III-nitride intersubband photonics

This paper reviews the recent progress towards III-nitride intersubband devices based on quantum wells. We first present recent achievements in terms of GaN-based quantum cascade detectors operating at near-infrared wavelengths. We show that these devices are intrinsically extremely fast based on femtosecond time-resolved measurements of the photocurrent. The design of III-nitride quantum cascade detectors, which relies on the engineering of the internal electric field, is flexible enough to allow for two-color detection. We finally discuss the potential of III-nitride intersubband devices in the THz frequency domain and present the recent observation of THz absorption using low aluminium content AlGaN/GaN step quantum wells.

[1]  M. Albrecht,et al.  Growth of intersubband GaN/AlGaN heterostructures , 2010, OPTO.

[2]  E. Linfield,et al.  Terahertz semiconductor-heterostructure laser , 2002, Nature.

[3]  Francois H. Julien,et al.  Near‐infrared intersubband emission from GaN/AlN quantum dots and quantum wells , 2008 .

[4]  M. Carras,et al.  Quantum cascade photodetector , 2004 .

[5]  J. Faist,et al.  InP-based quantum cascade detectors in the mid-infrared , 2006 .

[6]  Claire F. Gmachl,et al.  Intersubband absorption at λ∼1.55 μm in well- and modulation-doped GaN/AlGaN multiple quantum wells with superlattice barriers , 2000 .

[7]  Raffaele Colombelli,et al.  Nitride intersubband devices: prospects and recent developments , 2007 .

[8]  Paul Crozat,et al.  Short-wavelength intersubband electroabsorption modulation based on electron tunneling between GaN∕AlN coupled quantum wells , 2007 .

[9]  Marc Ilegems,et al.  Midinfrared intersubband absorption in lattice-matched AlInN/GaN multiple quantum wells , 2005 .

[10]  Enrico Bellotti,et al.  Monte Carlo simulation of terahertz quantum cascade laser structures based on wide-bandgap semiconductors , 2009 .

[11]  F. Julien,et al.  Terahertz intersubband absorption in GaN/AlGaN step quantum wells , 2010 .

[12]  Norio Iizuka,et al.  Feasibility Study on Ultrafast Nonlinear Optical Properties of 1.55-µ m Intersubband Transition in AlGaN/GaN Quantum Wells , 1997 .

[13]  Joerg Heber,et al.  Comparative study of ultrafast intersubband electron scattering times at ̃1.55 μm wavelength in GaN/AlGaN heterostructures , 2002 .

[14]  Katsumi Kishino,et al.  Intersubband transition in (GaN)m/(AlN)n superlattices in the wavelength range from 1.08 to 1.61 μm , 2002 .

[15]  N. Grandjean,et al.  Lattice-Matched GaN–InAlN Waveguides at = 1:55 m Grown by Metal–Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy , 2008 .

[16]  Esther Baumann,et al.  GaN/AlN short-period superlattices for intersubband optoelectronics: A systematic study of their epitaxial growth, design, and performance , 2008 .

[17]  J. Hamazaki,et al.  Ultrafast intersubband relaxation and nonlinear susceptibility at 1.55 μm in GaN/AlN multiple-quantum wells , 2004 .

[18]  L. C. West,et al.  First observation of an extremely large‐dipole infrared transition within the conduction band of a GaAs quantum well , 1985 .

[19]  Marc Ilegems,et al.  Indium surfactant effect on AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy : Applications to intersubband transitions , 2006 .

[20]  Enrico Bellotti,et al.  Monte Carlo study of GaN versus GaAs terahertz quantum cascade structures , 2008 .

[21]  Francois H. Julien,et al.  Electron confinement in strongly coupled GaN /AlN quantum wells , 2006 .

[22]  Yan Li,et al.  Ultrafast all-optical switching with low saturation energy via intersubband transitions in GaN/AlN quantum-well waveguides. , 2007, Optics express.

[23]  J. Faist,et al.  The Quantum Cascade Laser , 1994 .

[24]  Kei Kaneko,et al.  Polarization dependent loss in III-nitride optical waveguides for telecommunication devices , 2006 .

[25]  Raffaele Colombelli,et al.  Room-temperature intersubband emission of GaN/AlN quantum wells at /spl lambda/=2.3 /spl mu/m , 2006 .

[26]  Francois H. Julien,et al.  Strain-induced interface instability in GaN/AlN multiple quantum wells , 2007 .

[27]  Anirban Bhattacharyya,et al.  Optically pumped intersubband emission of short-wave infrared radiation with GaN/AlN quantum wells , 2009 .

[28]  Lester F. Eastman,et al.  GaN/AlN-based quantum-well infrared photodetector for 1.55 μm , 2003 .

[29]  Francois H. Julien,et al.  Growth of thin AlInN∕GaInN quantum wells for applications to high-speed intersubband devices at telecommunication wavelengths , 2006 .

[30]  F. Julien,et al.  Near infrared quantum cascade detector in GaN∕AlGaN∕AlN heterostructures , 2008 .

[31]  Francois H. Julien,et al.  Si‐doped GaN/AlN quantum dot superlattices for optoelectronics at telecommunication wavelengths , 2006 .

[32]  V. Berger,et al.  High resistance narrow band quantum cascade photodetectors , 2005 .

[33]  Paul Crozat,et al.  High-speed operation of GaN/AlGaN quantum cascade detectors at λ≈1.55 μm , 2008 .

[34]  Maria Tchernycheva,et al.  Short wavelength (λ=2.13μm) intersubband luminescence from GaN∕AlN quantum wells at room temperature , 2007 .

[35]  Nicolas Grandjean,et al.  Intraband absorptions in GaN/AlN quantum dots in the wavelength range of 1.27–2.4 μm , 2003 .

[36]  Esther Baumann,et al.  Intersubband photoconductivity at 1.6μm using a strain-compensated AlN∕GaN superlattice , 2005 .

[37]  E. Linfield,et al.  Terahertz range quantum well infrared photodetector , 2004 .

[38]  Claire F. Gmachl,et al.  Intersubband absorption in degenerately doped GaN/AlxGa1−xN coupled double quantum wells , 2001 .

[39]  Kei Kaneko,et al.  Sub-picosecond all-optical gate utilizing aN intersubband transition. , 2005, Optics express.

[40]  Francois H. Julien,et al.  Intersubband spectroscopy of doped and undoped GaN/AlN quantum wells grown by molecular-beam epitaxy , 2003 .

[41]  N. Grandjean,et al.  Lattice-Matched GaN–InAlN Waveguides at $\lambda=1.55\ \mu$m Grown by Metal–Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy , 2008, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[42]  F. Julien,et al.  GaN/AlGaN intersubband optoelectronic devices , 2009 .

[43]  Kei Kaneko,et al.  Near-infrared intersubband absorption in GaN/AlN quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy , 2002 .

[44]  Esther Baumann,et al.  Optically nonlinear effects in intersubband transitions of GaN /AlN-based superlattice structures , 2007 .

[45]  Marc Ilegems,et al.  Nitride-based heterostructures grown by MOCVD for near-and mid-infrared intersubband transitions , 2007 .

[46]  C. Manz,et al.  InGaAs∕AlAsSb quantum cascade detectors operating in the near infrared , 2007 .

[47]  Maria Tchernycheva,et al.  Intraband emission at λ≈1.48μm from GaN∕AlN quantum dots at room temperature , 2008 .

[48]  Osamu Wada,et al.  Ultrafast intersubband relaxation (⩽150 fs) in AlGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells , 2000 .

[49]  W. Marsden.  I and J , 2012 .

[50]  F. Julien,et al.  Systematic experimental and theoretical investigation of intersubband absorption in GaN/AlN quantum wells , 2006 .

[51]  Francois H. Julien,et al.  Room temperature demonstration of GaN∕AlN quantum dot intraband infrared photodetector at fiber-optics communication wavelength , 2006 .

[52]  Raffaele Colombelli,et al.  GaN-based quantum dot infrared photodetector operating at 1.38 /spl mu/m , 2005 .

[53]  Anirban Bhattacharyya,et al.  Intersubband absorption in AlN∕GaN∕AlGaN coupled quantum wells , 2007 .

[54]  Myriam Raybaut,et al.  Intersubband resonant enhancement of second-harmonic generation in GaN∕AlN quantum wells , 2006 .

[55]  M. Gonzalez-Herraez,et al.  Characterization of the Resonant Third-Order Nonlinear Susceptibility of Si-Doped GaN–AlN Quantum Wells and Quantum Dots at 1.5 $\mu$m , 2008, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[56]  Maria Tchernycheva,et al.  Femto-second electron transit time characterization in GaN/AlGaN quantum cascade detector at 1.5 micron , 2011 .

[57]  Xavier Marcadet,et al.  Dark current analysis of quantum cascade detectors by magnetoresistance measurements , 2008 .

[58]  Esther Baumann,et al.  Electrically adjustable intersubband absorption of a GaN∕AlN superlattice grown on a transistorlike structure , 2006 .

[59]  Christensen,et al.  Optical and structural properties of III-V nitrides under pressure. , 1994, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[60]  P. Crozat,et al.  Electrooptical Modulator at Telecommunication Wavelengths Based on GaN–AlN Coupled Quantum Wells , 2008, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[61]  R. Colombelli,et al.  GaN-based quantum dot infrared photodetector operating at 1 . 38 l , 2000 .

[62]  Yoshiaki Nakano,et al.  Erratum: “Shortest intersubband transition wavelength (1.68 μm) achieved in AlN/GaN multiple quantum wells by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy” [Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 4465 (2003)] , 2004 .

[63]  J. Faist,et al.  16.5μm quantum cascade detector using miniband transport , 2007 .