Room temperature and narrow intersubband electroluminescence from ZnCdSe/ZnCdMgSe quantum cascade laser structures

Abstract

We report ZnCdSe/ZnCdMgSe Quantum Cascade structures with “two-phonon” and “bound-to-continuum” active region designs. The electroluminescence shows more than 3 times higher luminescence efficiency and 40% narrower linewidth (<30 meV) than previous reports. The measured turn-on voltage matches closely the calculated value, indicating the improved electron transport characteristics in these structures. A waveguide design suitable for mode confinement in this material system is also presented, which resulted in a structure with a single narrow electroluminescence peak for all temperatures from 80 to 300 K.

Evaluation of Material Systems for THz Quantum Cascade Laser Active Regions

“…The above mentioned dependence of the ISB gain on the can be used to estimate the potential of other material systems that being investigated, but where QCL operation has not been demonstrated yet. While the concept of intersubband emission could be extended to a wider range of materials, this evaluation is limited to materials, where electroluminescence has been demonstrated up to date . Experimental EL data of established material systems are used to obtain a fit function with one free parameter .…”

Room-temperature terahertz emission from ZnSe-based quantum cascade structures: A simulation study

“…Savic et al reported on design and simulation results of ZnMnSe/ ZnMgSe spin‐polarized THz QCL tunable by magnetic field, which are emitting in regions of 2.4–6.3 THz and 9.2–10.1 THz at 1.5 K. The design and simulation results of magnetically‐tunable optically‐pumped THz QCL lasers based on ZnMnSe/ZnCdMgSe with wavelengths of 60–72 μm at temperature of 77 K and magnetic fields up to 50 Tesla were reported by Popadic et al . The successful room‐temperature intersubband electroluminescence from ZnCdSe/ZnCdMgSe quantum cascade laser structures were experimentally demonstrated by Yao et al in 2011. They used quantum cascade structures with ”two‐phonon” and ”bound‐to‐continuum” designs with improved 3 times electroluminescence efficiency and 40% narrower linewidth (<30 meV).…”

Growth and properties of wide bandgap (MgSe)n(ZnxCd1−xSe)m short-period superlattices

“…Also, intersubband infrared devices based on this material system are the most advanced outside the well-established III–V materials. Specifically, room temperature electroluminescence from quantum cascade structures has been demonstrated at 4.7 μm [8,9] and 6.8 μm [10]. Additionally, quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) with performance comparable to those made with III–V materials [11] have been reported.…”