The importance of electron temperature in silicon-based terahertz quantum cascade lasers

Lever, L, Valavanis, A, Evans, CA, Ikonic, Z and Kelsall, RW (2009) The importance of electron temperature in silicon-based terahertz quantum cascade lasers. Applied Physics Letters, 95 (13). ISSN 0003-6951

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Abstract

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are compact sources of coherent terahertz radiation. Although all existing QCLs use III-V compound semiconductors, silicon-based devices are highly desirable due to the high thermal conductivity and mature processing technology. We use a semiclassical rate-equation model to show that Ge/SiGe THz QCL active region gain is strongly enhanced by reducing the electron temperature. We present a bound-to-continuum QCL design employing L-valley intersubband transitions, using high Ge fraction barriers to reduce interface roughness scattering, and a low electric field to reduce the electron temperature. We predict a gain of similar to 50 cm(-1), which exceeds the calculated waveguide losses. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3237177]

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	INTERSUBBAND ELECTROLUMINESCENCE, WAVE-GUIDES, SCATTERING, DYNAMICS, ALLOYS, MODEL
Academic Units:	The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering (Leeds) > School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering (Leeds) > Institute of Microwaves and Photonics (Leeds)
Depositing User:	Dr Alexander Valavanis
Date Deposited:	12 Oct 2009 08:28
Last Modified:	08 Feb 2013 17:29
Published Version:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3237177
Publisher:	American Institute of Physics
Refereed:	Yes
Identification Number:	10.1063/1.3237177
URI:	http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/9829

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