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Recent Results on the Road to a SiGe Quantum Cascade Laser

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Alex Borak ,
Soichiro Tsujino ,
Claudiu Falub ,
Maxi Scheinert ,
Laurent Diehl ,
Elizabeth Müller ,
Hans Sigg ,
Detlev Grützmacher ,
Ulf Gennser  and
Isabelle Sagnes
...Show all authors
Alex Borak
Affiliation:
Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Soichiro Tsujino
Affiliation:
Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Claudiu Falub
Affiliation:
Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Maxi Scheinert
Affiliation:
Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Laurent Diehl
Affiliation:
Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Elizabeth Müller
Affiliation:
Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Hans Sigg
Affiliation:
Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Detlev Grützmacher
Affiliation:
Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Ulf Gennser
Affiliation:
LPN-CNRS, Marcoussis, France.
Isabelle Sagnes
Affiliation:
LPN-CNRS, Marcoussis, France.
Stefan Blunier
Affiliation:
Institut für Mechanische Systeme, ETH, 8092 Zürich.
Thomas Fromherz
Affiliation:
Institut für Halbleiterphysik, Universität Linz, A-4040 Linz, Austria.
Yves Campidelli
Affiliation:
ST Microelectronics, F-38926 Crolles-Cedex, France.
Oliver Kermarrec
Affiliation:
ST Microelectronics, F-38926 Crolles-Cedex, France.
Daniel Bensahel
Affiliation:
ST Microelectronics, F-38926 Crolles-Cedex, France.
Jerome Faist
Affiliation:
Université de Neuchatel, CH-2000 Neuchatel, Switzerland.
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Abstract

The primary challenges in implementing a Si based quantum cascade laser are discussed. Intersubband absorption measurements were carried out on a series of modulation doped multiquantum well structures. The spectra were compared to the predictions of a 6 band k.p model, which confirmed the excellent accuracy of the model, and its ability to predict the bandstructures of more complicated cascade structures. A detailed structural analysis demonstrated excellent growth quality, with an interface roughness of < 0.4 nm. Electroluminescence measurements on cascade structures with doped contacts, processed as finger structures and waveguides of various sizes, enabled a quantitative analysis of the active region performance. The upper state lifetime τnr was ∼ 100 fs, leading to a total active region optical gain of ∼ 2 cm−1, a factor of ∼ 10 lower than the estimated total losses due to free carrier absorption. The total emitted power and the linewidth of the intersubband emission saturate above ∼ 6.5 kA/cm2, probably due to misalignment of the injector levels at high biases. The effect of leak currents and interspersed light hole states on the intersubband emission are considered.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 832: Symposium F – Group IV Semiconductor Nanostructures , 2004 , F4.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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References

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