Design, analysis and optimization of silicon-on-insulator photonic crystal dual band wavelength demultiplexer

A highly efficient photonic crystal dual band wavelength demultiplexer (DBWD) using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates is proposed for demultiplexing two optical communication wavelengths, 1.31 μm and 1.55 μm. Demultiplexing of two wavelength channels is obtained by modifying the propagation properties of guided modes in two arms of Y type photonic crystal structure. Propagation characteristics of proposed DBWD are analyzed utilizing 3D finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. Enhancement in spectral response is further obtained by optimizing the Y junction of demultiplexer giving rise to high transmission and extinction ratio for the wavelengths, 1.31 μm and 1.55 μm. Hence it validates the efficiency of proposed optimized DBWD design for separating two optical communication wavelengths, 1.31 μm and 1.55 μm. Tolerance analysis was also performed to check the effect of variation of air hole radius, etch depth and refractive index on the transmission characteristics of the proposed design of SOI based photonic crystal DBWD.     

Optimization of InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices for high performance of photodetectors

The optimum growth conditions and strain balancing processes have been studied using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown 51 Å InAs/40 Å GaSb type-II superlattices (SLs) designed to have cut-off wavelength of 10 μm. The most dominant factor in reducing the defect level in the SL structure was buffer growth temperature evidenced by transmission electron microscopy. In the study of the strain balancing process, the SLs could be lattice matched to the GaSb substrate by increasing the thickness of the InSb interfaces (IFs) from a nominal value of 1.0 to 1.4 ML, however, the structural quality degraded dramatically when the thickness of IFs reached beyond 1.0 ML. By optimizing the growth condition and MBE shutter sequences, micron thick InAs/GaSb SLs with a reduced lattice mismatch were routinely obtained with the full-width half-maximum of 18 arcsec, and the root mean square values of surface roughness of 2 Å in 5 μm area scan of atomic force microscopy demonstrating high quality. Correlation between material quality and photoresponse signal strength in photoconductivity measurements was made on SL samples with cut-off wavelength on the order of 10 μm.     

Pushing the envelope to the maximum: Short-period InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices for mid-infrared detectors

Using a newly developed envelope function approximation model that includes interface effects, several InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices (SL) for the 4 μm (around 310 meV) detection threshold were designed. The model predicts that a given threshold can be obtained with progressively thinner SL periods and the thinner designs can have higher mobility and longer Auger lifetime over the thicker designs. The proposed SL structures were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. The band gaps of SLs determined by low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) remained constant PL peak energy around 340–320 meV with distinctively different designs in the period range from 50.2 to 21.2 Å. Correlation between SL material quality and the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the luminescence peak were made. In situ annealing after SL growth improved surface morphologies and the FWHM of the emission peak for the annealed SL samples were slightly narrower than those of non-annealed SLs.     

Broad band antireflection coating on zinc sulphide simultaneously effective in SWIR, MWIR and LWIR regions

In recent years multi-spectral imagery is steadily growing popularity. Multi-channel imaging which includes short-wave infrared (SWIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) systems are useful for threat detection, tracking, thermal signature detection and terrain analysis. In this paper, a broad band antireflection coating on ZnS substrate, simultaneously effective in SWIR, MWIR and LWIR is reported. The coating design approach was evolved using gradient index concept, where refractive index varies gradually from incident media to the ZnS (n = 2.2) substrate. The gradient index profile depicted by 4th degree polynomial n(t) = −0.45t⁴ + 1.9t³ − 2.7t² + 1.9t + 1,where n(t) is the refractive index at the distance t from ambient, and t is the thickness in micron. The profile is best approximated by eight discrete step index layers, whose first layer is thorium fluoride (n = 1.42; lowest index stable material available). Other seven layers are replaced by two equivalent layer system of real materials thorium fluoride and zinc sulphide. Final 15 layers design is deposited by e-beam evaporation. The maximum layer thickness was restricted around 0.7 μm to overcome the stress problem in the film. This 15 layers coating has shown average transmission 95% in 0.9–10.5 μm spectral band having peak 99% at 9 μm.     

Design of Ultra Compact Polarization Splitter Based on the Complete Photonic Band Gap

A novel design of polarization splitter based on the complete photonic band gap has been proposed in this paper. The proposed Photonic Band Gap (PBG) polarization splitter is formed by two photonic crystal waveguides composed of dielectric rods in air in honeycomb structure for which complete photonic band gap is obtained using the plane wave expansion (PWE) method. The splitting properties (i.e. coupling length, extinction ratio and insertion loss) of PBG polarization splitter have numerically been investigated using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. It has been shown that polarization splitter of length as small as 32 μm can be designed at λ=1.55 μm. The proposed polarization splitter offers a large bandwidth of 120 nm.     

Diffractionless optical networking in an inverse opal photonic band gap micro-chip

We present a design for a photonic crystal (PC) all-optical micro-chip based on a three-dimensional (3D) inverse opal heterostructure intercalated with a two-dimensional (2D) triangular lattice photonic crystal slab. Within the 2D micro-chip layer, we demonstrate single-mode (diffractionless) waveguiding of light in air, throughout a bandwidth of more than 70 nm near 1.55 μm. This suggests that inverse opal photonic band gap (PBG) materials can facilitate on-chip optical networking functions over the telecommunication frequency band used in current-day optical fibers.     

Eye-protection glasses against YAG laser injury based on the band gap reflection of one-dimensional photonic crystal

Eye-protection glasses against YAG laser injury based on band gap reflection of one-dimensional photonic crystal (PC) is designed and manufactured in this paper. The laser beam (wavelength 1.06 μm) is reflected by the one-dimensional PC (with the transmission 10⁻⁷) and absorbed by the phosphatic glass substrate (with the transmission 1% for 1.06 μm), so the transmission of the device for wavelengths of1.06 μm can reach 10⁻⁹. The glasses have enough capabilities to protect the eyes from injury of ns-YAG lasers whose energy density is 1 J/cm² for all incident angles, and also to avoid a second injury to others from the reflected laser beams. The transmission of the glasses is beyond 70% for the visible lights. The testing data of the eye-protection glasses agree well with the theoretical predictions.     

Design of an omnidirectional mirror using one dimensional photonic crystal with graded geometric layers thicknesses

We propose a flexible design for one-dimensional photonic crystals (1D-PCs) with a controllable omnidirectional band gap covering the optical telecommunication wavelengths which are 0.85 μm, 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm. We used for this design the chirped grating. Chirping is applied to geometric thicknesses of layers. It takes two forms, one is linear and the other is exponential. We exploit this technique to have the suitable omnidirectional band gap covering the maximum of optical telecommunication wavelengths. With a quarter wave structure, we can have an omnidirectional band gap generating only one of these wavelengths. With graded structure, we obtain, as is reported in this paper, an omnidirectional band gap which covers the wavelengths 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm at the same time with a large bandwidth. We also achieve an omnidirectional band gap containing the wavelength 0.85 μm and which is obviously larger than that of the quarter wave stack.     

Spectroscopic and laser properties of Nd:Gd0.8La0.2VO4 crystal

The polarised absorption and fluorescence spectra of Nd:Gd_0.8La_0.2VO₄ crystal are measured and compared to those of Nd:GdVO₄. CW laser properties of diode-pumped Nd:Gd_0.8La_0.2VO₄ crystal operating at fundamental wavelengths of 1.06 and 1.34 μm, as well as when intracavity frequency-doubled to 532 and 670 nm, have been studied. The maximum output powers at 1.06 μm, 1.34 μm, 532 nm and 670 nm are 1.18 W, 671 mW, 206 mW and 42 mW respectively, at a diode-launched pump power of 2.9 W. The threshold pump powers are 80, 267, 7 and 15 mW respectively.     

Short wave pass and long wave pass dichroic coating at 45° on zinc selenide substrate for dual band thermal imager

In dual band thermal imager dichroic coating plays a vital role in separating 3–5 μm and 7.5–10.5 μm wavelength region for observing better image quality from two different channels. In this work a study has been carried out on the design and fabrication of short and long wave pass dichroic coating at 45° on zinc selenide flat substrate. These dichroic coated optics can be used to separate 3–5 μm (in reflection or transmission channel) and 7.5–10.5 μm (in transmission or reflection channel) wavelength region. An inhomogeneous refractive index profile which is a polynomial of 5th order was considered to design the high and low wave pass dichroic coating on zinc selenide substrate. The inhomogeneous profile was then approximated with five steps from substrate to air medium. These steps were then converted in terms of durable coating materials of six and seven layer stack for short and long wave pass dichroic coating respectively. The coating material combination used was germanium as high index material and IR-F625 as low index material. Result achieved for short wave pass dichroic filter was 94% average transmission in 3–5 μm region and 95% average reflection in 7.5–10.5 μm region. Similarly, result achieved for long wave pass dichroic filter was 95% average reflection in 3–5 μm region and 94% average transmission in 7.5–10.5 μm.     

新型远红外Ge-Te-I硫系玻璃性能研究

采用传统的熔融-淬冷法制备了系列Ge20Te80－xIx(x=2,4,6,8 mol%) 玻璃样品.利用X射线衍射仪、扫描电子显微镜、差热分析仪等设备系统测试了玻璃结构和物化性质,分析了卤素I对玻璃形成及稳定性的影响|利用分光光度计、红外光谱仪等研究了玻璃光谱性质,分析了I对玻璃的短波吸收及红外透过光谱的影响|利用Tauc方程计算了样品的直接和间接光学带隙.实验结果表明:I的引入,降低了Te的金属性,提高了Te基硫系玻璃的成玻能力|随着卤素I含量的增加,玻璃的密度减小,摩尔体积增大,且短波吸收截止边发生红移,光学带隙减小|I的引入提高了玻璃的热稳定性,其中玻璃组分为Ge20Te72I8样品热稳定性最好,其特征温度（ΔT）达到121℃|各Ge-Te-I玻璃样品均具有良好的红外透过性能,其红外透过范围为1.8~25 μm.     

Design and fabrication of ultra broadband infrared antireflection hard coatings on ZnSe in the range from 2 to 16 μm

In conventional infrared multilayer antireflection coatings (MLAR) materials of fluoride and chalcogenide types are used, which are disadvantaged due to their low mechanical strength and poor stability against humidity and environmental impacts. In this paper, we show that high performance ultra broadband and hard infrared multilayer antireflection coatings on ZnSe substrates in the wavelength range from 2 to 16 μm can be designed and fabricated. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) hard coating as a mechanical and environmental protection layer was proposed and deposited onto MLAR surfaces (MLAR + DLC) using a pulsed vacuum arc ion deposition technique. The thickness of the high optical quality DLC can be optimized in the design simulation to achieve a practically best antireflection and surface protection performance. We show that a germanium thin film (15 nm) between the MLAR and DLC surfaces can be used as a transition layer for optical and material match. The average transmission of the fabricated MLAR+DLC surfaces was 93.1% in the wavelength range between 2 and 16 μm. The peak transmission was about 97.6%, close to the simulated values. The durability and stability against mechanical impacts and environmental tests was improved significantly compared with the conventional infrared windows.     

Optical properties of a three-dimensional silicon square spiral photonic crystal

We report the fabrication and optical characterization of a tetragonal square spiral photonic crystal with a three-dimensional relative band gap of approximately 10% using the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique. This thin film structure is produced in a one-step process that is highly versatile as a wide range of crystal structures can be created simply through the variation of deposition parameters. Measurements indicate upper and lower frequency band edges at vacuum wavelengths of 2.50 and 2.75 μm, in the infrared region of the spectrum.     

Influence of the Sb dopant distribution on far infrared photoconductivity in Ge:Sb blocked impurity band detectors

Extended long wavelength response to 200 μm (50 cm⁻¹) has been observed in Ge:Sb blocked impurity band (BIB) detectors with N_D1×10¹⁶ cm⁻³. The cut-off wavelength increases from 150 μm (65 cm⁻¹) to 200 μm (50 cm⁻¹) with increasing bias. The responsivity at long wavelengths was lower than expected. This can be explained by considering the observed Sb diffusion profile in a transition region between the blocking layer and active layer. BIB modeling is presented which indicates that this Sb concentration profile increases the electric field in the transition region and reduces the field in the blocking layer. The depletion region consists partially of the transition region between the active and blocking layer, which could contribute to the reduced long wavelength response. The field spike at the interface is the likely cause of breakdown at a lower bias than expected.     

High temperature (T>300 K) light emitting diodes for 8–12 μm spectral range

Contrary to conventional light emitting diodes for visible and very near infrared utilizing interband (ω>E_g) luminescence, the longer infrared emitting diodes (LIREDs) we describe here utilize intraband (ω<E_g) electron transitions and emit beyond the fundamental absorption range of the material used. Made of indirect band gap semiconductors (like Ge, Si) and, therefore, free from the Auger recombination impact, LIREDs efficiently operate at higher temperatures (T>300 K) in the longer wavelength atmospheric window (8–12 μm). Electrically modulated power emitted is comparable to that for black body sources whereas shorter rise–fall times are due to recombination processes (200 μs) and not dependent on pixel thermal mass and thermal conduction. LIREDs can be made of different semiconductor structures provided the controllable modulation of free carrier concentration in the device base is achieved. The main parameters of Ge based LIREDs under injection mode are reported.     

NIR, MWIR and LWIR quantum well infrared photodetector using interband and intersubband transitions

This paper presents the design, fabrication and characterization of a QWIP photodetector capable of detecting simultaneously infrared radiation within near infrared (NIR), mid wavelength infrared (MWIR) and long wavelength infrared (LWIR). The NIR detection was achieved using interband transition while MWIR and LWIR were based on intersubband transition in the conduction band. The quantum well structure was designed using a computational tool developed to solve self-consistently the Schrödinger–Poisson equation with the help of the shooting method. Intersubband absorption in the sample was measured for the MWIR and LWIR using Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR) and the measured peak positions were found at 5.3 μm and 8.7 μm which agree well with the theoretical values obtained 5.0 μm and 9.0 μm for the two infrared bands which indicates the accuracy of the self-consistent model. The photodetectors were fabricated using a standard photolithography process with exposed middle contacts to allow separate bias and readout of signals from the three wavelength bands. The measured photoresponse gave three peaks at 0.84 μm, 5.0 μm and 8.5 μm wavelengths with approximately 0.5 A/W, 0.03 A/W and 0.13 A/W peak responsivities for NIR, MWIR and LWIR bands, respectively. This work demonstrates the possibility of detection of widely separated wavelength bands using interband and intersubband transitions in quantum wells.     

Low-frequency noise characteristics of InGaAs quantum-dot infrared photodetector structures grown by atomic layer molecular-beam epitaxy

Optical and electrical characteristics of n–i–n InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot (QD) infrared photodetectors are reported. In particular, the low-frequency excess electrical noise is measured at room temperature and analyzed in conjunction with the optical properties of the structure. The three stackings of QD were formed by atomic layer molecular-beam epitaxy and highly Si-doped, and AlGaAs current-blocking layer was also included to reduce the dark current. The power-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra at 300 K indicates that there are at least three confined states in the QD. The photo-current was observed only at low temperatures (10 K) at wavelengths between 3 and 9 μm with three peaks. The dark current was relatively large and asymmetric at low temperatures. At room temperature the dark current was symmetric and ohmic. The 1/f-like low-frequency noise spectral density exhibited an almost quadratic current dependence giving a large value of the Hooge parameter of the order of unity. The relatively low-growth temperature for the AlGaAs current blocking layer and the high doping at the quantum dots seem to generate a considerable amount of defects and result in low-temperature photodetection and a large low-frequency noise density.     

Near-infrared intersubband absorption in (CdS/ZnSe)/BeTe type-II super-lattices grown on GaAs substrate by MBE

We study the dependence of absorption wavelength on the well width in the (CdS/ZnSe)/BeTe super-lattices(SL). With well-width reduction, the wavelength decreases from 1.795 to 1.57 μm. Structural properties, strain state and interface composition are determined via XRD measurement. A (CdS/ZnSe)/Be_xMg_1−xTe structure is prepared and XRD reveals the average lattice constant match to GaAs substrate. TEM reveals that numerous stacking faults exist in the (CdS/ZnSe)/BeTe structure, and stacking faults are completely suppressed in (CdS/ZnSe)/Be_xMg_1−xTe SLs. Intersubband transition down to 1.535–1.55 μm have been observed in SLs.     

Characteristics of InAlGaAs/InAlAs Superlattice Avalanche Photodiodes for Ultra-low Optical Power Detection in the Near Infrared

Static characteristics of two different structured InAlGaAs/InAlAs superlattice avalanche photodiodes (SLAPDs) cooled by liquid nitrogen were evaluated at a wavelength of 1.5 μm. The dark current of the SLAPD having a thick superlattice layer of 0.504 μm was 5 × 10⁻¹³ A. This was successively reduced by four orders of magnitude compared to that of the thin layer SLAPD of 0.231 μm at a breakdown voltage of around 20 V. The thickened layer was effective in suppressing tunneling dark current. An output current of 1.7×l0⁻¹² A at a bias voltage of 15 V was measured for an optical input with a wavelength of 1.5 μm and a signal power of 1 × 10⁻¹² W. This showed a sharp distinction from the dark current.