The lasing mode and internal optical absorption loss profiles of III-nitride edge-emitting laser diode (LD) designs operating at 440 nm were modeled using the transfer matrix method. These models indicate absorption losses are minimized in LDs utilizing tunnel junction (TJ) contacts that (1) optimize the TJ to be as close to fully depleted as possible; (2) spatially separate the metal contact from the lasing mode using lightly doped n-GaN located above the TJ; (3) in designs with optimized TJs, minimize the total thickness of p-type material. These features reduce absorption losses in the model, relative to comparable LD models with an unoptimized TJ contact or with a transparent conducting oxide p-contact, by up to 15.3% and 12.5%, respectively, while at the same time eliminating most or nearly all p-type material.
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KEYWORDS: Photonics, Optical fiber cables, RGB color model, Optical communications, Education and training, Optics, Outreach programs, CMYK color model
We have developed three light-based educational outreach activities targeted towards pre-university students, emphasizing experiential hands-on components for core learning via challenges the students must complete. These activities leverage photonics concepts from two active research areas at the Univ. of California Santa Barbara: integrated optics and solid-state lighting. The activities center on (1) building a free-space optical link, (2) subtractive and additive color mixing, and (3) guiding light using gelatin waveguides. These activities are self-contained that is, the necessary background and intuition are introduced and built, respectively, before culminating in the main demonstration. The color-mixing and gelatin waveguide activities were designed for middle school students (ages 10-13) and their families, while the free-space optical link activity was designed for high school students (ages 14-18). Graduate students, not necessarily in photonics or optics, typically lead these activities for groups of 20-30 students after an initial training. We have found that we are able to garner considerable excitement from students when activities culminate in a challenge, especially if it has a competitive nature. This allows leaders to emphasize important practices in scientific research, such as: using the success of others' experiments to one's benefit, making informed hypotheses and testing them, persistence in understanding and solving a problem, and finally, the desire to improve upon a working solution.
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