Source/Type: CompoundSemi Online -- Compound Semiconductor Supply Chain News - Reported News

Researchers Seek Long-Wavelength Lasers at One-Tenth the Cost

April 28, 2008... Researchers at Chuo University have developed technology that they claim could cut the cost of manufacturing crystals for high-output long-wavelength lasers by up to 90 percent, according to an article in Nikkei Net. The researchers found that gallium arsenide (GaAs) can transform laser light into the relatively long wavelength of 5-20 microns. However, the crystal orientation must be optimized to produce a high-output laser. Associate professor Ichiro Shoji led the research team. They reportedly layered GaAs crystals 100 microns thick in a vacuum at room temperature using argon particles to blow off the oxide film covering the surface of the crystals. The researcher were able to use this method put together crystals with clean surfaces with no gap in between, the article indicated. A laser with a 1.06 micron wavelength was exposed to the clean surfaced crystals, and the result was an output wavelength of 10 microns.

Thus far, the research team has only managed to create six layers of crystals in this manner. The team hopes to increase the crystal thickness to a practical level to commercialize the technology in about three years for use in semiconductor processing and materials analysis. The researchers contend that if the technology can be made commercially feasible, it could produce lasers long wavelength lasers at one-tenth of the cost, the article indicated.

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