Feature

Intersubband far infrared emission pumped by resonant tunneling in superlattices

S.J. Allen Jr.,

Far infrared emission has been obtained from a semiconductor superlattice electrically pumped by sequential resonant tunneling. The experiments performed by Helm and co-workers1 realize an idea that has been incubating since the conception of semiconductor super-lattices and artificial engineered bandstructures.2,3 They are the first experiments that use tunneling to create hot carriers capable of emitting radiation and establish a fundamental step toward the realization of an intersubband laser.