)Starting October 2006
Contact Information:
Prof. C. N. Ironside, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT
Tel: +44 (0)141 330 4796
Fax : +44 (0)141 330 6002
email: Ironside@elec.gla.ac.uk
Prof. C. N. Ironside's main research interests are in semiconductor lasers, high speed optoelectronics and nonlinear optics. Below is a list of available projects. Further information about the projects can been obtained by contacting Prof.Ironside.
There are currently 2 PhD studentships available in Prof. Ironside's group.
Description
OptoElectrionic Integrated Chips combine electronic and optoelectronic devices on the same semiconductor chip. Many optoelectronic devices, such semiconductor lasers are made from III-V semiconductors usually based on GaAs or InP and the main theme of this project is to fabricated transistors such as Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs) or diodes such as the Resonant Tunneling Diode on the same chip as a semiconductor laser or LED. The advantages integration brings are well illustrated from the history of the development of silicon based electronics where integration brought vast increases in performance and reductions in cost thus hugely expanding the electronics market. The main objective of this project is to integrate a HBT with a semiconductor laser and demonstrate high speed modulation (>10GB/s) of the semiconductor laser output with low drive voltages of less than 100mV. The main areas of application are in digital optical communication systems.
Description
Quantum Cascade lasers are semiconductor lasers which operate in the wavelength region 3.2-15µm; a key region for gas sensing because many types of gases have their characteristic absorption in this wavelength region. These are fundamentally a new type of semiconductor laser based on intersubband transitions in quantum wells. Our group is one of the few groups world wide which can grow Quantum cascade laser wafers and fabricated the lasers. The aim of this PhD project is to adapt and improve quantum cascade lasers for gas sensing. The quantum cascade lasers will be improved by new types of wafer design,current confinement, wavelength selection, heat sinking. They will be used in new types of sensors suitable for application such as pollutant detection to very low levels.
The project will involve wafer design, laser fabrication, laser testing and sensor design and construction.
Funding:
For UK citizens funding for postgraduate study is available from the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC).
Last updated 23/3/05.
Funding
Page maintained by
Prof. Charles N.
Ironside
(c.ironside@elec.gla.ac.uk
)