A route from the negative-effective-mass generators to the phonon-difference FIR lasers

• Published in: Infrared physics & technology Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 45 - 50
• Main Author: Brazis, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 1995
• ISSN: 1350-4495; 1879-0275
• DOI: 10.1016/1350-4495(94)00052-M

Solid-state sources covering the wave number range from 5 to 120 cm
−1 are considered. Experimental data on the negative effective masses, the inverted cyclotron resonance transitions, as well as the light-to-heavy hole band transition inversion are compared with existing theoretical models. On the basis of this comparison, the phonon-difference process inversion is proposed as a new mechanism of stimulated FIR radiation. Contrary to the previous models which require complicated carrier-energy band structures, like that in
p-type Ge, the two-phonon difference radiation is expected to act both in
p- and
n-type materials. Magnetic fields and cooling down to liquid helium temperatures are not necessary for its operation. Crystalline Si, Ge, A
3B
5, A
2B
6 and other semiconductor compounds are candidates for creating lasers on phonons.