Effects of quantum confined stark effect and well thickness on optical properties of double quantum wells violet InGaN laser diodes

The effects of quantum confined stark effect (QCSE) and quantum well (QW) thickness on the optical properties of violet InGaN laser diodes (LDs) have numerically been investigated. The simulation results indicated that the QCSE greatly effects the optical properties of LDs, where QCSE relates to the QW thickness and it increases when the QW thickness is wider which leads to deteriorating of the optical proprieties of the violet InGaN LD. The polarization in the active region of the InGaN LD has been estimated by the blue shift of the wavelength and it is found that the blue shift of the wavelength depends on the QW thickness. The major simulation result has shown that the best properties of violet InGaN LD can be obtained with smaller QW thickness, where more carriers can be restricted, stayed and overlapped inside the QW which leads to a larger stimulated recombination rate and optical material gain which in turn increase the output power of the LD; while decreasing the threshold current of the LD.     

Numerical study of optical properties of InGaN multi-quantum-well laser diodes with polarization-matched AlInGaN barrier layers

The optical properties of InGaN multi-quantum-well laser diodes with different polarization-matched AlInGaN barrier layers have been investigated numerically by employing an advanced device simulation program. The use of quaternary polarization-matched AlInGaN barrier layers enhances the electron–hole wave function overlap due to the compensation of polarization charges between InGaN quantum well and AlInGaN barrier layer. According to the simulation results, it is found that, among the polarization-matched quantum-well structures under study, lower threshold current and higher slope efficiency can be achieved simultaneously when the aluminum composition in AlInGaN barrier layers is about 10–15%. The optimal polarization-matched InGaN/AlInGaN laser diode shows lower threshold current and higher slope efficiency compared to conventional InGaN/InGaN laser diodes.     

GaN基激光器多量子阱垒材料的研究

在(0001)蓝宝石衬底上分别用金属有机化学气相沉积技术外延生长了InGaN/GaN, InGaN/InGaN, InGaN/AlInGaN多量子阱激光器结构, 并分别制作了脊形波导GaN基激光器。同步辐射X射线衍射,电注入受激发射光谱测试及光功率-电流(L-I)测试证明,相对于GaN垒材料,InGaN垒材料,AlInGaN四元合金垒材料更能改善多量子阱的晶体质量,提高量子阱的量子效率及降低激光器阈值电流。相关的机制为：组分调节合适的四元合金垒层中Al的掺入使得量子阱势垒高度增加,阱区收集载流子的能力增强;In的掺入能更多地补偿应力,减少了由于缺陷和位错所产生的非辐射复合中心密度;In的掺入还减小了量子阱中应力引致的压电场,电子空穴波函数空间交叠得以加强,使得辐射复合增加。     

Generation of picosecond optical pulses from single heterostructure GaAs diode laser and their emission characteristics

Emission characteristics of a single heterostructure GaAs diode laser are reported using a simple driver circuit. It provides a single picosecond time duration optical pulse, a pulse train or a broad optical pulse depending on the amplitude and time duration of the electrical pump pulse. Results show that relaxation oscillation frequency depends on the amplitude of pumping current pulse as well as on some inherent property of diode laser, which seems to be the level of impurity in lasing medium. Variation of relaxation oscillation frequency with amplitude of current pulse shows only the qualitative agreement with the reported theoretical predictions.     

Performance Improvement of GaN-Based Violet Laser Diodes

The influences of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells(MQWs) and AlGaN electron-blocking layers(EBL) on the performance of GaN-based violet laser diodes are investigated. Compared with the InGaN/GaN MQWs grown at two different temperatures, the same-temperature growth of InGaN well and GaN barrier layers has a positive effect on the threshold current and slope efficiency of laser diodes, indicating that the quality of MQWs is improved. In addition, the performance of GaN laser diodes could be further improved by increasing Al content in the AlGaN EBL due to the fact that the electron leakage current could be reduced by properly increasing the barrier height of AlGaN EBL. The violet laser diode with a peak output power of 20 W is obtained.     

基于光放大的长脉冲抽运太赫兹激光

为了获得较窄增益带宽、较大光强的太赫兹辐射,尝试了利用TEA CO₂激光器对6 W可调谐连续波CO₂种子激光实行双程光放大实验,以期望获得长脉冲、高峰值功率的抽运光.通过实验,获得了大约30倍的放大系数,放大光输出功率随种子光注入功率的增加而增加,其中10 P （20）支线表现更加突出,并且被放大的激光支线半峰全宽在14 μs左右.基于这种长脉冲抽运源,建立了一种产生脉冲太赫兹的动力学模型,给出了产生太赫兹辐射的饱和抽运光强表达式,确定了抽运光的光强范围.另外, 关键词： 激光物理 长脉冲 动力学模型 太赫兹激光     

金属有机化学气相沉积外延技术生长GaN基半导体发光二极管和激光二极管(Ⅰ)

文章评论性地介绍了金属有机化学气相外延技术（MOCVD）生长氮化物半导体GaN和InGaN以及激子局域化效应、量子束缚斯塔克效应对它们的光学性能的影响，详细比较了这两种效应对GaN基半导体发光二极管和激光二极管特性的影响，特别是量子束缚斯塔克效应以显著不同的方式影响着发光二极管和激光二极管的性能；文章还讨论了在A面蓝宝石衬底上生长GaN的情况．     

Effect of normal and reversed polarizations on optical characteristics of ultraviolet-violet InGaN laser diodes

The optical characteristics of ultraviolet-violet InGaN laser diodes with different numbers of quantum wells under normal and reversed polarizations are numerically investigated. For the laser structures under normal polarization, the lowest threshold current is obtained when the number of quantum wells is two in the spectral range of 380-408 nm. For the laser structures under reversed polarization, the single quantum-well laser structure possesses the lowest threshold current. The simulation results suggest that the physical origin for these phenomena is caused by the sufficiently suppressed electron and hole leakage currents when the laser diode is under reversed polarization.     

Optical properties of ultra-thin InN layer embedded in InGaN matrix for light emitters

We theoretically investigate the optical properties of an ultra-thin InN layer embedded in InGaN matrix for light emitters. The peak emission wavelength extends from ultraviolet (374 nm) to green (536 nm) with InN quantum well thickness increasing from 1 monolayer to 2 monolayers, while the overlap of electron-hole wave function remains at a high level (larger than 90%). Increase of In content in InGaN matrix provides a better approach to longer wavelength emission, which only reduces the spontaneous emission rate slightly compared with the case of increasing In content of the conventional InGaN quantum well. Also, the transparency carrier density derived from gain spectrum is of the same order as that in the conventional blue laser diode. Our study provides skillful design on the development of novel structure InN-based light emitting diodes as well as laser diodes.     

Simulation of InGaN violet and ultraviolet multiple-quantum-well laser diodes

Optical properties of the InGaN violet and ultraviolet multiple-quantum-well laser diodes are numerically studied with a self-consistent simulation program. Specifically, the performance of the laser diodes of various active region structures, operating in a spectral range from 385 to 410 nm, are investigated and compared. The simulation results indicate that the double-quantum-well laser structure with a peak emission wavelength of 385–410 nm has the lowest threshold current. The characteristic temperature of the single-quantum-well laser structure increases as the peak emission wavelength increases. The triple-quantum-well structure has the largest characteristic temperature when the peak emission wavelength is shorter than 405 nm, while the double-quantum-well structure possesses the largest characteristic temperature when the peak emission wavelength is larger than 405 nm.     

半导体激光器输出混沌光的延时特性和带宽

提出一个新的方案用于抑制半导体激光器输出混沌光的延时特性并研究其带宽.在该方案中,将由伪随机信号驱动的相位调制器加到具有双路光反馈的半导体激光器的两个反馈腔中,从而构成具有双路相位调制光反馈的分布反馈半导体激光器系统.数值研究了延迟时间和反馈系数等参数对该系统输出混沌光的延时特性的影响,用自相关函数曲线中的延时特征峰的最大值表示延时特性.然后将该系统对延时特性的抑制效果和具有双路光反馈的分布反馈半导体激光器系统以及具有单路相位调制光反馈的分布反馈半导体激光器系统进行比较,结果表明本文所提出方案的抑制效果最好.进而基于能有效抑制延时特性的参数条件研究了具有双路相位调制光反馈的分布反馈半导体激光器输出混沌光的带宽,结果表明,抽运因子的增大和反馈系数的增加都能使系统输出混沌光的带宽变大.     

Enhancing performance of GaN-based LDs by using GaN/InGaN asymmetric lower waveguide layers

The effects of GaN/InGaN asymmetric lower waveguide (LWG) layers on photoelectrical properties of InGaN multiple quantum well laser diodes (LDs) with an emission wavelength of around 416 nm are theoretically investigated by tuning the thickness and the indium content of InGaN insertion layer (InGaN-IL) between the GaN lower waveguide layer and the quantum wells, which is achieved with the Crosslight Device Simulation Software (PIC3D, Crosslight Software Inc.). The optimal thickness and the indium content of the InGaN-IL in lower waveguide layers are found to be 300 nm and 4%, respectively. The thickness of InGaN-IL predominantly affects the output power and the optical field distribution in comparison with the indium content, and the highest output power is achieved to be 1.25 times that of the reference structure (symmetric GaN waveguide), which is attributed to the reduced optical absorption loss as well as the concentrated optical field nearby quantum wells. Furthermore, when the thickness and indium content of InGaN-IL both reach a higher level, the performance of asymmetric quantum wells LDs will be weakened rapidly due to the obvious decrease of optical confinement factor (OCF) related to the concentrated optical field in the lower waveguide.     

Optoelectronic delay-time controller for laser pulses

A dc-voltage-controlled optoelectronic delay line for continuous tuning of the relative delay time of an optical pulse train generated from a gain-switched laser diode is demonstrated. A maximum tunable range delay time of 3.9 ns ( approximately 2 periods) for optical pulses at a 500-MHz repetition rate is reported, which corresponds to a phase shift of as much as 4pi. The tuning responsivity and resolution of the current apparatus are 0.54 ps/mV and <0.2 ps, respectively. The measured timing fluctuation and long-term drift at any delay time are 0.13 ps and 20 fs/min, respectively. This scheme further permits the simultaneous phase tracking of the laser pulse train to unknown signals generated from the device under test.     

Laser diode beam shaping by optical interference

We recently proposed a novel beam shaping technique that employs Lloyd’s mirror interference. In this study, we apply this technique to three commercial laser diodes: laser diodes used for optical pumping of solid-state lasers, for laser beam printers, and for laser displays. The elliptical output beams from these laser diodes could be transformed into nearly circular beams by inserting a mirror-polished GaAs substrate below the active layer of each laser diode and adjusting its height. The experimentally observed far-field patterns were predicted fairly well by numerical calculations based on Huygens’ integral. We confirmed that our beam shaping technique is applicable to laser diodes with various wavelengths and vertical beam divergence angles. We also describe the monolithic configuration of the beam shaping system, which can be fabricated by dry etching.     

On kinetics of the photodissociation iodine laser

The kinetics of iodine laser amplifiers is examined by solving the time evolution equations of chemical kinetics during optical pumping. The pumping radiation intensity is modelled by a black body of the temperature varying in time (corresponding to the flash lamp pulse). A brief comparison is made of pumping effects by long and short light pulses. Pumping by the long pulse is studied in more detail and it is found that there exists an optimum pulse strength beyond which the inversion in the laser mixture no longer grows appreciably, only its lifetime is shortened. In this connection the effect of pyrolysis of the alkyliodide molecule is also discussed. The pyrolysis is found to occur under very strong illumination, but it does not interfere with the photolytic decomposition and the optimum laser action. Finally, the influence of the reaction rate constants is studied in a systematic way and only few of them are found to carry real weight.The authors are obliged to Drs. S. V. Kuznetsova and A. I. Maslov who were consulted on the values of the reaction constants and who also drew our attention to some of the references.     

Gain-switched semiconductor laser amplifier as an ultrafast dynamical optical gate

A gain-switched semiconductor laser is shown to act as an optical gate with picosecond resolution and amplification for light pulses from another laser source. The amplification mechanism and the gate width change qualitatively when the gate laser undergoes a transition from a pumping rate slightly below the dynamic laser threshold to slightly above the dynamic threshold. If the gate laser is pumped below but close to its dynamical threshold, unsaturated amplification of an external signal pulse occurs over a delay time range between the external optical pulse and the electrical driving pulse of about 100–200 ps which is equivalent to the optical gate width. The signal amplification is observed to increase by two orders of magnitude and the gate width decreases by one order of magnitude if the gate laser is pumped slightly above the dynamical threshold. Amplification then occurs for input signals injected much earlier. A detailed theory of coherent, time-dependent amplification including the nonlinear dynamics of the semiconductor laser is shown to account for the observations. Both amplification regimes, below and above threshold, are reproduced in the numerical simulations. The extremely short and highly sensitive gate range above threshold is identified as being due to the gain maximum related with the first relaxation oscillation of the laser.     

激光二极管侧抽运双棒串接准连续Nd∶YAG高功率绿光激光器

研制一台激光二极管(LD)侧面抽运双棒串接准连续Nd∶YAG折叠腔高功率绿光激光器,理论分析了热致双折射效应对系统的影响,并对用石英旋转片补偿前后的情况进行模拟对比。在考虑了补偿后的情况下设计了热稳定谐振腔。实验中采用两个串接的由30个20 W的LD阵列侧面抽运的Nd∶YAG棒和Ⅱ类临界相位匹配HGTR-KTP晶体,在抽运电流均为21.6 A,重复频率为27.2 kHz时,获得了最大平均输出功率为164 W,脉冲宽度为130 ns的532 nm绿光输出,光-光转换效率为13.7%,测得光束质量因子为M2x=9.52, M2y=9.86,不稳定度为2.3％。实验结果显示,经补偿后的激光系统能在宽的稳区范围内稳定运转。     

104W内腔倍频全固态Nd∶YAG绿光激光器

报道了一台高功率内腔倍频全固态Nd∶YAG绿光激光器 ,针对KTP晶体热效应和激光热稳定腔 ,采取了对KTP晶体进行低温冷却的优化措施 ,以便减少KTP晶体的热效应导致的相位失配 ,同时兼顾了Nd∶YAG棒的热致双折射效应和KTP晶体热透镜效应 ,设计了热稳定谐振腔 ;实验中采用 80个 2 0W激光二极管阵列侧面抽运Nd∶YAG棒和Ⅱ类相位匹配KTP晶体 (在 2 7℃时相位匹配角为 =2 3.6° ;θ =90° ,尺寸为 7mm× 7mm× 10mm)内腔倍频技术 ,谐振腔腔长为 5 30mm ,KTP晶体的冷却温度为 4 .3℃ ,抽运电流为 18.3A时 ,实现平均功率达 10 4W、脉冲宽度为 130ns的 5 32nm激光输出 ;其重复频率为 2 0 .7kHz。光光转换效率为 10 .2 %。     

Picosecond buildup and relaxation of intense stimulated emission in GaAs

In support of the idea developed previously based on circumstantial evidence, we have found that stimulated emission emerges in GaAs and its intensity increases with a picosecond delay relative to the front of powerful picosecond optical pumping that produced a dense electron-hole plasma. The emission intensity relaxes with decreasing pumping with a characteristic time of ～10 ps. We have derived the dependences of the delay time, the relaxation time, and the duration of the picosecond emission pulse on its photon energy. The estimates based on the fact that the relaxation of emission is determined by electron-hole plasma cooling correspond to the measured relaxation time.     

Time delay in CdS laser pumped by an electron beam

Time delays of up to 500 nsec were observed in the stimulated emission of Cd-rich CdS crystals at 80° K pumped by an electron beam. The delay decreased with increase of excitation and the memory effect of the first pulse was observed for lasing during the second pulse when two separated electron-beam pulses (double pulse) were applied to the sample.The results were compared with the trapping model proposed by Fenner in which traps provide a large amount of optical absorption and the expression for the delay in the case of electron-beam pumping was derived. The experimental results were well explained by this model.