Templated growth of II-VI semiconductor optical fiber devices and steps towards infrared fiber lasers

Abstract

ZnSe and other zinc chalcogenide semiconductor materials can be doped with divalent transition metal ions to create a mid-IR laser gain medium with active function in the wavelength range 2 -5 microns and potentially beyond using frequency conversion. As a step towards fiberized laser devices, we have manufactured ZnSe semiconductor fiber waveguides with low (less than 1dB/cm at 1550nm) optical losses, as well as more complex ternary alloys with ZnSxSe(1-x) stoichiometry to potentially allow for annular heterostructures with effective and low order mode corecladding waveguiding.

GaSb-core optical fibers

“…The literature on Group IV semiconductor-core glass fibers is now significant [1][2][3][4][5], including processing improvements [6][7][8] and device demonstrations [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. There are also reports on both SiGe alloy and II-VI core fibers [18][19][20][21][22][23], one including low temperature photoluminescence [21]. However, there is limited information on III-V semiconductor-core fibers [26][27][28] manufactured by either CVD or molten-core techniques.…”

Crystalline GaSb-core optical fibers with room-temperature photoluminescence

“…The literature on Group IV semiconductor-core glass fibers is now significant [1][2][3][4][5], including processing improvements [6][7][8] and device demonstrations [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. There are also reports on both SiGe alloy and II-VI core fibers [18][19][20][21][22][23], one including low temperature photoluminescence [21]. However, there is limited information on III-V semiconductor-core fibers [26][27][28] manufactured by either CVD or molten-core techniques.…”