Quantum Simulating the Electron Transport in Quantum Cascade Laser Structures

Year: 2021

Authors: Trombettoni A.; Scazza F.; Minardi F.; Roati G.; Cappelli F.; Consolino L.; Smerzi A.; De Natale P.

Autors Affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Strada Costiera 11, Trieste, I-34151, Italy; CNR-IOM DEMOCRITOS Simulation Center, via Bonomea 265, Trieste, I-34136, Italy; Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (CNR-INO), Largo Enrico Fermi 6, Florence, 50125, Italy; European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Via Nello Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Universita di Bologna, Viale Carlo Berti-Pichat 6/2, Bologna, 40127, Italy

Abstract: Ultracold fermionic atoms are proposed to be used in 1D optical lattices to quantum simulate the electronic transport in quantum cascade laser (QCL) structures. The competition between the coherent tunneling among (and within) the wells and the dissipative decay at the basis of lasing is discussed. In order to validate the proposed simulation scheme, such competition is quantitatively addressed in a simplified 1D model. The existence of optimal relationships between the model parameters is shown, maximizing the particle current, the population inversion (or their product), and the stimulated emission rate. This substantiates the concept of emulating the QCL operation mechanisms in cold-atom optical lattice simulators, laying the groundwork for addressing open questions, such as the impact of electron-electron scattering and the origin of transport-induced noise, in the design of new-generation QCLs.

Journal/Review: ADVANCED QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES

Volume: 4 (10)      Pages from: 2100044-1  to: 2100044-12

More Information: The authors thank F. Benatti, J. Faist, and M. Franckie for useful discussions. The authors acknowledge financial support by the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme with the Qombs Project (FET Flagship on Quantum Technologies grant no. 820419) “Quantum simulation and entanglement engineering in quantum cascade laser frequency combs.”
Open access funding provided by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche within the CRUI-CARE Agreement.
KeyWords: electron transport; heterostructures; quantum cascade lasers; quantum simulations; ultracold atoms in optical lattices
DOI: 10.1002/qute.202100044