Quantum-dot based ultrafast photoconductive antennae for efficient THz radiation

Here we overview our work on quantum dot based THz photoconductive antennae, capable of being pumped at very high optical intensities of higher than 1W optical mean power, i.e. about 50 times higher than the conventional LT-GaAs based antennae. Apart from high thermal tolerance, defect-free GaAs crystal layers in an InAs:GaAs quantum dot structure allow high carrier mobility and ultra-short photo carrier lifetimes simultaneously. Thus, they combine the advantages and lacking the disadvantages of GaAs and LT-GaAs, which are the most popular materials so far, and thus can be used for both CW and pulsed THz generation. By changing quantum dot size, composition, density of dots and number of quantum dot layers, the optoelectronic properties of the overall structure can be set over a reasonable range-compact semiconductor pump lasers that operate at wavelengths in the region of 1.0 μm to 1.3 μm can be used. InAs:GaAs quantum dot-based antennae samples show no saturation in pulsed THz generation for all average pump powers up to 1W focused into 30 μm spot. Generated THz power is super-linearly proportional to laser pump power. The generated THz spectrum depends on antenna design and can cover from 150 GHz up to 1.5 THz

Compact all-quantum-dot-based tunable THz laser source

We demonstrate an ultracompact, room temperature, tunable terahertz (THz) generating laser source based on difference-frequency-driven photomixing in a coplanar stripline InAs/GaAs quantum-dot (QD) antenna pumped by a broadly tunable, high power, continuous wave InAs/GaAs QD laser diode in the double-grating quasi-Littrow configuration. The dual-wavelength QD laser operating in the 1150- 1301 nm wavelength region with a maximum output power of 280 mW and with tunable difference-frequency (277 GHz to 30 THz) was used to achieve tunable THz generation in the QD antenna with a photoconductive gap of 50 μm. The best THz output performance was observed at pump wavelengths around the first excited state of the InAs/GaAs QDs (∼1160 nm), where a maximum output power of 0.6 nW at 0.83 THz was demonstrated

Towards novel compact laser sources for non-invasive diagnostics and treatment

An important field of application of lasers is biomedical optics. Here, they offer great utility for diagnosis, therapy and surgery. For the development of novel methods of laser-based biomedical diagnostics careful study of light propagation in biological tissues is necessary to enhance our understanding of the optical measurements undertaken, increase research and development capacity and the diagnostic reliability of optical technologies. Ultimately, fulfilling these requirements will increase uptake in clinical applications of laser based diagnostics and therapeutics. To address these challenges informative biomarkers relevant to the biological and physiological function or disease state of the organism must be selected. These indicators are the results of the analysis of tissues and cells, such as blood. For non-invasive diagnostics peripheral blood, cells and tissue can potentially provide comprehensive information on the condition of the human organism. A detailed study of the light scattering and absorption characteristics can quickly detect physiological and morphological changes in the cells due to thermal, chemical, antibiotic treatments, etc [1-5]. The selection of a laser source to study the structure of biological particles also benefits from the fact that gross pathological changes are not induced and diagnostics make effective use of the monochromatic directional coherence properties of laser radiation

Towards realisation of an efficient continuous wave terahertz source using quantum dot devices

A continuous wave (CW) terahertz source emitting in a broad frequency range (1-5THz) is promising towards achieving a compact, high power, finely tunable, room temperature terahertz generation system which will be of immense significance towards the realisation of terahertz applications in spectroscopy, communication, sensing, and imaging among others. We have demonstrated a tunable continuous-wave Quantum Dot external cavity laser emitting at two frequencies for continuous wave terahertz emission in a Quantum dot Photoconductive Antenna (PCA). The external cavity QD Laser has been characterised with tunability of 152nm and a tuning range from 1143nm -1295.8nm that lies within the THz difference frequency for the generation of THz radiation from QD based PCAs

Non-invasive biomedical research and diagnostics enabled by innovative compact lasers

For over half a century, laser technology has undergone a technological revolution. These technologies, particularly semiconductor lasers, are employed in a myriad of fields. Optical medical diagnostics, one of the emerging areas of laser application, are on the forefront of application around the world. Optical methods of non- or minimally invasive bio-tissue investigation offer significant advantages over alternative methods, including rapid real-time measurement, non-invasiveness and high resolution (guaranteeing the safety of a patient). These advantages demonstrate the growing success of such techniques. In this review, we will outline the recent status of laser technology applied in the biomedical field, focusing on the various available approaches, particularly utilising compact semiconductor lasers. We will further consider the advancement and integration of several complimentary biophotonic techniques into single multimodal devices, the potential impact of such devices and their future applications. Based on our own studies, we will also cover the simultaneous collection of physiological data with the aid a multifunctional diagnostics system, concentrating on the optimisation of the new technology towards a clinical application. Such data is invaluable for developing algorithms capable of delivering consistent, reliable and meaningful diagnostic information, which can ultimately be employed for the early diagnosis of disease conditions in individuals from around the world

Conical refraction with generalized Bessel-Gaussian beams

It is well known that a light beam transforms into a hollow light cylinder after passing along one of the optical axes of a biaxial crystal. This optical phenomenon is known as conical refraction (CR) and fascinates researchers for almost two centuries. The characteristic features of CR find a number of practical applications in optical manipulation, polarization metrology, and singular optics to name a few [1] . However, these seem to be hindered by the lack of intuitive understanding and prediction of the CR transverse intensity pattern. This problem was partially solved by expressing the CR field as a superposition of the Bessel-Gaussian (BG) beams [2]

Close relationship between Bessel–Gaussian and conical refraction beams

We demonstrate that the conical refraction of the input elegant Laguerre–Gaussian beams can be effectively described through generalized Bessel–Gaussian light beams. We performed numerical simulations and show good agreement between the exact solution and our proposed Bessel–Gaussian approximation model. Physical clarity of the proposed model has allowed us to explain the transition of the classical double-ring pattern of conical refraction in the Lloyd plane into a multi-ring one and predict new phenomenon such as the Raman spot shift and dependence of the conical refraction ring radius on the value of the orbital angular momentum

Operation of quantum dot based terahertz photoconductive antennas under extreme pumping conditions

Photoconductive antennas deposited onto GaAs substrates that incorporate InAs quantum dots have been recently shown to efficiently generate both pulsed and CW terahertz radiation. In this Letter, we determine the operational limits of these antennas and demonstrate their extreme thermal breakdown tolerance. Implanted quantum dots serve as free carrier capture sites, thus acting as lifetime shorteners, similar to defects in low-temperature grown substrates. However, unlike the latter, defect-free quantum-dot structures possess perfect lattice quality, thus not compromising high carrier mobility and pump intensity stealth. Single gap design quantum dot based photoconductive antennas are shown to operate under up to 1 W of average pump power (∼1.6 mJ cm−2 energy density), which is more than 20 times higher than the pumping limit of low-temperature grown GaAs based substrates. Conversion efficiency of the quantum dot based photoconductive antennas does not saturate up to 0.75 W of pump power (∼1.1 mJ cm−2 energy density). Such a thermal tolerance suggests a glowy prospect for the proposed antennas as a perspective candidate for intracavity optical-to-terahertz converters

Photoelectric Properties of InAs/GaAs Quantum Dot Photoconductive Antenna Wafers

In this paper, the study of the photoconductivity in self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dot photoconductive antenna in the wavelength region between 1140 nm and 1250 nm at temperatures ranging from 13 to 400 K is reported. These antennas are aimed to work in conjunction with quantum dot semiconductor lasers to effectively generate pulsed and continuous wave terahertz radiation. For the efficient operation, laser wavelengths providing the highest photocurrent should be determined. To study the interband photoconductivity of quantum dot photoconductive antennas, at room and cryogenic temperatures, we employed a broadly-tunable InAs/GaAs quantum dot based laser providing a coherent pump with power exceeding 20 mW over a 100 nm tunability range. The quantum dot antenna structure revealed sharp temperature-dependent photoconductivity peaks in the vicinity of wavelengths, corresponding to the ground and excited states of InAs/GaAs quantum dots. The ground state photoconductivity peak vanishes with a temperature drop, whereas the excited state peak persists. We associate this effect with different mechanisms of photoexcited carriers extraction from quantum dots