Massachusetts Institute of Technology

University of California

Longwave Photonics LLC

Qing Hu

Alan Wei Min Lee

David Burghoff

Yang Yang

Benjamin S Williams

Simon Verghese

Elliott R Brown

Tsung-Yu Kao

Alan W Min Lee

According to one aspect, a multi-heterodyne system is disclosed, which comprises a first laser source for generating multi-mode radiation having a frequency spectrum characterized by a first plurality of phase coherent frequencies, and a second laser source for generating multi-mode radiation having a frequency spectrum characterized by a second plurality of phase coherent frequencies. The system further comprises at least one detector for detecting a combination of the multi-mode radiation generated by the first and second laser sources so as to provide a multi-heterodyne signal having a frequency spectrum characterized by a plurality of beat frequencies, each beat frequency corresponding to a pairwise difference in the first and second plurality of phase coherent frequencies. The system further comprises an analyzer for receiving said multi-heterodyne signal and configured to employ a predictive model of the multi-heterodyne signal to provide estimates of any of phase error and timing error associated with the beat frequencies.

Computationally-assisted multi-heterodyne spectroscopy

A third-order distributed feedback laser has an active medium disposed on a substrate as a linear array of segments having a series of periodically spaced interstices therebetween and a first conductive layer disposed on a surface of the active medium on each of the segments and along a strip from each of the segments to a conductive electrical contact pad for application of current along a path including the active medium. Upon application of a current through the active medium, the active medium functions as an optical waveguide, and there is established an alternating electric field, at a THz frequency, both in the active medium and emerging from the interstices. Spacing of adjacent segments is approximately half of a wavelength of the THz frequency in free space or an odd integral multiple thereof, so that the linear array has a coherence length greater than the length of the linear array.

Efficient third-order distributed feedback laser with enhanced beam pattern

Terahertz quantum cascade (QC) devices are disclosed that can operate, e.g., in a range of about 1 THz to about 10 THz. In some embodiments, QC lasers are disclosed in which an optical element (e.g., a lens) is coupled to an output facet of the laser's active region to enhance coupling of the lasing radiation from the active region to an external environment. In other embodiments, terahertz amplifier and tunable terahertz QC lasers are disclosed.

Lens coupled quantum cascade laser

The present invention provides frequency tunable solid-state radiation-generating devices, such as lasers and amplifiers, whose active medium has a size in at least one transverse dimension (e.g., its width) that is much smaller than the wavelength of radiation generated and/or amplified within the active medium. In such devices, a fraction of radiation travels as an evanescent propagating mode outside the active medium. It has been discovered that in such devices the radiation frequency can be tuned by the interaction of a tuning mechanism with the propagating evanescent mode.

Frequency tunable wire lasers

The present invention generally provides a terahertz (THz) imaging system that includes a source for generating radiation (e.g., a quantum cascade laser) having one or more frequencies in a range of about 0.1 THz to about 10 THz, and a two-dimensional detector array comprising a plurality of radiation detecting elements that are capable of detecting radiation in that frequency range. An optical system directs radiation from the source to an object to be imaged. The detector array detects at least a portion of the radiation transmitted through the object (or reflected by the object) so as to form a THz image of that object.

Real-time, continuous-wave terahertz imaging using a microbolometer focal-plane array

The present invention provides quantum cascade lasers and amplifier that operate in a frequency range of about 1 Terahertz to about 10 Terahertz. In one aspect, a quantum cascade laser of the invention includes a semiconductor heterostructure that provides a plurality of lasing modules connected in series. Each lasing module includes a plurality of quantum well structure that collectively generate at least an upper lasing state, a lower lasing state, and a relaxation state such that the upper and the lower lasing states are separated by an energy corresponding to an optical frequency in a range of about 1 to about 10 Terahertz. The lower lasing state is selectively depopulated via resonant LO-phonon scattering of electrons into the relaxation state.

Terahertz lasers and amplifiers based on resonant optical phonon scattering to achieve population inversion

An optical correlator for correlating incident optical signals is described. The correlator comprises a transmission line in close juxtaposition to a photoconductor. The photoconductor may be positioned within the transmission line. The transmission line and the photoconductor may be monolithically integrated on a substrate. The optical correlator has an electrical non-linear response to the incident optical signals that results from a voltage divider formed from the combination of the transmission line and the photoconductor. The electrical non-linear response is proportional to a second-order intensity autocorrelation function g.sup.(2) (.tau.). The response time of the electrical nonlinear response is less than the width of the narrowest pulse of the optical signals and may be less than twenty picoseconds.

Photoconductive optical correlator

A device is provided for measuring radiant energy, the device comprising a substrate; a bolometer formed from a high T.sub.c superconducting material disposed on the substrate in an area that is about 1.times.5 .mu.m.sup.2 and about 0.02 .mu.m in depth; and a planar antenna disposed on the substrate and coupled to receive radiation and to impart the received radiation to the bolometer.

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Wellesley, MA, United States of America

Qing Hu