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Previously in this journal we have reported on fundamental transversemode selection (TMS#0) of broad area semiconductor lasers
(BALs) with integrated twice-retracted 4f set-up and film-waveguide lens as the Fourier-transform element. Now we choose and
report on a simpler approach for BAL-TMS#0, i.e., the use of a stable confocal longitudinal BAL resonator of length L with a
transverse constriction.The absolute value of the radius R of curvature of both mirror-facets convex in one dimension (1D) is R = L
= 2f with focal length f.The round trip length 2L = 4f againmakes up for a Fourier-optical 4f set-up and the constriction resulting
in a resonator-internal beam waist stands for a Fourier-optical low-pass spatial frequency filter. Good TMS#0 is achieved, as long
as the constriction is tight enough, but filamentation is not completely suppressed.
1. Introduction
Broad area (semiconductor diode) lasers (BALs) are intended
to emit high optical output powers (where “high” is relative
and depending on the material system). As compared to
conventional narrow stripe lasers, the higher power is distributed
over a larger transverse cross-section, thus avoiding
catastrophic optical mirror damage (COMD). Typical BALs
have emitter widths of around 100 ????m.
Thedrawback is the distribution of the high output power
over a large number of transverse modes (in cases without
countermeasures) limiting the portion of the light power in
the fundamental transverse mode (mode #0), which ought to
be maximized for the sake of good light focusability.
Thus techniques have to be used to support, prefer, or
select the fundamental transverse mode (transverse mode
selection TMS#0) by suppression of higher order modes
already upon build-up of the laser oscillation.
In many cases reported in the literature, either a BAL
facet, the
A measurement technique, i.e. reflectance anisotropy/difference spectroscopy (RAS/RDS), which had originally been developed for in-situ
epitaxial growth control, is employed here for in-situ real-time etch-depth control during reactive ion etching (RIE) of cubic crystalline III/V
semiconductor samples. Temporal optical Fabry-Perot oscillations of the genuine RAS signal (or of the average reflectivity) during etching due
to the ever shrinking layer thicknesses are used to monitor the current etch depth. This way the achievable in-situ etch-depth resolution has
been around 15 nm. To improve etch-depth control even further, i.e. down to below 5 nm, we now use the optical equivalent of a mechanical
vernier scale– by employing Fabry-Perot oscillations at two different wavelengths or photon energies of the RAS measurement light – 5%
apart, which gives a vernier scale resolution of 5%. For the AlGaAs(Sb) material system a 5 nm resolution is an improvement by a factor of 3
and amounts to a precision in in-situ etch-depth control of around 8 lattice constants.
III/V semiconductor quantum dots (QD) are in the focus of optoelectronics research for about 25 years now. Most of the work
has been done on InAs QD on GaAs substrate. But, e.g., Ga(As)Sb (antimonide) QD on GaAs substrate/buffer have also gained
attention for the last 12 years.There is a scientific dispute on whether there is a wetting layer before antimonide QD formation, as
commonly expected for Stransky-Krastanov growth, or not. Usually ex situ photoluminescence (PL) and atomic force microscope
(AFM) measurements are performed to resolve similar issues. In this contribution, we show that reflectance anisotropy/difference
spectroscopy (RAS/RDS) can be used for the same purpose as an in situ, real-time monitoring technique. It can be employed not
only to identify QD growth via a distinct RAS spectrum, but also to get information on the existence of a wetting layer and its
thickness. The data suggest that for antimonide QD growth the wetting layer has a thickness of 1 ML (one monolayer) only.
With the transition of fluid-capillary-based “Lab on a chip 1.0″ concepts in analytical chemistry to “Lab on a chip
2.0″ approaches relying on distinct fluid droplets (“digital microfluidics”, DMF), the need for reliable methods for
droplet actuation has increasingly come into focus. One possible approach is based on “electrowetting on
dielectric” (EWOD). This technique has the disadvantage that any possible desired later positions of the droplets
on the chip have to be defined prior to chip realization because one of the EWOD electrode layers has to be
structured accordingly. “Optoelectrowetting” (OEW) goes a step further in the sense that the later droplet positions
do not have to be known before, and none of the electrode layers has to be structured. Instead, the
electrical parameters of the layer sequence can be altered locally by an impinging (and movable) light spot.
Although some research groups have succeeded in demonstrating OEW actuation of droplets, the optimization of
the relevant parameters of the layer sequence and the droplet – at least half a dozen parameters altogether – is
tedious and not straight-forward. In this contribution, for optimization purposes, the equations governing OEW
are revisited and altered again, e.g., by numerical implementation of the experimentally well-known saturation
of the contact angle change. Additionally, a Nelder-Mead algorithm is applied to find the parameters, on which
the optimization has to focus to maximize contact angle changes and, thus, mechanical forces on the droplets.
The numerical investigation yields diverse results, e.g., the finding that the droplet’s contact area on the
dielectric layer has a strong influence on the contact angle change and the question whether the droplet is pulled
or pushed. Moreover, the interplay between frequency and amplitude of the applied rectangular alternate voltage
is important for optimization.
Meanwhile, electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) is a well-known phenomenon, even often exploited in active micro-optics to
change the curvature of microdroplet lenses or in analytical chemistry with digital microfluidics (DMF, lab on a chip 2.0) to move/
actuate microdroplets. Optoelectrowetting (OEW) can bring more flexibility to DMF because in OEW, the operating point of the
lab chip is locally controlled by a beam of light, usually impinging onto the chip perpendicularly. As opposed to pure EWOD, for
OEW, none of the electrodes has to be structured, which makes the chip design and production technology simpler; the path of
any actuated droplet is determined by the movement of the light spot. However, for applications in analytical chemistry, it would
be helpful if the space both below as well as that above the lab chip were not obstructed by any optical components and light
sources. Here, we report on the possibility to actuate droplets by laser light beams, which traverse the setup parallel to the chip
surface and inside the OEW layer sequence. Since microdroplets are grabbed by this surface-parallel, nondiverging, and
nonexpanded light beam, we call this principle “light line OEW” (LL-OEW).