Resonant Bragg Structure Research Articles

(In,Ga)N-GaN resonant Bragg structures with single and double quantum wells in the unit supercell

We study the formation of a superradiant optical mode in the room temperature reflection spectra from resonant Bragg structures (RBSs) composed of single and double (In,Ga)N quantum wells (QWs) in the unit cell. The appearance of the mode manifests itself by a significant increase in the resonant optical reflectivity due to the electromagnetic coupling of quasi-two-dimensional excitons in the QWs. The implementation of the supercells with double (In,Ga)N QWs results in an increase in the oscillator strength of the quasi-2D excitons and corresponding rise of the radiative broadening parameter to the value as high as 0.3 ± 0.02 meV. We also show that the supercells with double QWs are preferable for RBS with large number of periods due to better tolerance to deviations from the exact periodicity.

Resonant optical reflection from a GaN/(Al,Ga)N excitonic Bragg structure

We experimentally demonstrate the formation of a superradiant optical mode in the room-temperature reflection spectra from a resonant Bragg structure composed of 30 equidistant GaN quantum wells separated by (Al,Ga)N barriers. The mode arises when the condition of the Bragg diffraction is fulfilled at the wavelength corresponding to the energy of the quasi-two-dimensional excitons in the quantum wells. It manifests itself as a significant increase in the amplitude and a change in the shape of the resonant optical reflection due to the electromagnetic coupling of the excitons. By modeling of the optical spectra, we evaluate the radiative and non-radiative broadening parameters of the excitonic states in the GaN quantum wells, which appear to be 0.4 ± 0.02 and 40 ± 5 meV, correspondingly, for the resonant exciton energy of 3.605 eV. The resonant Bragg structure based on the periodic sequence of the GaN quantum wells demonstrates an efficient coupling of photons and excitons at room temperature, which makes it promising for device applications.

GaN/AlGaN resonant Bragg structure

Reflection spectra from a resonant Bragg structure with 30 GaN/AlGaN quantum wells have been measured at room temperature. Numerical modeling using the method of transfer matrices gave a quantitatively accurate fit of the experimental results. Defined radiative and non-radiative broadening parameters of the exciton in GaN/AlGaN quantum wells.

Critical spatial disorder in InGaN resonant Bragg structures

We study a disorder-induced transformation of the resonant optical reflection from a nearly periodic system of quasi-2D excitons in the InGaN quantum wells arranged as a resonant Bragg structure (RBS). We show that there is a critical deviation from the exact periodicity when the reflection by a single super-radiant exciton–polariton mode is transformed into a multimode spectrum. This critical disorder appears to be inversely proportional to the number of periods in the RBS. Using a numerical model which describes the experimentally observed optical spectra, we found the critical standard deviation from exact periodicity to be 1.76%, 1.0%, and 0.45% for InGaN-based RBS with 60, 100, and 200 periods, respectively.

III/V silicon hybrid laser based on a resonant Bragg structure

We demonstrate a laser tunable in intensity with gigahertz tuning speed based on a III/V reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) coupled to a silicon photonic chip. The silicon chip contains a Bragg-based Fabry-Perot resonator to form a passive bandpass filter within its stopband to enable single-mode operation of the laser. We observe a side mode suppression ratio of 43 dB, linewidth of 790 kHz, and an optical output power of 1.65 mW around 1530 nm. We also investigate using a micro-ball lens as an alternative coupling method between the RSOA and the silicon chip.

Resonant Bragg reflection of light from ZnTe-based structures with embedded CdTe monolayers

An electrodynamic model describing Bragg reflection of light from semiconductor structures with ultrathin planar layers embedded in bulk material matrix is developed. The layers are assumed to exhibit resonant optical properties in a spectral range near the short-wavelength bandgap edge of bulk material. Model calculations of the reflection spectra are performed at typical parameter values of the resonant Bragg structure containing monolayers of CdTe in bulk ZnTe.

Resonant optical studies of GaAs/AlGaAs Multiple Quantum Well based Bragg Structures at excited states

ABSTRACTOptical reflectance (OR) and electro-reflectance (ER) spectroscopies were employed to study the resonant optical properties of GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells based Resonant Bragg Structures (RBS) at excited states. The RBS samples have 60 periods of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well/barrier grown on semi-insulating GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy with slightly different thicknesses of well/barrier. We observed enhanced OR and ER features when exciton energy coincides with the energy of the Bragg reflection peak, a double resonance condition. Bragg peak can significantly be tuned by changing the angle of incidence of the light. Exciton energies can be tuned by changing the temperature, external electric field and the thickness of the quantum wells. By tuning the Bragg peak for double resonance in the RBS samples of different thicknesses, we observed the electro-reflectance features related to the transitions of x(e2-hh2), x(e2-hh1), x(e2-lh1), x(e2-hh3) and x(e1-hh3) excitons along with the sharp features of x(e1-hh1) and x(e1-lh1) ground state exciton transitions from the ER experiments. The excitonic transitions x(e2-hh1), x(e2-lh1) and x(e2-hh3) which are prohibited at zero electric field, were also observed due to the increased overlap of the electron and hole wave functions caused by the electric field; built-in electric field or applied DC bias.

Resonant Bragg structures with GaN/AlGaN Quantum Wells

Optical properties of the resonant Bragg heterostructures with 10 and 30 GaN/AlGaN quantum wells were studied. The increasing of reflectivity at the resonance wavelength under condition of the Bragg wavelength and optical transition wavelength matching was observed experimentally at room temperature. The computer simulation of the optical transition wavelength in quantum wells and the optical reflectivity spectra at different reverse bias was implemented to evaluate radiative and non-radiative broadening parameters of the exciton in GaN/AlGaN quantum wells.

Plasmon-Excitonic Polaritons in Metal-Semiconductor Nanostructures with Quantum Wells

A theory of plasmon-exciton coupling and its spectroscopy is developed for metal-semiconductor nanostructures. Considered as a model is a periodic superlattice with cells consisting of a quantum well and a layer of metal nanoparticles. The problem is solved self-consistently using the electrodynamic Green’s functions taking account of resonant polarization. Coulomb plasmon-exciton interaction is associated with the dipole surface plasmons of particles and their image charges due to excitonic polarization of neighboring quantum well. Optical reflection spectra are numerically investigated for superlattices with GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells and silver nanoparticles. Superradiant regime caused by one-dimensional Bragg diffraction is studied for plasmonic, excitonic and plasmon-excitonic polaritons depending on the number of supercells. The plasmon-excitonic Rabi splitting is shown to occur in reflectivity spectra of resonant Bragg structures.

Optical Properties of AlGaAs/GaAs Resonant Bragg Structure at the Second Quantum State

Photoluminescence, optical reflectance and electro-reflectance spectroscopies were employed to study an AlGaAs/GaAs multiple-quantum-well based resonant Bragg structure, which was designed to match optical Bragg resonance with the exciton-polariton resonance at the second quantum state in the GaAs quantum wells. The structure with 60 periods of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells was grown on a semi-insulating substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. Broad and enhanced optical and electro-reflectance features were observed when the Bragg resonance was tuned to the second quantum state of the GaAs quantum well excitons manifesting an enhancement of the light-matter interaction under double-resonance conditions. By applying an alternating electric field, we revealed electro-reflectance features related to the x(e2-hh2) and x(e2-hh1) excitons. The excitonic transition x(e2-hh1), which is prohibited at zero electric field, was allowed by a DC bias due to brake of symmetry and increased overlap of the electron and hole wave functions caused by electric field.

Optical properties of AlGaAs/GaAs resonant Bragg structure at the second quantum state

AbstractPhotoluminescence, optical reflectance and electro-reflectance spectroscopies were employed to study an AlGaAs/GaAs multiple-quantum-well based resonant Bragg structure, which was designed to match optical Bragg resonance with the exciton-polariton resonance at the second quantum state in the GaAs quantum wells. The structure with 60 periods of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells was grown on a semi-insulating substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. Broad and enhanced optical and electro-reflectance features were observed when the Bragg resonance was tuned to the second quantum state of the GaAs quantum well excitons manifesting an enhancement of the light-matter interaction under double-resonance conditions. By applying an alternating electric field, we revealed electro-reflectance features related to the x(e2-hh2) and x(e2-hh1) excitons. The excitonic transition x(e2-hh1), which is prohibited at zero electric field, was allowed by a DC bias due to brake of symmetry and increased overlap of the electron and hole wave functions caused by electric field.

Plasmon-excitonic polaritons in metal-semiconductor nanostructures with quantum wells

AbstractA theory of plasmon-exciton coupling and its spectroscopy is developed for metal-semiconductor nanostructures. Considered as a model is a periodic superlattice with cells consisting of a quantum well and a layer of metal nanoparticles. The problem is solved self-consistently using the electrodynamic Green’s functions taking account of resonant polarization. Coulomb plasmon-exciton interaction is associated with the dipole surface plasmons of particles and their image charges due to excitonic polarization of neighboring quantum well. Optical reflection spectra are numerically investigated for superlattices with GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells and silver nanoparticles. Superradiant regime caused by one-dimensional Bragg diffraction is studied for plasmonic, excitonic and plasmon-excitonic polaritons depending on the number of supercells. The plasmon-excitonic Rabi splitting is shown to occur in reflectivity spectra of resonant Bragg structures.

Resonant optical properties of AlGaAs/GaAs multiple-quantum-well based Bragg structure at the second quantum state

An AlGaAs/GaAs multiple-quantum-well based resonant Bragg structure was designed to match the optical Bragg resonance with the exciton-polariton resonance at the second quantum state in the GaAs quantum wells. The sample structure with 60 periods of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells was grown on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. Angle- and temperature-dependent photoluminescence, optical reflectance, and electro-reflectance spectroscopies were employed to study the resonant optical properties of the Bragg structure. Broad and enhanced optical and electro-reflectance features were observed when the Bragg resonance was tuned to the second quantum state of the GaAs quantum well excitons, manifesting a strong light-matter interaction. From the electro-optical experiments, we found the electro-reflectance features related to the transitions of x(e2-hh2) and x(e2-hh1) excitons. The excitonic transition x(e2-hh1), which is prohibited at zero electric field, was allowed by a DC bias due to the brake of symmetry and increased overlap of the electron and hole wave functions caused by the electric field. By tuning the Bragg resonance frequency, we have observed the electro-reflectance feature related to the second quantum state up to room temperature, which evidences a robust light-matter interaction in the resonant Bragg structure.

Optical spectroscopy of a resonant Bragg structure with InGaN/GaN quantum wells

The optical reflectance and transmittance spectra of a periodic InGaN/GaN semiconductor heterostructure with 60 quantum wells are studied at room temperature. The period of the structure was chosen such that, at some angles of incidence of light, the energy of a photon resonantly reflected from the Bragg structure coincides with the excitation energy for quantum-well excitons in quantum wells. The parameters of these excitons are determined by fitting the spectra measured at two different angles of incidence, 30° and 60°. We take into account the resonant exciton transitions in quantum wells as well as the transitions into the continuous spectrum. The radiative decay parameter is determined to be (0.20 ± 0.02) meV.

Resonant Bragg structures based on III-nitrides

Abstract

An (AlGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs)60 resonant Bragg structure based on the second quantum-confinement level of heavy-hole excitons in quantum wells

Photoluminescence and optical-reflection spectra of a periodic structure consisting of 60 tunneling-isolated GaAs quantum wells separated by AlGaAs barriers are studied. The structure is designed so that, for a certain angle of incidence (∼23°), the Bragg resonance condition is satisfied for light with a photon energy equal to the energy of heavy-hole excitons at the second quantum-confinement level in the wells. It is established experimentally that, under the conditions of double exciton-polariton and Bragg resonance, a superradiant optical mode is formed. Dependences of Bragg and exciton-polariton reflection on the angle of incidence and polarization of light and the temperature are investigated.

Specific features in reflectance and absorbance spectra of one-dimensional resonant photonic crystals

The optical spectra of resonant Bragg and quasi-Bragg quantum-well structures are studied theoretically. The existence of special frequencies in the reflectance and absorbance spectra at which the reflectance or absorbance does not depend on the number of quantum wells in a structure is explained analytically. It is shown that the reflectance and absorbance spectra of structures in which the quantum-well width substantially exceeds the exciton Bohr radius also contain special frequencies and that the smooth spectral component is determined primarily by the interaction of the light wave with the quantum-well ground-state exciton.

Special frequencies in the optical reflectance spectra of resonant Bragg structures

The optical reflectance spectra of resonant Bragg quantum-well structures are studied theoretically. The existence of two special frequencies in the spectra at which the reflectance depends only weakly on the number of quantum wells in the structure is explained analytically. The effect of nonradiative exciton damping on the reflectance spectra in the vicinity of the special frequencies is analyzed. It is shown that the inclusion of the dielectric contrast leads to the appearance of a third special frequency, at which the contributions to the reflectance due to the dielectric contrast and exciton resonance completely cancel each other.

Nonlinear optical frequency conversion with stopped short light pulses

Efficient nonlinear optical frequency conversion is proposed and theoretically demonstrated by use of stopped short light pulses in a doubly resonant Bragg reflector. The pump pulse is shown to decelerate and stop in the reflector, and the stopped pump field reinforces the interaction with stimulated Raman scattering. The temporal walk-off between the pump pulse and the generated Raman pulse can be substantially reduced with the doubly resonant Bragg structure. Numerical simulations show that the conversion from the picosecond pump pulse to Stokes wave can reach 85%.

Optical zoomeron as a result of beatings of the internal modes of a Bragg soliton

A new solution of two-wave Maxwell-Bloch equations has been obtained analytically and numerically. It describes the propagation of an oscillating nonlinear optical solitary wave, or optical zoomeron, in a one-dimensional periodic resonant Bragg structure. It has been shown that the appearance of large oscillations in the velocity and total amplitude of Bloch modes of the pulse is caused by beating of internal modes of the perturbed Bragg soliton.