Two-photon intersubband transition physics and detectors


Two-photon intersubband transition physics and detectors

Schneider, H.; Winnerl, S.; Drachenko, O.; Helm, M.; Liu, H. C.; Song, C.; Maier, T.; Walther, M.; Faist, J.

Two-photon quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) take advantage of a resonant intermediate state, thus leading to a resonantly enhanced optical nonlinearity which is six orders of magnitude stronger than in a bulk semiconductor. This approach results in an extremely sensitive quadratic detector for mid-infrared and terahertz radiation, which is useful for quadratic autocorrelation measurements of mid-infrared optical pulses from free-electron lasers (FEL), modelocked quantum cascade lasers, and nonlinear optical converters. The time resolution of this detector is limited by the intersubband dynamics associated with the intermediate state. Therefore, the two-photon QWIP provides interesting opportunities for studies of the associated intersubband population and polarization lifetimes.
We report on electron intersubband relaxation and dephasing in n-type InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells by femtosecond two-photon photocurrent spectroscopy. The approach enables us to determine systematically the dependence of these time constants on structural parameters, including carrier density and modulation/well doping, and to discriminate between different scattering processes [1]. By varying the excitation energy, it is also possible to tune the two-photon transition from resonant, yielding optimum resonant enhancement with a real intermediate state, to nearly-resonant, with a virtual but resonantly enhanced intermediate state [2]. For autocorrelation purposes, the latter configuration improves time resolution whilst partially retaining a resonant enhancement of the two-photon transition strength.
Exploiting the two-photon QWIP approach for pulse monitoring of mid-infrared sources, we have performed autocorrelation measurements at wavelengths in the mid-infrared and Terahertz regimes using ps optical pulses from the FEL at the Forschungszentrum Dresden Rossendorf. In particular, quadratic detection at wavelengths around 5.5 μm is still possible at room temperature [3], which is crucial for applications in practical systems. A two-photon detector which works below the Reststrahlen band at 42 μm (7.1 THz) will also be reported.
[1] H. Schneider, T. Maier, M. Walther, H. C. Liu, Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 191116 (2007).
[2] H. Schneider, T. Maier, H. C. Liu, M. Walther, Opt. Express 16, 1523 (2008).
[3] H. Schneider, H. C. Liu, S. Winnerl, O. Drachenko, M. Helm, J. Faist, App. Phys. Lett. 93, 101114 (2008).

Keywords: Quantum well infrared photodetector; two-photon intersubband transition; quadratic autocorrelation; GaAs/AlGaAs

  • Invited lecture (Conferences)
    10-th International Conference on Intersubband Transitions in Quantum Wells (ITQW 2009), Montréal, 06-11.09.2009, 06.-11.09.2009, Montréal, Kanada

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Publ.-Id: 13391