Non-equilibrium quantum transport theory: current and gain in quantum cascade lasers

Abstract

We have developed a self-consistent non-equilibrium Green’s function theory (NEGF) for charge transport and optical gain in THz quantum cascade lasers (QCL) and present quantitative results for the I-V characteristics, optical gain, as well as the temperature dependence of the current density for a concrete GaAs/Al.15Ga.85As QCL structure. Phonon scattering, impurity, Hartree electron-electron and interface roughness scattering within the self-consistent Born approximation are taken into account. We show that the characteristic QCL device properties can be successfully modeled by taking into account a single period of the structure, provided the system is consistently treated as open quantum system. In order to support this finding, we have developed two different numerically efficient contact models and compare single-period results with a quasi-periodic NEGF calculation. Both approaches show good agreement with experiment as well as with one another.