt method giving parameters close to those in the bulk. The good agreement between theoretical prediction and measurements allows us to calculate cross section, lifetimes, and branching ratios. Based on these results we developed and tested a model which is able to predict the conditions for which laser operation at 550 nm and 2.7 μm will be possible under 980 nm pumping. Received: 9 December 1998 / Revised version: 8 January 1999 / Published online: 24 March 1999