The development of optical gain in chemically synthesized semiconductor nanoparticles (nanocrystal quantum dots) has been intensely studied as the first step toward nanocrystal quantum dot lasers. We examined the competing dynamical processes involved in optical amplification and lasing in nanocrystal quantum dots and found that, despite a highly efficient intrinsic nonradiative Auger recombination, large optical gain can be developed at the wavelength of the emitting transition for close-packed solids of these dots. Narrowband stimulated emission with a pronounced gain threshold at wavelengths tunable with the size of the nanocrystal was observed, as expected from quantum confinement effects. These results unambiguously demonstrate the feasibility of nanocrystal quantum dot lasers.

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/290/5490/314.full.pdf

Optical gain and stimulated emission in nanocrystal quantum dots.

Influences on the semiconductor laser properties of external optical feedback, i.e., return of a portion of the laser output from a reflector external to the laser cavity, have been examined. Experimental observations with a single mode laser is presented with analysis based on a compound cavity laser model, which has been found to explain essential features of the experimental results. In particular, it has been demonstrated that a laser with external feedback can be multistable and show hysteresis phenomena, analogous to those of non-linear Fabry-Perot resonator. It has also been shown that the dynamic properties of injection lasers are significantly affected by external feedback, depending on interference conditions between returned light and the field inside the laser diode.

External optical feedback effects on semiconductor injection laser properties

Slow light with a remarkably low group velocity is a promising solution for buffering and time-domain processing of optical signals. It also offers the possibility for spatial compression of optical energy and the enhancement of linear and nonlinear optical effects. Photonic-crystal devices are especially attractive for generating slow light, as they are compatible with on-chip integration and room-temperature operation, and can offer wide-bandwidth and dispersion-free propagation. Here the background theory, recent experimental demonstrations and progress towards tunable slow-light structures based on photonic-band engineering are reviewed. Practical issues related to real devices and their applications are also discussed. The unique properties of wide-bandwidth and dispersion-free propagation in photonic-crystal devices have made them a good candidate for slow-light generation. This article gives the background theory of slow light, as well as an overview of recent experimental demonstrations based on photonic-band engineering.

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Slow light in photonic crystals

1. Introduction and overview 2. Film stress and substrate curvature 3. Stress in anisotropic and patterned films 4. Delamination and fracture 5. Film buckling, bulging and peeling 6. Dislocation formation in epitaxial systems 7. Dislocation interactions and strain relaxation 8. Equilibrium and stability of surfaces 9. The role of stress in mass transport.

Thin Film Materials: Stress, Defect Formation and Surface Evolution

An overview of analog microwave photonics will be presented. The performance requirements for externally-modulated analog microwave photonic links will be reviewed with specific emphasis placed on modulator efficiency, laser noise, detected photocurrent, and link linearity.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/6387506/6403300/06403360.pdf

Microwave photonics

Gain and threshold current density are analyzed for quantum-box lasers where electrons are confined in quantum well three-dimensionally, based on the density-matrix theory of semiconductor lasers with relaxation broadening. The electronic dipole moment and its polarization dependence are first analyzed, and it is shown that the gain becomes maximum when the electric field of light is parallel to the longest side of the quantum box. Calculated gain is about 10 times that of bulk crystal for 100 A × 100 A × 100 A GaAs/Ga 0.8 Al 0.2 As quantum box, and 15 times for Ga 0.47 In 0.53 As/InP quantum box with the same size, respectively. The threshold current density are 45 A/cm2and 62 A/cm2for GRINSCH GaAs/(Ga 0.8 Al 0.2 As-Ga 0.4 Al 0.6 As) and Ga 0.47 In 0.53 As/(Ga 0.28 In 0.72 As 0.6 P 0.4 -InP), respectively, where for the GaInAs/ GaInAsP/InP system the intervalence band absorption and nonradiative recombinations have been assumed to be the same as those obtained for bulk crystals experimentally. These results show the possibility of remarkable reduction in the laser threshold by the quantum-box structures.

Gain and the threshold of three-dimensional quantum-box lasers

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.18.2329/pdf

GaInAsP/InP surface emitting injection lasers.

The linear gain and the intervalence band absorption are analyzed for quantum-well lasers. First, we analyze the electronic dipole moment in quantum-well structures. The dipole moment for the TE mode in quantum-well structures is found to be about 1.5 times larger at the subband edges than that of conventional double heterostructures. Also obtained is the difference of the dipole moment between TE and TM modes, which results in the gain difference between these modes. Then we derive the linear gain taking into account the intraband relaxation. As an example, we applied this analysis to GaInAs/InP quantum-well lasers. It is shown that the effects of the intraband relaxation are 1) shift of the gain peak toward shorter wavelength with increasing injected carrier density even in quantum-well structures, 2) increase of the gain-spectrum width due to the softening of the profile, and 3) reduction in the maximum gain by 30-40 percent. The intervalence band absorption analyzed for quantum-well lasers is nearly in the same order as that for conventional structures. However, its effect on the threshold is smaller because the gain is larger for quantum wells than conventional ones. The characteristic temperature T 0 of the threshold current of GaInAs/InP multiquantum-well lasers is calculated to be about 90 K at 300 K for well width and well number of 100 A and 10, respectively.

Gain and intervalence band absorption in quantum-well lasers

This paper gives an analysis and discussion of gain suppression in injection lasers which have an undoped active region and an index guiding structure. In previous papers, we used a semiclassical density‐matrix analysis to show that an injection laser with an updoped active region has a nearly, but not perfectly, homogeneous (or uniform) gain property under operating conditions due to the mode coupling effects by phase synchronization of electrons to the lasing field. The gain of adjacent modes is well suppressed by the oscillating mode, and single‐longitudinal‐mode operation is obtained in undoped injection lasers. However, such suppression depends closely on the spacial distribution of the resonating field and injected carrier density. In this paper, the suppression effect is examined theoretically considering electronic intraband relaxation, effects from the standing wave of the lasing field, spatial diffusion of carriers, etc. When the relaxation time is larger than 3×10−13 sec, the gain shows ’’hole burning,’’ namely, strong nonuniformity across the spectral or energy distributions, and, at the same time, the gain of some resonating modes is increased. Single‐longitudinal‐mode operation is not obtained in such a strongly inhomogeneous laser. When the relaxation time is smaller than 2×10−13 sec, the gain can be seen to be nearly homogeneous, and the gain of nonoscillating modes is sufficiently suppressed, that is, lower than that at threshold, because of the strong‐mode‐coupling effect. The relaxation time of GaAs is expected to be approximately 1×10−13 sec, implying 0.1% of excess suppression. The spatial distribution of the resonating field and induced ’’spatial hole burning’’ of carriers tends to increase the gain of higher transverse modes, but only weakly affects the fundamental transverse modes when the oscillating mode is the fundamental mode. It is then necessary to design the laser so that such higher transverse modes are cut off. The results of this analysis explain the experimental data of well‐designed lasers which have an undoped active region and an index guiding structure. Such a gain suppression effect is crucial for the operation of injection lasers in a single‐longitudinal mode.

Analysis of gain suppression in undoped injection lasers

The density-matrix theory of semiconductor lasers with relaxation broadening model is finally established by introducing theoretical dipole moment into previously developed treatments. The dipole moment is given theoretically by the k . p method and is calculated for various semiconductor materials. As a result, gain and gain-suppression for a variety of crystals covering wide wavelength region are calculated. It is found that the linear gain is larger for longer wavelength lasers and that the gain-suppression is much larger for longer wavelength lasers, which results in that single-mode operation is more stable in long-wavelength lasers than in shorter-wavelength lasers, in good agreement with the experiments.

Yasuharu Suematsu

Papers

Gain and the threshold of three-dimensional quantum-box lasers

GaInAsP/InP surface emitting injection lasers.

Gain and intervalence band absorption in quantum-well lasers

Analysis of gain suppression in undoped injection lasers

Density-matrix theory of semiconductor lasers with relaxation broadening model - Gain and gain-suppression in semiconductor lasers