John B. Schlager

Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence from relaxed and strained GaN nanowires grown by catalyst-free molecular-beam epitaxy

We report steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements on individual GaN nanowires (6–20 μm in length, 30–940 nm in diameter) grown by a nitrogen-plasma-assisted, catalyst-free molecular-beam epitaxy on Si(111) and dispersed onto fused quartz substrates. Induced tensile strain for nanowires bonded to fused silica and compressive strain for nanowires coated with atomic-layer-deposition alumina led to redshifts and blueshifts of the dominant steady-state PL emission peak, respectively. Unperturbed nanowires exhibited spectra associated with high-quality, strain-free material. The TRPL lifetimes, which were similar for both relaxed and strained nanowires of similar size, ranged from 200 ps to over 2 ns, compared well with those of low-defect bulk GaN, and depended linearly on nanowire diameter. The diameter-dependent lifetimes yielded a room-temperature surface recombination velocity S of 9×103 cm/s for our silicon-doped GaN nanowires.

Steady-state and transient photoconductivity in c-axis GaN nanowires grown by nitrogen-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Analysis of steady-state and transient photoconductivity measurements at room temperature performed on c-axis oriented GaN nanowires yielded estimates of free carrier concentration, drift mobility, surface band bending, and surface capture coefficient for electrons. Samples grown (unintentionally n-type) by nitrogen-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy primarily from two separate growth runs were examined. The results revealed carrier concentration in the range of (3–6)×1016 cm−3 for one growth run, roughly 5×1014–1×1015 cm−3 for the second, and drift mobility in the range of 500–700 cm2/(V s) for both. Nanowires were dispersed onto insulating substrates and contacted forming single-wire, two-terminal structures with typical electrode gaps of ≈3–5 μm. When biased at 1 V bias and illuminated at 360 nm (3.6 mW/cm2) the thinner (≈100 nm diameter) nanowires with the higher background doping showed an abrupt increase in photocurrent from 5 pA (noise level) to 0.1–1 μA. Under the same conditions, thicker (151...

A passively mode-locked fiber laser at 1.54 μm with a fundamental repetition frequency reaching 2GHz

We demonstrate a fundamentally mode-locked fiber laser with a repetition frequency in excess of 2 GHz at a central wavelength of 1.535 mum. Co-doped ytterbium-erbium fiber provides the gain medium for the laser, affording high gain per unit length, while a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SAM) provides the pulse shaping mechanism in a standing wave cavity. Results are shown confirming cw mode-locking for 1 GHz and 2 GHz repetition frequency systems. The response of the frequency comb output to pump power variations is shown to follow a single pole response. The timing jitter of a 540MHz repetition-rate laser has been suppressed to below 100 fs through phase-lead compensated feedback to the pump power. Alternatively, a single comb line of a 850MHz repetition-rate laser has been phase-locked to a narrow linewidth cw laser with an in-loop phase jitter of 0.06 rad(2). The laser design is compatible with low-noise oscillator applications.

Polarization-resolved photoluminescence study of individual GaN nanowires grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy

Polarization- and temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements were performed on individual GaN nanowires. These were grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy on Si(111) substrates, ultrasonically removed, and subsequently dispersed on sapphire substrates. The wires were typically 5–10μm in length, c-axis oriented, and 30–100nm in diameter. Single wires produced sufficient emission intensity to enable high signal-to-noise PL data. Polarized PL spectra differed for the σ and π polarization cases, illustrating the polarization anisotropy of the exciton emission associated with high-quality wurtzite GaN. This anisotropy in PL emission persisted even up to room temperature (4–296K). Additionally, the nanowire PL varied with excitation intensity and with (325nm) pump exposure time.

On-chip optical interconnects made with gallium nitride nanowires.

In this Letter we report on the fabrication, device characteristics, and optical coupling of a two-nanowire device comprising GaN nanowires with light-emitting and photoconductive capabilities. Axial p-n junction GaN nanowires were grown by molecular beam epitaxy, transferred to a non-native substrate, and selectively contacted to form discrete optical source or detector nanowire components. The optical coupling demonstrated for this device may provide new opportunities for integration of optical interconnects between on-chip electrical subsystems.

Optical and structural study of GaN nanowires grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy. I. Near-band-edge luminescence and strain effects

GaN nanowires with diameters of 50–250 nm, grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy, were characterized by photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy at temperatures from 3 to 297 K, and high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD) at ≈297 K. The lattice parameters of the nanowires, determined by HRXRD, are in good agreement with recent measurements of freestanding quasisubstrates; the relative variation of the lattice parameters between the nanowires and quasisubstrates is ≤2×10−4. Both as-grown samples, which contained nanowires oriented normal to the substrate as well as a rough, faceted matrix layer, and dispersions of the nanowires onto other substrates, were examined by PL and CL. The D0XA line at 3.472 eV, ascribed to excitons bound to shallow donors, was observed in low-temperature PL and CL; free-exciton lines (XA at ≈3.479 eV, XB at ≈3.484 eV) were observed in PL at temperatures between 20 and 80 K. The linewidth of the D0XA peak was larger in PL spectra of the nanowires ...

Accurate Measurements of the Zero-Dispersion Wavelength in Optical Fibers

We have developed a frequency-domain phase shift system for measuring the zero-dispersion wavelength and the dispersion slope of single-mode optical fibers. A differential phase shift method and nonlinear four-wave mixing technique were also investigated. The frequency-domain phase shift method is used to produce Standard Reference Materials that have their zero-dispersion wavelengths characterized with an expanded uncertainty (k = 2) of ± 0.060 nm.

Passively mode-locked glass waveguide laser with 14-fs timing jitter

Ultralow jitter pulse trains are produced from a passively mode-locked, erbium/ytterbium co-doped, planar waveguide laser by use of high-bandwidth feedback control acting on the physical cavity length and optical pump power. Synchronization of a 750-MHz, fundamentally mode-locked laser to an external clock signal yields an ultralow, root-mean-square relative timing jitter of 14.4 fs integrated from 10 Hz to the Nyquist frequency of 375 MHz.

Optical and structural study of GaN nanowires grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy. II. Sub-band-gap luminescence and electron irradiation effects

GaN nanowires with diameters of 50–250 nm, grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy, were characterized by photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy at temperatures from 3 to 297 K. Both as-grown samples and dispersions of the nanowires onto other substrates were examined. The properties of the near-band-edge PL and CL spectra were discussed in Part I of this study by [Robins et al. [L. H. Robins, K. A. Bertness, J. M. Barker, N. A. Sanford, and J. B. Schlager, J. Appl. Phys. 101,113505 (2007)]. Spectral features below the band gap, and the effect of extended electron irradiation on the CL, are discussed in Part II. The observed sub-band-gap PL and CL peaks are identified as phonon replicas of the free-exciton transitions, or excitons bound to structural defects or surface states. The defect-related peaks in the nanowires are correlated with luminescence lines previously reported in GaN films, denoted the Y lines [M. A. Reshchikov and H. Morkoc, J. Appl. Phys. 97, 061301 (2005)...

Passively mode-locked waveguide laser with low residual jitter

Picosecond pulses at 1.53 /spl mu/m with low residual jitter are generated from a passively mode-locked erbium/ytterbium codoped planar waveguide laser in an extended cavity configuration. The round-trip frequency of the laser cavity is actively referenced to the frequency of a stable electronic oscillator; this lowers the residual root-mean-square timing jitter to 83 fs over the frequency range of our phase-noise measurement system 100 Hz-10 MHz.