IR-SNOM on a fork: infrared scanning near-field optical microscopy for thermal profiling of quantum cascade lasers

B.-J. Pandey; K. P. Clark; F. Abbas; E. Fuchs; K. Lascola; Yamac Dikmelik; D. Hinojos; K. Hodges; D. I. Robbins; M. Platkov; A. Katzir; A. Suliman; G. Spingarn; A. Niguès; J.-F. Veyan; Q. Gu; K. Roodenko

doi:10.1117/12.2543849

31 January 2020 IR-SNOM on a fork: infrared scanning near-field optical microscopy for thermal profiling of quantum cascade lasers

B.-J. Pandey, K. P. Clark, F. Abbas, E. Fuchs, K. Lascola, Yamac Dikmelik, D. Hinojos, K. Hodges, D. I. Robbins, M. Platkov, A. Katzir, A. Suliman, G. Spingarn, A. Niguès, J.-F. Veyan, Q. Gu, K. Roodenko

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Proceedings Volume 11288, Quantum Sensing and Nano Electronics and Photonics XVII; 112881Q (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2543849
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2020, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The fundamental optical diffraction in infrared microscopes limits their spatial resolution to about ~5μm and hinders the detailed observation of heat generation and dissipation behaviors in micrometer-sized optoelectronic and semiconductor devices, thus impeding the understanding of basic material properties, electrical shorts and structural defects at a micron and sub-micron scale. We report the recent development of a scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) method for thermal imaging with subwavelength spatial resolution. The system implements infrared fiber-optic probes with subwavelength apertures at the apex of a tip for coupling to thermal radiation. Topographic imaging and tip-to-sample distance control are enabled by the implementation of a macroscopic aluminum tuning fork of centimeter size to support IR thermal macro-probes. The SNOM-on-a-fork system is developed as a capability primarily for the thermal profiling of MWIR quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) during pulsed and continuous wave (CW) operation, targeting QCL design optimization. Time-resolved thermal measurements with high spatial resolution will enable better understanding of thermal effects that can have a significant impact on a laser's optical performance and reliability, and furthermore, will serve as a tool to diagnose failure mechanisms.

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B.-J. Pandey, K. P. Clark, F. Abbas, E. Fuchs, K. Lascola, Yamac Dikmelik, D. Hinojos, K. Hodges, D. I. Robbins, M. Platkov, A. Katzir, A. Suliman, G. Spingarn, A. Niguès, J.-F. Veyan, Q. Gu, and K. Roodenko "IR-SNOM on a fork: infrared scanning near-field optical microscopy for thermal profiling of quantum cascade lasers", Proc. SPIE 11288, Quantum Sensing and Nano Electronics and Photonics XVII, 112881Q (31 January 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2543849

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