Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/L38325/01
Title:	INTERSUB-BAND INFRA RED QUANTUM WELL LASERS
Principal Investigator:	Cockburn, Professor J
Other Investigators:	Rees, Professor GJ Skolnick, Professor M Hill, Dr G
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Bookham Technology Plc QinetiQ
Department:	Physics and Astronomy
Organisation:	University of Sheffield
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 June 1997	Ends:	31 October 2000	Value (£):	181,072
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Optoelect. Devices & Circuits
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Aerospace, Defence and Marine
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The aim of the proposed work is to develop unipolar mid infrared (IR) lasers for operation in the 8-14 micron atmospheric window, based on intersub-band transitions in GaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor heterostructures. Our first objective will be to produce a working device based on the quantum cascade (QC) laser designed by Capasso and co-workers at AT&T Bell Laboratories. We will then asses the feasibility of achieving efficient IR emission and laser operation in structures of substantially simpler design than the highly complex QC laser. In particular, we will exploit the freedom for bandgap variation provided by the GaAs/AlGaAs materials system to investigate the possibility of developing simplified, improved QC laser designs. All structures will be thoroughly characterised at each stage of development by means of interband optical and Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy as well as electrical transport measurements. This experimental work will be carried out in conjunction with detailed calculations of the effects of changing device parameters on intersub-band transition energies, population kinetics and oscillator strengths. We believe that such work has the potential to lead to significant improvements in both the performance and manufacturability of QC lasers, as well as to enhanced understanding of the fundamental physics of intersub-band emission.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.shef.ac.uk