Room temperature operation of Ge/SixGe1−x−ySny terahertz quantum cascade lasers predicted using extended combined resonant tunneling and rate equation model

Zhou Li; Zhichao Chen; Baiqi Zhang; Qiyun Lai; Zhanfeng Jiang; Yaoyao Liang; Yulong Fan; Haoxiang Li; Qi Qin; Manijeh Razeghi; Feihu Wang

doi:10.1063/5.0299017

Room temperature operation of Ge/Si_xGe_1−x−ySn_y terahertz quantum cascade lasers predicted using extended combined resonant tunneling and rate equation model

Zhou Li (Co-first Author)
, Zhichao Chen (Co-first Author)
, Baiqi Zhang
, Qiyun Lai
, Zhanfeng Jiang
, Yaoyao Liang
, Yulong Fan
, Haoxiang Li
, Qi Qin
, Manijeh Razeghi^*
, Feihu Wang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Systems Engineering

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

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Abstract

Raising operation temperature of terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) to room temperature remains a key challenge in QCL community. Group-IV semiconductors are believed to be a promising solution to this problem since the polar phonon–electron scattering is negligible at elevated temperature. Here, we develop a theoretical model for Ge/Si_xGe_1−x−ySn_y THz QCL development. This model is established on the combined resonant tunneling and rate equation framework and is extended to be applicable for group-IV QCL design through introducing new scattering mechanisms and continuum states carrier leakage. A two-well Ge/Si_0.3Ge_0.618Sn_0.082 THz QCL based on a direct phonon extraction strategy is designed and predicted to be capable of working above 300K. This result lays the foundation for future room temperature THz QCL devices development using group-IV semiconductors. © 2025 Author(s).

Original language	English
Article number	235703
Journal	Journal of Applied Physics
Volume	138
Issue number	23
Online published	15 Dec 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0299017
Publication status	Published - 21 Dec 2025

Funding

The authors acknowledge the support of Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Nos. 2024B1515020117 and 2023A1515012793). M.R. would like to acknowledge the support of the Walter P. Murphy Chair Professorship at the McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University.

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This full text is made available under CC-BY 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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title = "Room temperature operation of Ge/SixGe1−x−ySny terahertz quantum cascade lasers predicted using extended combined resonant tunneling and rate equation model",

abstract = "Raising operation temperature of terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) to room temperature remains a key challenge in QCL community. Group-IV semiconductors are believed to be a promising solution to this problem since the polar phonon–electron scattering is negligible at elevated temperature. Here, we develop a theoretical model for Ge/SixGe1−x−ySny THz QCL development. This model is established on the combined resonant tunneling and rate equation framework and is extended to be applicable for group-IV QCL design through introducing new scattering mechanisms and continuum states carrier leakage. A two-well Ge/Si0.3Ge0.618Sn0.082 THz QCL based on a direct phonon extraction strategy is designed and predicted to be capable of working above 300K. This result lays the foundation for future room temperature THz QCL devices development using group-IV semiconductors. {\textcopyright} 2025 Author(s).",

author = "Zhou Li and Zhichao Chen and Baiqi Zhang and Qiyun Lai and Zhanfeng Jiang and Yaoyao Liang and Yulong Fan and Haoxiang Li and Qi Qin and Manijeh Razeghi and Feihu Wang",

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volume = "138",

journal = "Journal of Applied Physics",

issn = "0021-8979",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics",

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}

Room temperature operation of Ge/Si_xGe_1−x−ySn_y terahertz quantum cascade lasers predicted using extended combined resonant tunneling and rate equation model. / Li, Zhou (Co-first Author); Chen, Zhichao (Co-first Author); Zhang, Baiqi et al.
In: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 138, No. 23, 235703, 21.12.2025.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Room temperature operation of Ge/SixGe1−x−ySny terahertz quantum cascade lasers predicted using extended combined resonant tunneling and rate equation model

AU - Li, Zhou

AU - Chen, Zhichao

AU - Zhang, Baiqi

AU - Lai, Qiyun

AU - Jiang, Zhanfeng

AU - Liang, Yaoyao

AU - Fan, Yulong

AU - Li, Haoxiang

AU - Qin, Qi

AU - Razeghi, Manijeh

AU - Wang, Feihu

PY - 2025/12/21

Y1 - 2025/12/21

N2 - Raising operation temperature of terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) to room temperature remains a key challenge in QCL community. Group-IV semiconductors are believed to be a promising solution to this problem since the polar phonon–electron scattering is negligible at elevated temperature. Here, we develop a theoretical model for Ge/SixGe1−x−ySny THz QCL development. This model is established on the combined resonant tunneling and rate equation framework and is extended to be applicable for group-IV QCL design through introducing new scattering mechanisms and continuum states carrier leakage. A two-well Ge/Si0.3Ge0.618Sn0.082 THz QCL based on a direct phonon extraction strategy is designed and predicted to be capable of working above 300K. This result lays the foundation for future room temperature THz QCL devices development using group-IV semiconductors. © 2025 Author(s).

AB - Raising operation temperature of terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) to room temperature remains a key challenge in QCL community. Group-IV semiconductors are believed to be a promising solution to this problem since the polar phonon–electron scattering is negligible at elevated temperature. Here, we develop a theoretical model for Ge/SixGe1−x−ySny THz QCL development. This model is established on the combined resonant tunneling and rate equation framework and is extended to be applicable for group-IV QCL design through introducing new scattering mechanisms and continuum states carrier leakage. A two-well Ge/Si0.3Ge0.618Sn0.082 THz QCL based on a direct phonon extraction strategy is designed and predicted to be capable of working above 300K. This result lays the foundation for future room temperature THz QCL devices development using group-IV semiconductors. © 2025 Author(s).

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