Quantum mechanical effects in non-inertial systems

An investigation is made into the possible quantum mechanical effects due to the inertial force effect in the non-inertial systems, e.g. in atoms and molecules moving with high acceleration. In accordance with Einstein's principle of equivalence similar effects should appear in the sufficiently strong permanent gravitational fields.     

超高灵敏度太赫兹超导探测技术发展

太赫兹波段占有宇宙微波背景(CMB)辐射以后宇宙空间近一半的光子能量,该波段在天文学研究中具有不可替代的作用,因此太赫兹天文学的研究,具有极其重要的科学意义。本文系统介绍了基于超高灵敏度太赫兹超导探测技术的太赫兹相干探测器发展状况,包括超导隧道结混频器(SIS)和超导热电子混频器(HEB),以及以超导动态电感探测器(MKIDs)和超导相变边缘探测器(TES)为代表的非相干探测器的研究。在此基础上,展望了该领域未来发展趋势,对我国太赫兹天文探测技术的发展具有一定的参考意义。     

Theory of internal photoemission in sandwich structures

The internal photoemission in sandwich structures is treated as a multi-step process. The excitation functions for electrons in the electrodes are obtained as a result of a rigorous optical analysis of the light propagation and absorption. The electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions are described in terms of energy-dependent mean free paths. The calculation of the quantum. yield and photocurrent includes the electrons which escape without scattering, after one scattering, and after two scattering processes. In calculating the probability for electrons to escape over the inner potential barrier within the structure account has been taken of both their being scattered within the barrier region and their quantum-mechanical character.The present calculations can convenietly be used for theoretical investigations of the photoemission in its dependence on various parameters of the structure. The formulae also retain their validity for the photoemission of holes when the quantities due to electrons are correspondingly replaced. An adaptation of the theory to the vacuum photoemission from thick as well as very thin samples is possible without difficulties.     

Quantum mechanical effects on heat generation in nano-scale MOSFETs

The Monte Carlo simulation is performed to investigate the quantum mechanical (QM) effects on heat generation in nano-scale metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) by solving the quantum Boltzmann equation. The influence of QM effects both in real space and $K$ space on the heat generation is investigated.     

Terahertz Quantum Cascade Laser at 3.39THz

We demonstrate the growth of terahertz quantum cascade laser （THz QCL） by gas source molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopic measurements show the high crystalline quality of the THz QCL active region, From the cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy image, sharp interfaces are observed and the deduced cascade period thickness is consistent with the result of x-ray diffraction. The test device is lasing at 3.39THz and operating up to lOOK in pulsed mode. At IOK, the maximum output power is greater than 1 mW with a threshold current density of 738 A/cm^2.     

Spectral measurement of weak THz waves with quantum Hall detectors

A terahertz (THz) microspectroscope is developed, in which the frequency of extremely weak THz radiation is resolved by scanning the magnetic field for a quantum Hall detector. The electron density of the detectors is controlled by the back-gate biasing, so that the detector sensitivity is calibrated over a spectral range studied. Reliable spectral measurements with a spectral resolution of 1.2 cm⁻¹ has been made with a sensitivity better than 10 femtowatt level over 1 s integration time.     

MBE-grown MCT hetero- and nanostructures for IR and THz detectors

We present an overview of our technological achievements in the implementation of detector structures based on mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) heterostructures and nanostructures for IR and THz spectral ranges. We use a special MBE design set for the epitaxial layer growth on (013) GaAs substrates with ZnTe and CdTe buffer layers up to 3” in diameter with the precise ellipsometric monitoring in situ. The growth of MCT alloy heterostructures with the optimal composition distribution throughout the thickness allows for the realization of different types of many-layered heterostructures and quantum wells to prepare the material for fabricating single- or dual-band IR and THz detectors.We also present the two-color broad-band bolometric detectors based on the epitaxial MCT layers that are sensitive in 150–300-GHz subterahertz and infrared ranges from 3 to 10 μm, which operate at the ambient or liquid nitrogen temperatures as photoconductors, as well as the detectors based on planar HgTe quantum wells. The design and dimensions of THz detector antennas are optimized for reasonable detector sensitivity values. A special diffraction limited optical system for the detector testing was designed and manufactured. We represent here the THz images of objects hidden behind a plasterboard or foam plastic packaging, obtained at the radiation frequencies of 70, 140, and 275 GHz, respectively.     

On the theory of internal photoemission in heterojunctions

The theory of internal photoemission in semiconductor heterojunctions has been reviewed and the existing model has been extended by incorporating the effects of the difference in the effective masses in the active region and the substrate, nonspherical-nonparabolic bands, and the energy loss per collisions. This complete model has been applied to describe the experimental results obtained from Si_1−xGe_x/Si heterojunction infrared photodetectors. The barrier heights (correspondingly the cut-off wavelengths) of SiGe/Si samples have been determined from their internal photoemission spectra by using the extended model which has the wavelength and doping concentration dependent free carrier absorption parameters. Fowler analysis showed that the model is in good agreement with the experiments for the entire spectrum.     

Quantum state tomography with array detectors

I propose a method for measuring the quantum state of an optical field that occupies a mode having a complicated spatial structure. The technique uses array detectors and a single, plane-wave local oscillator beam. The advantage of using array detectors is that the local oscillator is not mode matched to the field being measured, yet the deleterious effects of this mismatch on the effective detection efficiency are greatly reduced compared to using single detectors. Indeed, when the spatial mode of the signal field is describable by a real function, the effective mode-matching efficiency is unity.     

Terahertz Quantum Cascade Laser Operating at 2.94THz

The development of quantum cascade laser at 2.94 THz is reported. The laser structure is based on a bound-to-continuum active region and a semi-insulating surface-plasmon waveguide. Lasing is observed up to a heat-sink temperature of 70 K in pulsed mode with light power of 4.75 mW at 10 K and 1 mW at 70 K. A threshold current density of 296.5 A/cm2 and an internal quantum efficiency of 1.57 × 10-2 per cascade period are also observed at 10 K. The characteristic temperature of this laser is extracted to be T0 = 57.5 K.     

Correlation effects in two electron photoemission

Many-body effects in solids are ultimately related to the correlation among electrons, which can be probed by double photoelectron emission. We have investigated the electron pair emission from a Cu(111) surface upon photon absorption. We are able to observe for the first time the full extension and shape of a depletion zone around the fixed emission direction of one electron. It has an angular extension of approximately 1.2 rad, which is independent of the electron energy.     

Magnetotransport characterization of THz detectors based on plasma oscillations in submicron field-effect transistors

Magnetotransport characterization of field-effect transistors in view of their application as resonant detectors of THz radiation is presented. Three groups of different transistors based on GaAs/GaAlAs or GaInAs/AlGaAs heterostructures are investigated at liquid-helium temperatures and for magnetic fields of up to 14 T. The magnetic-field dependence of the transistor resistance is used for evaluation of the electron density and mobility in the transistor channel. The electron mobility and concentration determined from magnetotransport measurements are used for the interpretation of recently observed resonant detection of terahertz radiation in 0.15 μm gate length GaAs transistors and for the determination of the parameters of other field-effect transistors processed for resonant and voltage tunable detection of THz radiation. From Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 46, No. 1, 2004, pp. 138–145. Original English Text Copyright ? 2004 by Lusakowski, Knap, Dyakonova, Kaminska, Piotrowska, Golaszewska, Shur, Smirnov, Gavrilenko, Antonov, Morozov. This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

高能带电粒子库仑对数量子力学效应研究

先进燃料D-3He聚变产生的高能带电粒子在本底等离子体中慢化时间的准确性直接影响到能量平衡和高能离子压强的计算结果。结果表明：高能带电粒子与本底等离子体的离子相互作用的库仑对数量子力学效应明显。应使用高能带电粒子库仑对数力学效应来研究聚变产生的高能端部粒子慢化过程;能量大于等于25Z2iZ2iAi keV的高能粒子与本底等离子体中离子的相互作用库仑对数最好也使用量子截断。     

高能带电粒子库仑对数量子力学效应研究

 先进燃料D-3He聚变产生的高能带电粒子在本底等离子体中慢化时间的准确性直接影响到能量平衡和高能离子压强的计算结果。结果表明：高能带电粒子与本底等离子体的离子相互作用的库仑对数量子力学效应明显。应使用高能带电粒子库仑对数力学效应来研究聚变产生的高能端部粒子慢化过程;能量大于等于25Z²_iZ²_iA_i keV的高能粒子与本底等离子体中离子的相互作用库仑对数最好也使用量子截断。     

Quantum cascade lasers operating from 1.4 to 4 THz

The development of teranertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) has progressed considerably since their advent almost a decade ago.THz QCLs operating in a frequency range from 1.4 to 4 THz with electron-phonon scattering mediated depopulation schemes are described.Several different types of GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice designs are reviewed.Some of the best temperature performances are obtained by the so-called resonant-phonon designs that are described.Operation above a temperature of 160 K has been obtained across the spectrum for THz QCLs operating at ν > 1.8 THz.The maximum operating temperature of previously reported THz QCLs has empirically been limited to a value of ～ω/k B.A new design scheme for THz QCLs with scattering-assisted injection is shown to surpass this empirical temperature barrier,and is promising to improve the maximum operating temperatures of THz QCLs even further.     

Quantum mechanical computers

The physical limitations, due to quantum mechanics, on the functioning of computers are analyzed. Editor's note: This article, which is based on the author's plenary talk presented at the CLEO/IQEC Meeting in 1984, originally appeared in the February 1985 issue ofOptics News. It is here reprinted with kind permission of Professor Feynman andOptics News.     

Quantum mechanical tunnelling

It was shown earlier that during quantum mechanical tunnelling, a microscopic particle has a distributed probability of emission about its original energy and is not constrained to be field-emitted only at its initial energy. Such an energy distribution process appears obvious on the quantum theory of observation and measurement which relates the energy of a microscopic particle with the time required for its determination through the Heisenberg’s uncertainty relation. Here, an account of the tunnelling theory based upon the latter is presented. The consequent analysis gives rise to a spectrum in the energy of the transmitted electrons and also yields a method to estimate the tunnelling time as well as the tunnelling current density across an arbitrary barrier.     

Interatomic internal photoemission peaks in (Auger) electron spectra

Internal photoemission (IPE) features appearing in (Auger) electron spectra have two distinguishing properties: (1) they obey optical selection rules and (2) IPE intensities increase rapidly with incident excitation electron energy. IPE and Auger electrons from elemental materials have similar energies, giving complicated mixed spectra; however, core-level interatomic IPE peaks (from compounds) can appear by themselves, as shown here using SiO ₂. The IPE process has high photon utilization efficiency, and core interatomic IPE shows promise for certain specialized applications discussed in the text.     

Quantum fluctuation of entanglement for accelerated two-level detectors

It is well known that the quantum fluctuation of entanglement(QFE) between Unruh–De Witt detector(modeled by a two-level atom) is always investigated in a relativistic setting. However, both of the Unruh radiation and quantum fluctuation effects play an important role in precise measurements of quantum entanglement. In this paper, we have quantitatively analyzed how the relativistic motion affects the QFE for two entangled Unruh–De Witt detectors, one of which is accelerated and interacting with the neighbor external scalar field. Our results show that the QFE, which initially increases by the Unruh thermal noise, will suddenly decay when the acceleration reaches to a considerably large value. Therefore, the relativistic effect will lead to non-negligible QFE effect. We also find that the initial QFE(without acceleration effect) reaches its minimum value at the maximally entangled state and the separable state. More importantly, our analysis demonstrates that although the QFE has a huge decay when the acceleration is greater than ～ 0.96, the ratio of ?E/C is still very large, due to the simultaneous decay of concurrence to a very low value. Finally, enlightened by the well-known equivalence principle,we discuss the possibility of applying the above findings to the dynamics of QFE under the influence of gravitation field.