Opportunities exist to participate in the development of III-V semiconductor lasers that emit in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) or the long-wave infrared (LWIR) wavelength range.

Our research group conducts basic and applied research to explore semiconductor technologies that can deliver high brightness in a compact format at the MWIR and the LWIR wavelengths. In recent years, we have developed optically pumped semiconductor laser technologies based on the 6.1 Angstrom family of III-V alloys, that has produced very high levels of output power in the 3-6 micron wavelength range with excellent beam quality and brightness. Several recent innovations included on-chip unstable resonator cavities, simultaneous emission of two wavelengths, extremely low divergence angle emission, and chirped distributed feedback lasers for tunable emission in the mid-IR.

More recently, the research has focused on the antimonide alloy based quantum well diode lasers for the 2.7-3.4 µm wavelength region, as well as InP based quantum cascade lasers for the 4-6 and 9-12 µm wavelength regions. With a goal of reaching higher brightness, the ongoing work is engaged in increasing the output power, improving the laser beam quality, designing optimized cavity structures, improving the thermal management of the lasers, developing improved epitaxial growth methodologies, developing improved facet coatings, the coherent beam combining of multiple devices, and the engineering of high-power mid-IR and long-IR laser packages that satisfy DOD customer needs.

A well equipped laboratory is available on-site to help attain these goals. A full range of quantum heterostructure modeling is available to aid in developing novel laser active regions that employ ternary and quaternary semiconductor alloys. A state-of-the-art molecular beam expitaxy system and a high-resolution x-ray diffractometer are used for the growth and analysis of such heterostructures. A large variety of optical characterization techniques including photoluminescence, infrared spectroscopy, optical interferometry, SEM/FIB, and laser test and evaluation tools are also available to evaluate both the materials and laser properties of candidate heterostructures. In addition, a fully equipped class 100 cleanroom facility is available for the development of laser diode fabriaction, with tools that are capable of wet and/or dry etching, plasma deposition and metal evaporation.

 

key words

Semiconductor laser; Quantum well diode laser; Mid-wave infrared (MWIR); Long-wave infrared (MWIR); Quantum cascade lasers; Molecular beam epitaxy; III-V MBE; Antimonide alloys; III-V heterostructures; Empirical pseudopotential modeling;

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants