GOALI: Mid-infrared quantum-cascade metasurfaces for external cavity lasers

GOALI：用于外腔激光器的中红外量子级联超表面

• 批准号: 1809673
• 负责人: Benjamin Williams
• 金额: $ 35.39万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-07-01 至 2022-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1809673&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: GOALI; Mid; infrared; quantum; cascade

Non-technical descriptionThis research introduces a new approach for making quantum-cascade semiconductor laser light sources that that emit electromagnetic waves in the mid-infrared spectral region. Efficient and high-power mid-infrared laser sources are desired for a wide range of applications, including astrophysical spectral measurements, remote sensing, gas-phase spectroscopy, and infrared countermeasures. In this proposed work, our team will investigate a new strategy for developing high-power lasers with excellent beam quality, the quantum-cascade (QC) vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-laser (VECSEL). Part of our team has recently developed this technology in the terahertz spectral region (wavelengths greater than 60 microns), in this project we will re-envision the concept for the shorter mid-infrared wavelengths. We propose a suite of approaches tailored for the various spectral sub-regions that comprise the mid-infrared, including the very-long-wave-infrared (VLWIR) spectral region (16-28 micron wavelength), the long-wave infrared (LWIR) (8-13 micron wavelength), and the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) (4-5 micron wavelength). This work is a GOALI university-industry collaboration between the PI at UCLA and an industrial partner at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. As a part of the project, the research will train graduate and undergraduate students, and will support recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities to engineering through participation in a targeted research project course.Technical descriptionThe research goal is to develop quantum-cascade (QC) vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-lasers (VECSELs) in the mid-infrared spectral range. This is proposed as path for (a) high brightness mid-IR sources with scalable output power (up to tens of watts) in a circular diffraction-limited beam, and (b) a platform for multifunctional lasers associated with the ability to locally engineer the amplitude, phase, and polarization response of the metasurface. We propose a set of distinct approaches tailored for the various spectral sub-regions that comprise the mid-IR. The intellectual merit in the proposed work is present on multiple levels. The primary innovation is the development of novel schemes for implementing VECSELs for mid-infrared quantum-cascade lasers, in particular in the MWIR and LWIR based upon surface-emitting gratings. The broader impacts are addressed at several levels including undergraduate and graduate research experiences, dissemination of results, technology advancement, outreach to underrepresented minorities, and industrial interaction. Outreach to underrepresented minorities (URM) will specifically occur through the PI?s development of research projects for a course designed for the recruitment and retention of URM engineering freshman. This GOALI program will result in interaction between the university and industrial partner, potentially for technology transfer and student training/exposure within industry.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

非技术描述这项研究引入了一种新方法，用于制造量子cascade的半导体激光源，该光源在中红外光谱区域发出电磁波。对于广泛的应用，需要有效且高功率的中红外激光源，包括天体物理光谱测量，遥感，气相光谱和红外对策。在这项拟议的工作中，我们的团队将研究一种新的策略，以开发具有出色光束质量的高功率激光器，量子cascade（QC）垂直 - 外部腔体发射激光器（VECSEL）。我们团队的一部分最近在Terahertz光谱区域开发了这项技术（波长大于60微米），在此项目中，我们将重新启动较短的中红外波长的概念。我们提出了一套针对构成中红外的各种频谱子区域量身定制的方法，包括非常长的波浪 - 悬挂（VLWIR）光谱区域（16-28微米波长），长波红外（LWIR）（LWIR）（8-13微光波长）（8-13 micron Wavelemengt），以及中大波基金（Mwave）（Mwave）（MWIR）（MWIR）（Mwave）（MWAFF）（MICRON）（4-5 micron）（4-5 Micron W. 4-55 micron W.这项工作是加州大学洛杉矶分校PI与Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems的工业合作伙伴之间的Goali University-Industry合作。作为该项目的一部分，该研究将培训毕业生和本科生，并通过参加有针对性的研究项目课程来支持招聘和保留人为不足的少数群体来工程学。技术描述的研究目标是在中范围内开发量子cascade（QC）垂直 - 外部 - 外部式表面表面上的表面效率激光仪（Vecsels）在中范围内的范围。这被提出为（a）高亮度MID-IR源在圆形衍射仪中具有可扩展输出功率（高达数十瓦）的途径，以及（b）与本地局部工程工具稳定性，相位和极化响应的能力相关的多功能激光器平台。我们提出了针对构成MID-IR的各种光谱子区域量身定制的一组不同的方法。拟议的工作中的智力优点在多个层面上存在。主要的创新是开发用于实施中红外量子cascade激光器的vecsels的新方案，尤其是在MWIR和LWIR中基于表面发出的光栅。在多个层面上，包括本科和研究生研究经验，成果的传播，技术进步，对代表人数不足的少数群体的宣传以及工业互动，对更广泛的影响进行了解决。通过PI的开发研究项目的发展，将专门发生与代表性不足的少数民族（URM）的宣传，以供旨在招募和保留URM Engineering新生的课程。该目标计划将导致大学与工业合作伙伴之间的互动，有可能在行业内进行技术转移和学生培训/曝光。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并且使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准，认为值得通过评估来获得支持。