Subband physics in semiconductor quantum structures and the Rossendorf FEL programme

The electronic confinement in semiconductor quantum wells gives rise to the formation of electronic subbands within the conduction or valence band. Due to the same curvature of initial and final subband, intersubband optical transitions (within one band) exhibit a quasi-zero-dimensional joint density of states and therefore resemble atomic transitions in some way. The typical energy spacing from 10 to a few 100 meV corresponds to the far- and mid infrared spectral range. Thus, for the study of nonlinear or time resolved phenomena in these structures, IR free-electron lasers are among the most – or the only – suitable light sources.

As an example, I will review some experiments on the energy relaxation of electrons in wide GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells, performed with FELIX.

Transitions between minibands in strongly coupled superlattices exhibit a one-dimensional joint density of states, and I will show how the dispersion along the growth axis can be employed to study the electron distribution function.

Finally I will present the status of the ELBE project at the Forschungszentrum Rossendorf near Dresden. This project comprises a superconducting electron accelerator, providing the electron beam for two undulators. The latter form the heart of the FELs, which are planned to operate from 5 to 25 microns and 20 to 100 (or 150) microns, respectively. First lasing is expected for early 2002.