量子级联技术研究进展：从光源到探测

Research Progress of Quantum Cascade Technology： From Light to Detection

摘要:

量子级联技术基于多量子阱或超晶格结构中的子带跃迁和共振隧穿理论，既可以产生光源，又可以探测光信号，是量子级联激光器（QCL）和量子级联探测器（QCD）的理论基石，在检测、遥感、通信、雷达等领域具有广泛的应用前景。经过最近三十年的研究，量子级联技术在基础研究、产品性能以及应用系统研发和场景试验方面都取得了重大进展。本文首先简要介绍了量子级联技术的原理和发展历史，随后阐述了量子级联器件子带能级结构和电子输运动力学计算思路，接着重点综述了量子级联技术的研究进展，包括中远红外高功率QCL、中远红外宽调谐QCL、太赫兹QCL、高性能QCD，以及QCL和QCD的单芯片光子集成方面的内容，最后介绍了QCL和QCD的产品与应用情况。

Abstract:

Quantum cascade technology, based on resonant tunneling and intersubband transitions in a multiple-quantum well or superlattice structure can generate light source and detect optical signals, it is the theoretical cornerstone of quantum cascade laser (QCL) and quantum cascade detector (QCD), which has wide application prospect in detection, remote sensing, communication, radar, and other fields. After three decades of research, quantum cascade technology has made significant progress in basic research, product performance, application system research and scene testing. In this paper, the principle and development history of quantum cascade technology are briefly introduced first. Subsequently, the calculation approaches of intersubband energy level structure and electron transport dynamics in quantum cascade devices are elaborated. Next, the research progress of quantum cascade technology is mainly reviewed, including mid- and far-infrared high power QCL, mid-and far-infrared widely tunable QCL, terahertz QCL, high performance QCD, and single-chip photonic integration of QCL and QCD. Finally, the commercially available QCL and QCD products, as well as their application status, are introduced.