Microcavity quantum dot light emitters at 1,3 um wavelength

• Research unit: COST
• Project number: C99.0018

Key words (English)

Microcavity light-emitting diodes; quantum dots

Research programs (English)

COST-Action 268 - Wavelength scale photonic components for telecommunications

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise: EPF Lausanne Faculté des Sciences de Base Institut de Photonique et Optoélectronique Quantique

Partners and International Organizations (English)

A, B, BG, CZ, DK, FIN, F, D, GR, H, IRL, I, NL, PL, RO, E, S, CH, GB

Abstract (English)

Optimized microcavity light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers were realized using self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) previously developed during this project. Two goals were pursued : The realization of ultrasmall (submicrometer) LEDs containing few QDs in the active region, for application as single-photon sources in quantum cryptography, and the realization of high-performance QD lasers for metropolitan network applications. The ultrasmall LEDs were fabricated using a novel processing method, which allows us to confine carriers and photons on a submicrometer scale using simple optical lithography and selective oxidation. In optimized structures the scaling of the LED characteristics for device dimensions down to 600 nm diameter indicates suppressed carrier diffusion in QDs even at room temperature, and demonstrates the feasibility of selective carrier injection into one or few QDs. On the laser side, single lateral mode narrow-stripe lasers were fabricated and tested, showing threshold currents < 5mA at room temperature and <15 mA at 75C. Data transmission experiments were performed using these devices, showing open eye diagrams at data rates of 2.5 Gb/s.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: COST-DB of the State Secretariat for Education and Research Hallwylstrasse 4 CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. [phone] Swiss Project-Number: C99.0018