Engineering topics

Ning, C. Z.

Publications and source records attributed to Ning, C. Z..

17 records

NASA NTRS2005

Doping-Induced Interband Gain in InAs/AlSb Quantum Wells

A paper describes a computational study of effects of doping in a quantum well (QW) comprising a 10-nm-thick layer of InAs sandwiched between two 21-nm-thick AlSb layers. Heretofore, InAs/AlSb QWs have not been useful as interband gain devices because they have type-II energy-band-edge alignment, which causes spatial separation of electrons and holes, thereby leading to weak interband dipole matrix elements. In the doping schemes studied, an interior sublayer of each AlSb layer was doped at various total areal densities up to 5 X 10(exp 12) / square cm. It was found that (1) proper doping converts the InAs layer from a barrier to a well for holes, thereby converting the heterostructure from type II to type I; (2) the resultant dipole matrix elements and interband gains are comparable to those of typical type-I heterostructures; and (3) dipole moments and optical gain increase with the doping level. Optical gains in the transverse magnetic mode can be almost ten times those of other semiconductor material systems in devices used to generate medium-wavelength infrared (MWIR) radiation. Hence, doped InAs/AlSb QWs could be the basis of an alternative material system for devices to generate MWIR radiation.

Kolokolov, K. I.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Microscopic Theory and Simulation of Quantum-Well Intersubband Absorption

We study the linear intersubband absorption spectra of a 15 nm InAs quantum well using the intersubband semiconductor Bloch equations with a three-subband model and a constant dephasing rate. We demonstrate the evolution of intersubband absorption spectral line shape as a function of temperature and electron density. Through a detailed examination of various contributions, such as the phase space filling effects, the Coulomb many-body effects and the non-parabolicity effect, we illuminate the underlying physics that shapes the spectra. Keywords: Intersubband transition, linear absorption, semiconductor heterostructure, InAs quantum well

Li, Jianzhong↗

NASA NTRS2003

Dyakonov-Perel Effect on Spin Dephasing in n-Type GaAs

A paper presents a study of the contribution of the Dyakonov-Perel (DP) effect to spin dephasing in electron-donor-doped bulk GaAs in the presence of an applied steady, moderate magnetic field perpendicular to the growth axis of the GaAs crystal. (The DP effect is an electron-wave-vector-dependent spin-state splitting of the conduction band, caused by a spin/orbit interaction in a crystal without an inversion center.) The applicable Bloch equations of kinetics were constructed to include terms accounting for longitudinal optical and acoustic phonon scattering as well as impurity scattering. The contributions of the aforementioned scattering mechanisms to spin-dephasing time in the presence of DP effect were examined by solving the equations numerically. Spin-dephasing time was obtained from the temporal evolution of the incoherently summed spin coherence. Effects of temperature, impurity level, magnetic field, and electron density on spin-dephasing time were investigated. Spin-dephasing time was found to increase with increasing magnetic field. Contrary to predictions of previous simplified treatments of the DP effect, spin-dephasing time was found to increase with temperature in the presence of impurity scattering. These results were found to agree qualitatively with results of recent experiments.

Ning, C. Z.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Doping-Induced Type-II to Type-I Transition and Interband Optical Gain in InAs/AlSb Quantum Wells

We show that proper doping of the barrier regions can convert the well-known type-II InAs/AlSb QWs to type I, producing strong interband transitions comparable to regular type-I QWs. The interband gain for TM mode is as high as 4000 l/cm, thus providing an important alternative material system in the mid-infrared wavelength range. We also study the TE and TM gain as functions of doping level and intrinsic electron-hole density.

Kolokolov, K. I.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Intersubband Transitions in InAs/AlSb Quantum Wells

We have studied intersubband transitions in InAs/AlSb quantum wells experimentally and theoretically. Experimentally, we performed polarization-resolved infrared absorption spectroscopy to measure intersubband absorption peak frequencies and linewidths as functions of temperature (from 4 K to room temperature) and quantum well width (from a few nm to 10 nm). To understand experimental results, we performed a self-consistent 8-band k-p band-structure calculation including spatial charge separation. Based on the calculated band structure, we developed a set of density matrix equations to compute TE and TM optical transitions self-consistently, including both interband and intersubband channels. This density matrix formalism is also ideal for the inclusion of various many-body effects, which are known to be important for intersubband transitions. Detailed comparison between experimental data and theoretical simulations is presented.

Li, J.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Interplay of Collective Excitations in Quantum Well Intersubband Resonances

Intersubband resonances in a semiconductor quantum well (QW) display some of the most fascinating features involving various collective excitations such as Fermi-edge singularity (FES) and intersubband plasmon (ISP). Using a density matrix approach, we treated many-body effects such as depolarization, vertex correction, and self-energy consistently for a two-subband system. We found a systematic change in resonance spectra from FES-dominated to ISP-dominated features, as QW- width or electron density is varied. Such an interplay between FES and ISP significantly changes both line shape and peak position of the absorption spectrum. In particular, we found that a cancellation of FES and ISP undresses the resonant responses and recovers the single-particle features of absorption for semiconductors with a strong nonparabolicity such as InAs, leading to a dramatic broadening of the absorption spectrum.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗

NASA NTRS2002

Static and Dynamic Effects of Lateral Carrier Diffusion in Semiconductor Lasers

Electron and hole diffusions in the plane of semiconductor quantum wells play an important part in the static and dynamic operations of semiconductor lasers. It is well known that the value of diffusion coefficients affects the threshold pumping current of a semiconductor laser. At the same time, the strength of carrier diffusion process is expected to affect the modulation bandwidth of an AC-modulated laser. It is important not only to investigate the combined DC and AC effects due to carrier diffusion, but also to separate the AC effects from that of the combined effects in order to provide design insights for high speed modulation. In this presentation, we apply a hydrodynamic model developed by the present authors recently from the semiconductor Bloch equations. The model allows microscopic calculation of the lateral carrier diffusion coefficient, which is a nonlinear function of the carrier density and plasma temperature. We first studied combined AC and DC effects of lateral carrier diffusion by studying the bandwidth dependence on diffusion coefficient at a given DC current under small signal modulation. The results show an increase of modulation bandwidth with decrease in the diffusion coefficient. We simultaneously studied the effects of nonlinearity in the diffusion coefficient. To clearly identify how much of the bandwidth increase is a result of decrease in the threshold pumping current for smaller diffusion coefficient, thus an effective increase of DC pumping, we study the bandwidth dependence on diffusion coefficient at a given relative pumping. A detailed comparison of the two cases will be presented.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗

NASA NTRS2002

Diode-Laser Pumped Far-Infrared Local Oscillator Based on Semiconductor Quantum Wells

The contents include: 1) Tetrahertz Field: A Technology Gap; 2) Existing THZ Sources and Shortcomings; 3) Applications of A THZ Laser; 4) Previous Optical Pumped LW Generations; 5) Optically Pumped Sb based Intersubband Generation Whys; 6) InGaAs/InP/AlAsSb QWs; 7) Raman Enhanced Optical Gain; 8) Pump Intensity Dependence of THZ Gain; 9) Pump-Probe Interaction Induced Raman Shift; 10) THZ Laser Gain in InGaAs/InP/AlAsSb QWs; 11) Diode-Laser Pumped Difference Frequency Generation (InGaAs/InP/AlAsSb QWs); 12) 6.1 Angstrom Semiconductor Quantum Wells; 13) InAs/GaSb/AlSb Nanostructures; 14) InAs/AlSb Double QWs: DFG Scheme; 15) Sb-Based Triple QWs: Laser Scheme; and 16) Exciton State Pumped THZ Generation. This paper is presented in viewgraph form.

Kolokolov, K.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Theory and Simulation of Self- and Mutual-Diffusion of Carrier Density and Temperature in Semiconductor Lasers

Carrier diffusion and thermal conduction play a fundamental role in the operation of high-power, broad-area semiconductor lasers. Restricted geometry, high pumping level and dynamic instability lead to inhomogeneous spatial distribution of plasma density, temperature, as well as light field, due to strong light-matter interaction. Thus, modeling and simulation of such optoelectronic devices rely on detailed descriptions of carrier dynamics and energy transport in the system. A self-consistent description of lasing and heating in large-aperture, inhomogeneous edge- or surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) require coupled diffusion equations for carrier density and temperature. In this paper, we derive such equations from the Boltzmann transport equation for the carrier distributions. The derived self- and mutual-diffusion coefficients are in general nonlinear functions of carrier density and temperature including many-body interactions. We study the effects of many-body interactions on these coefficients, as well as the nonlinearity of these coefficients for large-area VCSELs. The effects of mutual diffusions on carrier and temperature distributions in gain-guided VCSELs will be also presented.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗

NASA NTRS2001

A Hydrodynamic Theory for Spatially Inhomogeneous Semiconductor Lasers: Numerical Results - 2

We present numerical results of the diffusion coefficients (DCs) in the coupled diffusion model derived in the preceding paper for a semiconductor quantum well. These include self and mutual DCs in the general two-component case, as well as density- and temperature-related DCs under the single-component approximation. The results are analyzed from the viewpoint of free Fermi gas theory with many-body effects incorporated. We discuss in detail the dependence of these DCs on densities and temperatures in order to identify different roles played by the free carrier contributions including carrier statistics and carrier-LO phonon scattering, and many-body corrections including bandgap renormalization and electron-hole (e-h) scattering. In the general two-component case, it is found that the self- and mutual- diffusion coefficients are determined mainly by the free carrier contributions, but with significant many-body corrections near the critical density. Carrier-LO phonon scattering is dominant at low density, but e-h scattering becomes important in determining their density dependence above the critical electron density. In the single-component case, it is found that many-body effects suppress the density coefficients but enhance the temperature coefficients. The modification is of the order of 10% and reaches a maximum of over 20% for the density coefficients. Overall, temperature elevation enhances the diffusive capability or DCs of carriers linearly, and such an enhancement grows with density. Finally, the complete dataset of various DCs as functions of carrier densities and temperatures provides necessary ingredients for future applications of the model to various spatially inhomogeneous optoelectronic devices.

Li, Jianzhong↗

NASA NTRS2001

A Hydrodynamic Theory for Spatially Inhomogeneous Semiconductor Lasers: Microscopic Approach

Starting from the microscopic semiconductor Bloch equations (SBEs) including the Boltzmann transport terms in the distribution function equations for electrons and holes, we derived a closed set of diffusion equations for carrier densities and temperatures with self-consistent coupling to Maxwell's equation and to an effective optical polarization equation. The coherent many-body effects are included within the screened Hartree-Fock approximation, while scatterings are treated within the second Born approximation including both the in- and out-scatterings. Microscopic expressions for electron-hole (e-h) and carrier-LO (c-LO) phonon scatterings are directly used to derive the momentum and energy relaxation rates. These rates expressed as functions of temperatures and densities lead to microscopic expressions for self- and mutual-diffusion coefficients in the coupled density-temperature diffusion equations. Approximations for reducing the general two-component description of the electron-hole plasma (EHP) to a single-component one are discussed. In particular, we show that a special single-component reduction is possible when e-h scattering dominates over c-LO phonon scattering. The ambipolar diffusion approximation is also discussed and we show that the ambipolar diffusion coefficients are independent of e-h scattering, even though the diffusion coefficients of individual components depend sensitively on the e-h scattering rates. Our discussions lead to new perspectives into the roles played in the single-component reduction by the electron-hole correlation in momentum space induced by scatterings and the electron-hole correlation in real space via internal static electrical field. Finally, the theory is completed by coupling the diffusion equations to the lattice temperature equation and to the effective optical polarization which in turn couples to the laser field.

Li, Jianzhong↗

NASA NTRS2001

Nonlinearity Effects of Lateral Density Diffusion Coefficient on Gain-Guided VCSEL Performance

Electron and hole diffusions in the plane of semiconductor quantum wells play an important part in the static and dynamic operations of semiconductor lasers. In this paper, we apply a hydrodynamic model developed from the semiconductor Bloch equations to numerically study the effects of nonlinearity in the diffusion coefficient on single mode operation and direct modulation of a gain-guided InGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum well laser, operating not too far from threshold. We found that a small diffusion coefficient is advantageous for lowering the threshold current and increasing the modulation bandwidth. Most importantly, the effects of nonlinearity in the coefficient can be approximately reproduced by replacing the coefficient with an effective constant diffusion coefficient, which corresponds roughly to the half height density of the density distribution.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗

NASA NTRS2000

Transverse Mode Dynamics of VCSELs Undergoing Current Modulation

Transverse mode dynamics of a 20-micron-diameter vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) undergoing gain switching by deep current modulation is studied numerically. The direct current (dc) level is set slightly below threshold and is modulated by a large alternating current (ac). The resulting optical pulse train and transverse-mode patterns are obtained numerically. The ac frequency is varied from 2.5 GHz to 10 GHz, and the ac amplitude is varied from one-half to four times that of the dc level. At high modulation frequencies, a regular pulse train is not generated unless the ac amplitude is large enough. At all modulation frequencies, the transverse spatial profile switches from single-mode to multiple-mode pattern as the ac pumping level is increased. Optical pulse widths vary in the range 5-30 ps. with the pulse width decreasing when either the frequency is increased or the ac amplitude is decreased. The numerical modeling uses an approximation form of the semiconductor Maxwell-Bloch equations. Temporal evolution of the spatial profiles of the laser (and of carrier density) is determined without any assumptions about the type or number of modes. Keywords: VCSELs, current modulation, gain switching, transverse mode dynamics, computational modeling

Goorjian, Peter M.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Many-Body Effects on Bandgap Shrinkage, Effective Masses, and Alpha Factor

Many-body Coulomb effects influence the operation of quantum-well (QW) laser diode (LD) strongly. In the present work, we study a two-band electron-hole plasma (EHP) within the Hatree-Fock approximation and the single plasmon pole approximation for static screening. Full inclusion of momentum dependence in the many-body effects is considered. An empirical expression for carrier density dependence of the bandgap renormalization (BGR) in an 8 nm GaAs/Al(0.3)G(4.7)As single QW will be given, which demonstrates a non-universal scaling behavior for quasi-two-dimension structures, due to size-dependent efficiency of screening. In addition, effective mass renormalization (EMR) due to momentum-dependent self-energy many-body correction, for both electrons and holes is studied and serves as another manifestation of the many-body effects. Finally, the effects on carrier density dependence of the alpha factor is evaluated to assess the sensitivity of the full inclusion of momentum dependence.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗

NASA NTRS2000

Plasma Heating and Ultrafast Semiconductor Laser Modulation Through a Terahertz Heating Field

Electron-hole plasma heating and ultrafast modulation in a semiconductor laser under a terahertz electrical field are investigated using a set of hydrodynamic equations derived from the semiconductor Bloch equations. The self-consistent treatment of lasing and heating processes leads to the prediction of a strong saturation and degradation of modulation depth even at moderate terahertz field intensity. This saturation places a severe limit to bandwidth achievable with such scheme in ultrafast modulation. Strategies for increasing modulation depth are discussed.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗

NASA NTRS1999

Piezoelectric Field Enhanced Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Susceptibilities in Wurtzite GaN/AlGaN Quantum Wells

Second-order nonlinear optical processes including second-harmonic generation, optical rectification, and difference-frequency generation associated with intersubband transitions in wurtzite GaN/AlGaN quantum well (QW) are investigated theoretically. Taking into account the strain-induced piezoelectric (PZ) effects, we solve the electronic structure of the QW from coupled effective-mass Schrodinger equation and Poisson equation including the exchange-correlation effect under the local-density approximation. We show that the large PZ field in the QW breaks the symmetry of the confinement potential profile and leads to large second-order susceptibilities. We also show that the interband optical pump-induced electron-hole plasma results in an enhancement in the maximum value of the nonlinear coefficients and a redshift of the peak position in the nonlinear optical spectrum. By use of the difference-frequency generation, THz radiation can be generated from a GaN/Al(0.75)Ga(0.25)N with a pump laser of 1.55 micron.

Liu, Ansheng↗

NASA NTRS1997

Temperature Induced Alpha Factor

Temperature effects can be important in short pulse propagation or in CW operation of VCSELs. In those cases, the optical susceptibility function is, in general, a function of carrier density and plasma and/or lattice temperature(s). Just as there is an alpha factor induced by the density change (density alpha), there are alpha factors induced by lattice or plasma temperature change (temperature alphas). The density alpha factor has been studied quite extensively, while the temperature alpha factors have not been computed for any structure. I will report on my first calculations of alpha factors induced by the plasma and lattice temperature change for GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells using microscopic theory. Besides, the temperature dependence of the density alpha factor is also considered.

Ning, C. Z.↗