High Power, Tunable Terahertz Sources Based on Intersubband Transitions in SIGE Quantum Wells

Abstract

Stepped quantum well structures in the SiGe-system make it possible to achieve tunable emission in the frequency range below 10 THz. The composition of these structures changes the emission frequency and the sensitivity towards changes of the applied field. The design of a stepped quantum well structure depends on the critical thickness for SiGe, the linearity of its characteristics and its behavior in a superlattice. We have successfully designed, fabricated and experimentally demonstrated the tunability of THz emission as a function of bias from SiGe quantum well devices. Increasing the bias current applied to the fabricated SiGe multiple quantum well device (from 250 mA to 550 mA) resulted in a change in emission frequency from 8.86 THz to 8.26 THz at 30K. This is a change of 7.2% infrequency and is close to the 10% tunability predicted.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 18, 2002
Accession Number
ADA413628

Entities

People

  • Bruce Howard
  • J. Kolodzey

Organizations

  • System Planning Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Atmospheric Attenuation
  • Band Structures
  • Detectors
  • Emission
  • Energy Bands
  • Far Infrared Lasers
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Bands
  • Heterojunctions
  • Quantum Well Lasers
  • Quantum Wells
  • Sensitivity
  • Superlattices
  • Terahertz Radiation
  • Thickness
  • Transitions

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Quantum Dot Semiconductor Device Photonics and Graphene Optoelectronic Materials and THz Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Quantum Computing