Christopher J. Fredricksen

Neutron transmutation doped far-infrared p-Ge laser

A far-infrared p-type germanium laser with active crystal prepared from ultra pure single-crystal Ge by neutron transmutation doping (NTD) is demonstrated. Calculations show that the high uniformity of Ga acceptor distribution achieved by NTD significantly improves average gain. The stronger ionized impurity scattering due to high compensation in NTD Ge is shown to have insignificant negative impact on the gain at the moderate doping concentrations sufficient for laser operation. Experimentally, this first NTD laser is found to have lower current-density lasing threshold than the best of a number of melt-doped laser crystals studied for comparison.

Evidence for self-mode-locking in p-Ge laser emission

Investigations of the dynamics of the far-infrared p-Ge laser emission reveal strong periodic soliton-like intensity spikes with less than 100 ps duration. We interpret these spikes as self-mode-locking of p-Ge laser modes. The effect becomes more pronounced when a GaAs/AlGaAs/InGaAs quantum well structure on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate is inserted into the laser cavity.

Intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy using mid-IR quantum cascade laser

Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (ICLAS) at IR wavelengths offers an opportunity for spectral sensing with sufficient sensitivity to detect vapors of low vapor pressure compounds such as explosives. Reported here are key enabling technologies for this approach, including multi-mode external-cavity quantum cascade lasers and a scanning Fabry-Perot spectrometer to analyze the laser mode spectrum in the presence of a molecular intracavity absorber. Reported also is the design of a compact integrated data acquisition and control system. Applications include military and commercial sensing for threat compounds, chemical gases, biological aerosols, drugs, and banned or invasive plants or animals, bio-medical breath analysis, and terrestrial or planetary atmosphere science.

Quantum cascade laser intracavity absorption spectrometer for trace gas sensing

A mid-infrared intracavity laser absorption spectrometer for trace gas sensing is demonstrated. An external-cavity multi-mode quantum cascade laser with central wavelength 8.0 μm was combined with a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, which analyzed the change of the laser emission spectrum caused by introducing an analyte inside the cavity. The detection mechanism is based on monitoring the laser spectrum dynamics at adiabatically changing laser conditions in long pulse operation mode. Fast acquisition and vapor exchange allow nearly real-time analyte detection. Sensitivity at the level of 1 × 10−5 cm−1 was demonstrated based on a weak water vapor absorption line.

Plasmon resonance response to millimeter-waves of grating-gated InGaAs/InP HEMT

Tunable resonant absorption by plasmons in the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of grating-gated HEMTs is known for a variety of semiconductor systems, giving promise of chip-scale frequency- agile THz imaging spectrometers. In this work, we present our approach to measurement of electrical response to millimeter waves from backward-wave oscillators (BWO) in the range 40-110 GHz for InP-based HEMTs. Frequency-modulation of the BWO with lock-in amplification of the source-drain current gives an output proportional to the change in absorption with frequency without contribution from non-resonant response. This is a first step in optimizing such devices for man-portable or space-based spectral-sensing applications.

Infrared Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectrometer

A spectral sensing method with sufficient sensitivity to detect vapors of low vapor-pressure compounds such as explosives would have great promise for defense and security applications. An opportunity is Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (ICLAS) at IR wavelengths. Our approach is based on multi-mode external-cavity quantum cascade lasers and a scanning Fabry-Perot spectrometer to analyze the laser mode spectrum in the presence of a narrow band intracavity absorber. This paper presents results of numerical solution of laser rate equations that support feasibility of kilometer effective active-cavity path lengths and sensitivity to concentrations of 10 ppb. This is comparable to the saturated vapor pressure of TNT. System design considerations and first experimental results are presented at 10 and 70 μm wavelengths.

Multilayer silicon cavity mirrors for the far-infrared p-Ge laser

Multilayer mirrors capable of > 99.9% reflectivity in the far infrared (70-200 microm wavelengths) were constructed using thin silicon etalons separated by empty gaps. Calculations indicate that only three periods are required to produce 99.9% reflectivity because of the large difference between the index of refraction of silicon (3.384) and the vacuum (1). The mirror was assembled from high-purity silicon wafers, with resistivity over 4000 omega cm to reduce free-carrier absorption. Wafers were double-side polished with faces parallel within 10 arc sec. The multilayer mirror was demonstrated as a cavity mirror for the far-infrared p-Ge laser. Dependence of reflectivity on design accuracy was considered.

Dielectric selective mirror for intracavity wavelength selection in far-infrared p-Ge lasers

A robust metal-free intracavity fixed-wavelength selector for the cryogenically cooled far-infrared p-Ge laser is demonstrated. The device is a back mirror consisting of a thin silicon etalon and dielectric SrTiO3 flat. A laser line width of 0.2 cm−1 is achieved, which corresponds to an active cavity finesse of ∼0.15. The wavelength position and spectral purity are maintained over a wide range of laser operating fields. Use of SrTiO3 lowers the laser resonance line frequencies by ∼1 cm−1 compared with expectations for metal mirrors. The effect is due to phase shift, which is determined from far-infrared reflectivity measurements of SrTiO3. A p-Ge laser with such selector is free from danger of electrical breakdown and mirror oxidation during repeatable thermal cycling, which makes it more reliable than previous selection schemes for practical applications.

Pulse separation control for mode-locked far-infrared p-Ge lasers

Active mode locking of the far-infrared p-Ge laser giving a train of 200 ps pulses is achieved via gain modulation by applying an rf electric field together with an additional bias at one end of the crystal parallel to the Voigt-configured magnetic field. Harmonic mode locking yields a train of pulse pairs with variable time separation from zero to half the roundtrip period, where pulse separation is electrically controlled by the external bias to the rf field.

Millimeter-wave photoresponse due to excitation of two-dimensional plasmons in InGaAs/InP high-electron-mobility transistors

A polarized photoresponse to mm-wave radiation over the frequency range of 40 to 108 GHz is demonstrated in a grating-gated high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) formed by an InGaAs/InP heterostructure. The photoresponse is observed within the plasmon resonance absorption band of the HEMT, whose gate consists of a 9 μm period grating that couples incident radiation to plasmons in the 2D electron gas. Gate-bias changes the channel carrier concentration, causing a corresponding change in photoresponse in agreement with theoretical expectations for the shift in the plasmon resonance band. The noise equivalent power is estimated to be 235 pW/Hz1/2.