Surface-emitting distributed feedback terahertz quantum-cascade phase-locked laser arrays
Author(s)
Kao, Tsung-Yu
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Alternative title
Surface-emitting distributed feedback THz quantum-cascade phase-locked laser arrays
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Advisor
Qing Hu.
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Show full item recordAbstract
A new approach to achieve high-power, symmetric beam-pattern, single-mode THz emission from metal-metal waveguide quantum-cascade laser is proposed and implemented. Several surface-emitting distributed feedback terahertz lasers are coupled through the connection phase sectors between them. Through carefully choosing the length of phase sectors, each laser will be in-phase locked with each other and thus create a tighter beam-pattern along the phased-array direction. A clear proof of phase-locking phenomenon has been observed and the array can be operated in either in-phase or out-of-phase mode at different phase sector length. The phase sector can also be individually biased to provide another frequency tuning mechanism through gain-induced optical index change. A frequency tuning range of 1:5 GHz out of 3:9 THz was measured. Moreover, an electronically controlled "beam steering" device is also proposed based on the result of this work. This thesis focuses on the design, fabrication and measurement of the surface-emitting distributed feedback terahertz quantum-cascade phase-locked laser arrays.
Description
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2009. This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-114).
Date issued
2009Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer SciencePublisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.