Gabriel Christmann

Current status of AlInN layers lattice-matched to GaN for photonics and electronics

We report on the current properties of Al1-x InxN (x approximate to 0.18) layers lattice- matched ( LM) to GaN and their specific use to realize nearly strain- free structures for photonic and electronic applications. Following a literature survey of the general properties of AlInN layers, structural and optical properties of thin state- of- the- art AlInN layers LM to GaN are described showing that despite improved structural properties these layers are still characterized by a typical background donor concentration of ( 1 - 5) x 10(18) cm(-3) and a large Stokes shift (similar to 800 meV) between luminescence and absorption edge. The use of these AlInN layers LM to GaN is then exemplified through the properties of GaN/ AlInN multiple quantum wells ( QWs) suitable for near- infrared intersubband applications. A built- in electric field of 3.64MVcm(-1) solely due to spontaneous polarization is deduced from photoluminescence measurements carried out on strain- free single QW heterostructures, a value in good agreement with that deduced from theoretical calculation. Other potentialities regarding optoelectronics are demonstrated through the successful realization of crack- free highly reflective AlInN/ GaN distributed Bragg reflectors ( R > 99%) and high quality factor microcavities ( Q > 2800) likely to be of high interest for short wavelength vertical light emitting devices and fundamental studies on the strong coupling regime between excitons and cavity photons. In this respect, room temperature ( RT) lasing of a LM AlInN/ GaN vertical cavity surface emitting laser under optical pumping is reported. A description of the selective lateral oxidation of AlInN layers for current confinement in nitride- based light emitting devices and the selective chemical etching of oxidized AlInN layers is also given. Finally, the characterization of LM AlInN/ GaN heterojunctions will reveal the potential of such a system for the fabrication of high electron mobility transistors through the report of a high two- dimensional electron gas sheet carrier density ( n(s) similar to 2.6 x 10(13) cm(-2)) combined with a RT mobility mu(e) similar to 1170 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) and a low sheet resistance, R similar to 210 Omega square.

Room temperature polariton lasing in a GaN∕AlGaN multiple quantum well microcavity

The authors report room temperature polariton lasing at λ∼345nm in a hybrid AlInN∕AlGaN multiple quantum well microcavity (MQW-MC) containing a GaN∕AlGaN MQW active region, i.e., the achievement under nonresonant optical excitation of coherent light emission of a macroscopic population of polaritons occupying the lowest energy state of the lower polariton branch. This was made possible by taking advantage of the efficient relaxation of polaritons in a MQW-MC exhibiting a large vacuum Rabi splitting ΩVRS=56meV.

Spontaneous polarization buildup in a room-temperature polariton laser

We observe the buildup of strong (approximately 50%) spontaneous vector polarization in emission from a GaN-based polariton laser excited by short optical pulses at room temperature. The Stokes vector of emitted light changes its orientation randomly from one excitation pulse to another, so that the time-integrated polarization remains zero. This behavior is completely different from any previous laser. We interpret this observation in terms of the spontaneous symmetry breaking in a Bose-Einstein condensate of exciton polaritons.

Sculpting oscillators with light within a nonlinear quantum fluid

Polaritons—quasiparticles made up of a photon and exciton strongly coupled together—can form macroscopic quantum states even at room temperature. Now these so-called condensates are imaged directly. This achievement could aid the development of semiconductor-based polariton-condensate devices.

Recent progress in the growth of highly reflective nitride-based distributed Bragg reflectors and their use in microcavities

The growth of highly-reflective nitride-based distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) and their use in vertical cavity structures is reviewed. We discuss the various nitride material systems employed to design Bragg mirrors and microcavities, namely the Al-x(Ga)(1-x)N/(Al)(y)Ga1-yN and the lattice-matched Al1-xInxN/GaN (x(ln) similar to 18%)-based systems. An emphasis on particular issues such as strain management, internal absorption, alloy morphology and contribution of leaky modes is carried out. Specific properties of the poorly known AlInN alloy such as the bandgap variation with In content close to lattice-matched conditions to GaN are reported. The superior optical quality of the lattice-matched AlInN/GaN system for the realization of nitride-based DBRs is demonstrated. The properties of nitride-based vertical cavity devices are also described. Forthcoming challenges such as the realization of electrically pumped vertical cavity surface emitting lasers and strongly coupled quantum microcavities are discussed as well, and in particular critical issues such as vertical current injection.

Coupling Quantum Tunneling with Cavity Photons

Tunneling Through with a Light Touch Quantum tunneling underpins a host of essential techniques, such as scanning tunneling microscopy and quantum cascade lasers, as well as chemical reactions. The tunneling particles are normally electrons, and control of the tunneling process has generally been by electric fields. By coupling tunneling electrons with cavity photons trapped inside a semiconductor microcavity, Cristofolini et al. (p. 704, published online 5 April; see the Perspective by Szymańska) produced mixed states that then allowed direct optical control of the tunneling process. Such an optical-based approach to manipulating and controlling the tunneling process may find applications in quantum information science. Optical coupling is used to control the tunneling of electrons between a pair of quantum wells. Tunneling of electrons through a potential barrier is fundamental to chemical reactions, electronic transport in semiconductors and superconductors, magnetism, and devices such as terahertz oscillators. Whereas tunneling is typically controlled by electric fields, a completely different approach is to bind electrons into bosonic quasiparticles with a photonic component. Quasiparticles made of such light-matter microcavity polaritons have recently been demonstrated to Bose-condense into superfluids, whereas spatially separated Coulomb-bound electrons and holes possess strong dipole interactions. We use tunneling polaritons to connect these two realms, producing bosonic quasiparticles with static dipole moments. Our resulting three-state system yields dark polaritons analogous to those in atomic systems or optical waveguides, thereby offering new possibilities for electromagnetically induced transparency, room-temperature condensation, and adiabatic photon-to-electron transfer.

All-dielectric GaN microcavity: Strong coupling and lasing at room temperature

The strong light-matter coupling regime and lasing in a GaN microcavity fabricated by incorporating a high optical quality GaN membrane inside an all-dielectric mirror cavity is demonstrated at room temperature. A nonlinear increase of the emission and line narrowing marks the onset of polariton lasing regime with significantly reduced threshold compared with previous reports for bulk GaN microcavity. This combination of low lasing thresholds and ease of fabrication allows incorporation of quantum wells and electrical contacts into the active region, paving the way for electrically driven room temperature (RT) polariton laser devices.

Bragg polaritons: strong coupling and amplification in an unfolded microcavity.

Periodic incorporation of quantum wells inside a one-dimensional Bragg structure is shown to enhance coherent coupling of excitons to the electromagnetic Bloch waves. We demonstrate strong coupling of quantum well excitons to photonic crystal Bragg modes at the edge of the photonic band gap, which gives rise to mixed Bragg polariton eigenstates. The resulting Bragg polariton branches are in good agreement with the theory and allow demonstration of Bragg polariton parametric amplification.

Geometrically locked vortex lattices in semiconductor quantum fluids

Macroscopic quantum states can be easily created and manipulated within semiconductor microcavity chips using exciton-photon quasiparticles called polaritons. Besides being a new platform for technology, polaritons have proven to be ideal systems to study out-of-equilibrium condensates. Here we harness the photonic component of such a semiconductor quantum fluid to measure its coherent wavefunction on macroscopic scales. Polaritons originating from separated and independent incoherently pumped spots are shown to phase-lock only in high-quality microcavities, producing up to 100 vortices and antivortices that extend over tens of microns across the sample and remain locked for many minutes. The resultant regular vortex lattices are highly sensitive to the optically imposed geometry, with modulational instabilities present only in square and not triangular lattices. Such systems describe the optical equivalents to one- and two-dimensional spin systems with (anti)-ferromagnetic interactions controlled by their symmetry, which can be reconfigured on the fly, paving the way to widespread applications in the control of quantum fluidic circuits.

Tuneable polaritonics at room temperature with strongly coupled Tamm plasmon polaritons in metal/air-gap microcavities

We report strong coupling between Tamm plasmons and excitons in III–V quantum wells at room temperature in ultracompact sample designs. A high refractive index contrast air-gap mirror together with optical Tamm states at a metal/semiconductor interface tightly confines the intracavity field leading to substantial local field enhancements. Angular-resolved reflectivity spectra give clear evidence for anticrossing in the dispersion relation. Room temperature Rabi splittings of 10 meV are found in excellent agreement with simulations. Electrical control of the polariton modes is realized without need for doped mirror layers. Such air-gap microcavities open innovative possibilites for electrically tunable microcavities and polaritonic microelectromechanics.