Light emitting devices for the infrared spectral region are used in a lot of application fields. In the mid infrared (MIR) region, where a lot of gases show strong absorptions, the optical output power of inexpensive emitters in the relevant wavelength range is too low. An optically pumped emitter for the MIR region around 4 μm based on narrow gap semiconductors is demonstrated. The pumping takes place using inexpensive near-infrared (around 1 μm) high power continuous wave (cw) semiconductors laser. The radiation is converted by the narrow gap semiconductor into the MIR region as spontaneous emission. Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown IV-VI lead chalcogenide-based compounds, especially PbSe, are applied for frequency conversion. The structural and optical quality of these thin film materials is characterized mainly by X-ray defraction measurements (XRD) and photo luminescence (PL) spectroscopy. For high radiation efficiency the outcoupling of the light is enhanced by surface structuring. Useful structures generating high photoluminescence intensity are characterized by IR imaging with an IR camera system being sensitive in the spectral region of interest. Due to the high pumping powers the device design-especially the thermal management of the active PbSe film-plays an important role. We will present a preparation technique for optically pumped, surface structured PbSe emitters in transmission geometry exploiting the transparency of the substrates and glues in the relevant wavelength region. The measured total emission power of the emitters exceeds 0.5 mW. Using an optimised design total emission powers up to 2 mW were achieved.
We present a novel hybrid light emitting device design based on a standard InAlGaAs/GaAs high-power laser diode array chip as a pump source and a narrow-gap PbSe-layer as active optical material. Maximum cw output powers of more than 1.1 mW and slope efficiencies of 0.4 mW/A are obtained at 25 °C. The external power efficiency amounts to 3.5×10-2 %. The emission wavelength is 4.2 μm, with a half width of 770 nm (50 meV). Details about the optimization of the emitter material and device design are discussed as well.
The bandstructure of photonic crystals offers intriguing
possibilities for the manipulation of electromagnetic waves.
During the last years, research has mainly focussed on the
application of these photonic crystal properties in the telecom
area. We suggest utilization of photonic crystals for sensor
applications such as qualitative and quantitative gas and liquid
analysis. Taking advantage of the low group velocity and certain
mode distributions for some k-points in the bandstructure
of a photonic crystal should enable the realization of very
compact sensor devices. We show different device configurations of
a photonic crystal based on macroporous silicon that fulfill the
demands to serve as a compact gas sensor.
We report on the development of epitaxial thin film materials for optical pumped light emitting devices in the wavelength range of 4-5 μm. The active layers are lead selenide (PbSe) thin films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) on single crystalline, infrared transparent BaF2 substrates. The electrical properties of the layers were determined by van der Pauw Hall measurements. A dependency of the PL intensity on the dopant type and carrier concentration was found. To increase the output power, layers with antireflection coatings were grown and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. A further possibility to increase the extraction efficiency is surface texturing. Infrared imaging and PL measurements at samples with different surface structures, prepared by wet chemical etching, are presented. To improve the heat dissipation, which is a problem of optical pumped devices due to the small efficiency and pump densities up to some kW/cm2, the BaF2 substrates were removed and the active layers were transferred to different heat sinks with significantly higher thermal conductivities. Afterwards the PL intensities were compared among each other.
An optically pumped emitter for the mid-infrared region around 4 µm based on narrow gap semiconductors is demonstrated. The pumping takes place in the near-infrared around 1 μm and the radiation is converted by the narrow ap semiconductor into the MIR region as spontaneous emission. IV-VI lead chalcogenide-based compounds, especially PbSe and III-V InAsSb-based quantum well systems are applied for frequency conversion. These materials are grown by MBE and characterized mainly by photo luminescence spectroscopy. For a high radiation efficiency the outcoupling of the light is enhanced by surface structuring. Useful structures generating high photoluminescence intensity are characterized by IR imaging with an IR camera system being sensitive in the spectral region of interest.
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