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We demonstrate all-epitaxial structures capable of supporting short- and long-range surface plasmon polariton (SRSPP and LRSPP) modes in the long-wave infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The SRSPP and LRSPP modes are bound to the interfaces of a buried heavily doped (n + + ) semiconductor layer and surrounding quantum-engineered type-II superlattice (T2SL) materials. The surrounding T2SLs are designed to allow optical transitions across the frequency dispersion of the SPP modes. We map the SPP dispersion in our structure using grating-coupled angle- and polarization-dependent reflection and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The epitaxial structures are analytically described using a simplified three-layer system (T 2 SL / n + + / T 2 SL) and modeled using rigorous coupled wave analysis with excellent agreement to our experimental results. The presented structures offer the potential to serve as long-range interconnects or waveguides in all-epitaxial plasmonic/optoelectronic systems operating in the long-wave infrared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a theoretical study of the modulation instability of a continuous or quasicontinuous optical probe in a three level quantum well system under electromagnetically induced transparency. The modulation instability is affected by the control field detuning, as well as even-order dispersion and by the strength of Kerr (third-order) and quintic (fifth-order) nonlinearities. The fourth-order dispersion reduces the bandwidth over which modulation instability occurs, whereas the quintic nonlinearity saturates the growth of the modulation instability. Detuning the control field from resonance can significantly reduce the growth of the modulation instability at both low and high power levels. At low powers, the system becomes stable against modulation instability for small detuning of the control field and at high powers modulation instability disappears for larger detuning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature-dependent measurements of carrier recombination rates using a time-resolved optical pump-probe technique are reported for mid-wave infrared InAs/InAs1–xSbx type-2 superlattices (T2SLs). By engineering the layer widths and alloy compositions, a 16K band-gap of ~235±10 meV was achieved for five unintentionally and four intentionally doped T2SLs. Carrier lifetimes were determined by fitting lifetime models based on Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH), radiative, and Auger recombination processes to the temperature and excess carrier density dependent data. The minority carrier (MC), radiative, and Auger lifetimes were observed to generally increase with increasing antimony content and decreasing layer thickness for the unintentionally doped T2SLs. The MC lifetime is limited by SRH processes at temperatures below 200K in the unintentionally doped T2SLs. The extracted SRH defect energy levels were found to be near mid-bandgap. Also, it is observed that the MC lifetime is limited by Auger recombination in the intentionally doped T2SLs with doping levels greater than n~1016 cm–3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate active voltage-controlled spectral tuning of mid-infrared plasmonic structures. Extraordinary optical transmission gratings were fabricated on n-doped GaAs epilayers with a HfO2 gate dielectric between the grating and the doped semiconductor. The permittivity of the GaAs was tuned by depleting charge carriers below the top grating gate upon the application of a reverse bias to the gate. Devices were characterized both electrically and optically, and resonant transmission peak spectral and transmitted intensity shifts were achieved. Possible applications for, as well as the limitations of, the demonstrated technology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The minority carrier lifetime (τMC) and equilibrium electron concentration (i.e., the doping level, n0) are both important values that directly determine diffusion current in infrared photodetectors utilizing n-type absorbing regions. Here, time-resolved microwave reflectance measurements are used to non-destructively measure both of these values in mid-wave infrared InAs/InAs1-xSbx type-II superlattices with varying n-type doping levels between 2 × 1014 cm-3 and 2 × 1016 cm-3. The measured data are analyzed using carrier recombination theory to determine the doping level ranges where Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH), radiative, and Auger recombination limit sMC. The optimal doping level, which minimizes dark current, is experimentally determined and corresponds to the electron density at which sMC switches from SRH limited to Auger limited behavior. A comparison of two InAs/InAs1-xSbx photodetectors of different equilibrium electron densities demonstrates a decrease in dark current for a doping level near the optimal n0τMC product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of the equilibrium majority carrier electron concentration (n0) in narrow-bandgap n-type InAs/InAs1-xSbx type-II superlattices are made using contactless time-resolved microwave reflectance (TMR). By calibrating TMR decays to the number of optically injected electron-hole pairs, direct conversion to carrier lifetimes as a function of excited carrier density is made and allowing for accurate measurement of n0. The temperature dependence of both n0 and the intrinsic carrier density (ni) are measured using this method, where n0=1×1015cm-3 and ni=1.74×1011cm-3 at 100K. These results provide non-destructive insight into critical parameters that directly determine infrared photodetector dark diffusion current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrier lifetime and dark current measurements are reported for a mid-wavelength infrared InAs0.91Sb0.09 alloy nBn photodetector. Minority carrier lifetimes are measured using a non-contact time-resolved microwave technique on unprocessed portions of the nBn wafer and the Auger recombination Bloch function parameter is determined to be |F1F2|= 0:292. The measured lifetimes are also used to calculate the expected diffusion dark current of the nBn devices and are compared with the experimental dark current measured in processed photodetector pixels from the same wafer. Excellent agreement is found between the two, highlighting the important relationship between lifetimes and diffusion currents in nBn photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]