Terahertz gain on intersubband transitions in multilayer delta-doped p - Ge structures

• Published in: Journal of applied physics 2005-07, Vol.98 (2), p.023107-023107-7
• Main Authors: Dolguikh, M. V., Muravjov, A. V., Peale, R. E., Klimov, M., Kuznetsov, O. A., Uskova, E. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1989430

A far-infrared laser concept based on intersubband transitions of holes in p -type periodically delta-doped semiconductor films is studied using numerical Monte Carlo simulation of hot-hole dynamics. The considered device consists of monocrystalline pure Ge layers periodically interleaved with delta-doped layers and operates with vertical hole transport in the presence of an in-plane magnetic field. Population inversion on intersubband transitions arises due to light-hole accumulation in E ⊥ B fields, as in the bulk p - Ge laser. However, the considered structure achieves spatial separation of hole accumulation regions from the doped layers, which reduces ionized-impurity and carrier-carrier scattering for the majority of light holes. This allows a remarkable increase of the gain in comparison with bulk p - Ge lasers. Population inversion and gain sufficient for laser operation are expected up to 77 K . Test structures grown by chemical-vapor deposition demonstrate feasibility of producing the device with sufficient active thickness to allow quasioptical electrodynamic cavity solutions.