Phase-locked single-mode terahertz quantum cascade lasers array

We demonstrated a scheme of phase-locked terahertz quantum cascade lasers(THz QCLs)array,with a single-mode pulse power of 108 mW at 13 K.The device utilizes a Talbot cavity to achieve phase locking among five ridge lasers with first-order buried distributed feedback(DFB)grating,resulting in nearly five times amplification of the single-mode power.Due to the optimum length of Talbot cavity depends on wavelength,the combination of Talbot cavity with the DFB grating leads to better power amplification than the combination with multimode Fabry-Perot(F-P)cavities.The Talbot cavity facet reflects light back to the ridge array direction and achieves self-imaging in the array,enabling phase-locked operation of ridges.We set the spacing between adjacent elements to be 220μm,much larger than the free-space wavelength,ensuring the operation of the fundamental supermode throughout the laser's dynamic range and obtaining a high-brightness far-field distribution.This scheme provides a new approach for enhancing the single-mode power of THz QCLs.

Intrinsic and scattering attenuations of the Sichuan-Yunnan region in China from S coda waves

Seismic attenuation is a fundamental property of the Earth's media.Attenuation structure for the complicated geological structures with strong seismicity in the Sichuan-Yunnan region is poorly studied.In this study,we collected 108,399 waveforms of 11,517 local small earthquakes with magnitudes between 1.5 and 3.5 from January 2014 to September 2021 in the Sichuan-Yunnan region and its adjacent areas.We employed an envelope inversion technique for separating the intrinsic and scattering attenuations of the S coda wave,and obtained the intrinsic and scattering attenuation structures for frequencies between 0.25 and 8.00 Hz.The attenuation structures correlate well with the geological units,and some major faults mark the attenuation variations where historic large earthquakes have occurred.The regional average attenuation shows a negative frequency dependence.The average scattering attenuation has a faster descending rate than the average intrinsic attenuation,and is dominant at low frequencies,while at high frequencies the average intrinsic attenuation is stronger.The lateral variation in the intrinsic attenuation is consistent with the variation in heat flow,the scattering attenuation may be related to the scatter distribution and size.The total attenuation is consistent with the previous studies in this region,and the separate intrinsic and scattering attenuation may be useful in understanding regional tectonics and important in earthquake prevention and disaster reduction.

全基因组重测序解析秦川牛保种群遗传多样性和遗传结构

在畜禽资源保护中,群体遗传多样性和遗传结构是决定保种效果的重要因素。本研究采用全基因组重测序技术检测100头秦川牛(30头公牛、70头母牛)的基因组变异,通过分析群体遗传多样性、连续纯合片段(runs of homozygosity,ROH)分布特征、亲缘关系和家系结构,对秦川牛的保种效果进行了综合评估。结果显示,100头秦川牛共检测到20,968,017个高质量SNPs位点,平均最小等位基因频率为0.191±0.124,平均多态信息含量为0.279±0.131,平均观察杂合度为0.275±0.131,平均期望杂合度为0.279±0.131,表明秦川保种群遗传多样性较为丰富。秦川牛保种群体平均状态同源(identity by state,IBS)遗传距离为0.243±0.020,其中公牛为0.242±0.021,亲缘关系G矩阵结果与IBS距离矩阵结果一致,均显示秦川牛保种群部分个体间亲缘关系较近。100头秦川牛个体共检测到8258个基因组ROH,ROH总长度为9.64 GB,平均ROH长度为1.167±1.203 Mb,69.35%的ROH是长度为0.5~1 Mb的短ROH。个体平均ROH总长度为96.40 Mb。基于ROH的平均近交系数为0.039±0.039,其中30头秦川公牛的平均近交系数为0.044±0.035,表明部分公牛个体存在一定程度的近交积累。进化树结果显示,秦川牛保种群所测个体可分为8个家系,包括7个含公牛家系和1个不含公牛家系。本研究表明,秦川牛保种群的遗传多样性较为丰富,未出现较大程度近交积累,但部分个体间存在近交风险,应强化选配以确保秦川牛资源的可持续发展。

Quantum cascade lasers grown by MOCVD

Sharing the advantages of high optical power,high efficiency and design flexibility in a compact size,quantum cascade lasers(QCLs)are excellent mid-to-far infrared laser sources for gas sensing,infrared spectroscopic,medical diagnosis,and defense applications.Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD)is an important technology for growing high quality semiconductor materials,and has achieved great success in the semiconductor industry due to its advantages of high efficiency,short maintenance cycles,and high stability and repeatability.The utilization of MOCVD for the growth of QCL materials holds a significant meaning for promoting the large batch production and industrial application of QCL devices.This review summarizes the recent progress of QCLs grown by MOCVD.Material quality and the structure design together determine the device performance.Research progress on the performance improvement of MOCVD-grown QCLs based on the optimization of material quality and active region structure are mainly reviewed.

Anti-symmetric sampled grating quantum cascade laser for mode selection

For mode selection in a quantum cascade laser(QCL),we demonstrate an anti-symmetric sampled grating(ASG).The wavelength of the-1-th mode of this laser has been blue-shifted more than 75 nm(~10 cm^(-1))compared with that of an ordinary sampled grating laser with an emission wavelength of approximately 8.6μm,when the periodicities within both the base grating and the sample grating are kept constant.Under this condition,an improvement in the continuous tuning capability of the QCL array is ensured.The ASG structure is fabricated in holographic exposure and optical photolithography,thereby enhancing its flexibility,repeatability,and cost-effectiveness.The wavelength modulation capability of the two channels of the grating is insensitive to the variations in channel size,assuming that the overall waveguide width remains constant.The output wavelength can be tailored freely within a certain range by adjusting the width of the ridge and the material of the cladding layer.

Single-Mode Fabry-Pérot Quantum Cascade Lasers at λ ~10.5 μm

In this paper, we report a single-mode Fabry-Pérot long wave infrared quantum cascade lasers based on the double phonon resonance active region design. For room temperature CW operation, the wafer with 35 stages was processed into buried heterostructure lasers. For a 4 mm long and 13 μm wide laser with high-reflectivity (HR) coating on the rear facet, continuous wave output power of 43 mW at 288 K and 5 mW at 303 K is obtained with threshold current densities of 2.17 and 2.7 kA/cm2. The lasing wavelength is around 10.5 μm. Single mode emission was observed for this particular device over the whole investigated current and temperature range.

Upper Paleozoic coal measures and unconventional natural gas systems of the Ordos Basin,China

Upper Paleozoic coal measures in the Ordos Basin consist of dark mudstone and coal beds and are important source rocks for gas generation. Gas accumulations include coal-bed methane （CBM）, tight gas and conventional gas in different structural areas. CBM accumulations are mainly distributed in the marginal area of the Ordos Basin, and are estimated at 3.5 × 1012 m3. Tight gas accumulations exist in the middle part of the Yishan Slope area, previously regarded as the basin-centered gas system and now considered as stratigraphic lithologic gas reservoirs. This paper reviews the characteristics of tight gas accumulations： poor physical properties （porosity 〈 8%, permeability 〈 0.85 × 10 3 μm2）, abnormal pressure and the absence of well-defined gas water contacts. CBM is a self-generation and self- reservoir, while gas derived from coal measures migrates only for a short distance to accumulate in a tight reservoir and is termed near-generation and near-reservoir. Both CBM and tight gas systems require source rocks with a strong gas generation ability that extends together over wide area. However, the producing area of the two systems may be significantly different.

High powerλ~8.5μm quantum cascade laser grown by MOCVD operating continuous-wave up to 408 K

Robust quantum cascade laser(QCL)enduring high temperature continuous-wave(CW)operation is of critical importance for some applications.We report on the realization of lattice-matched InGaAs/InAlAs/InP QCL materials grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD).High interface quality structures designed for light emission at 8.5μm are achieved by optimizing and precise controlling of growth conditions.A CW output power of 1.04 W at 288 K was obtained from a 4 mm-long and 10μm-wide coated laser.Corresponding maximum wall-plug efficiency and threshold current density were 7.1%and 1.18 kA/cm2,respectively.The device can operate in CW mode up to 408 K with an output power of 160 mW.

Pore-scale mechanisms and characterization of light oil storage in shale nanopores:New method and insights

A new method is proposed to analyze the pore-scale mechanisms and characterization of light oil storage in shale nanopores,which is based on the Hydrocarbon Vapor Adsorption(HVA)and Pore Calculation Model(PCM).First,the basic principle of the HVA-PCM method is introduced,and the experimental/mathematical analysis processes are given.Then,the HVA-PCM method is applied to shale samples to analyze the mechanisms and characterization of light oil storage in shale nanopores.The results provide insights into the pore-scale oil storage mechanisms,oil storage structure,oil film thickness,oil distribution within different sized pores,and the oil storage state.Finally,the advantages and limitations of the HVA-PCM method are discussed,and suggestions for further improvement are proposed.Overall,the HVA-PCM method is a powerful tool for extracting quantitative information on the light oil storage in shale nanopores.

Spatiotemporal evolution of the 2021 M_(S)6.4 Yangbi earthquake sequence

Based on the seismic phase reports of the Yangbi area from January 1 to June 25,2021,and the waveform data of M≥4 earthquakes,we obtained the relocation results and focal mechanism solutions of the M_(S)6.4 Yangbi earthquake sequence using the HypoDD and CAP methods.Based on our results,our main conclusions are as follows:(1)the M_(S)6.4 Yangbi earthquake sequence is a typical foreshock-mainshock-aftershock sequence.The fore-shocks of the first two stages have the obvious fronts of migration and their migration rate increased gradually.There was no apparent front of migration during the third stage,and the occurrence of the mainshock was related to stress triggering from a M5.3 foreshock.We tentatively speculate that the rupture pattern of the Yangbi earthquake sequence conforms to the cascading-rupture model;and(2)the main fault of the M_(S)6.4 Yangbi earthquake sequence is a NW-trending right-lateral strike-slip fault.As time progressed,a minor conjugate aftershock belt formed at the northwest end of this fault,and a dendritic branching structure emerged in the southern fault segment,showing a complex seismogenic fault structure.We suggested that the fault of the Yangbi earthquake sequence may be a young sub-fault of the Weixi-Weishan fault.

Quantum cascade superluminescent light emitters with high power and compact structure

Quantum cascade(QC)superluminescent light emitters(SLEs)have emerged as desirable broadband mid-infrared(MIR)light sources for growing number of applications in areas like medical imaging,gas sensing and national defense.However,it is challenging to obtain a practical high-power device due to the very low efficiency of spontaneous emission in the intersubband transitions in QC structures.Herein a design of^5μm SLEs is demonstrated with a two-phonon resonancebased QC active structure coupled with a compact combinatorial waveguide structure which comprises a short straight part adjacent to a tilted stripe and to a J-shaped waveguide.The as-fabricated SLEs achieve a high output power of 1.8 mW,exhibiting the potential to be integrated into array devices without taking up too much chip space.These results may facilitate the realization of SLE arrays to attain larger output power and pave the pathway towards the practical applications of broadband MIR light sources.

Coupled-ridge waveguide quantum cascade laser array lasing at λ~5μm

In this work,we demonstrated high-power quantum cascade laser(QCL)arrays lasing at λ~5μm by employing an optimized coupled-ridge waveguide(CRW)structure.Five-element QCL arrays were simulated and fabricated through a two-step etching method to extend the CRW structure to a mid-wave infrared regime.A lateral far-field with the main peak near a diffraction-limited intensity curve of about 10°was observed by properly designing a geometric shape of the ridges and interspaces.By introducing a buried 2nd-order distributed feedback(DFB)grating,substrate emission with a radiation power above 1 W at 25℃ is achieved.Single longitudinal mode operation is obtained by changing the temperature of the heatsink with a good linear wavelength tuning coefficient of -0.2 cm^(-1)/K.

Seismic analysis of the Xiluodu reservoir area and insights into the geometry of seismogenic faults

The Xiluodu(XLD)reservoir is the second largest reservoir in China and the largest in the Jinsha River basin.The occurrence of two M>5 earthquakes after reservoir impoundment has aroused great interest among seismologists and plant operators.We comprehensively analyzed the seismicity of the XLD reservoir area using precise earthquake relocation results and focal mechanism solutions and found that the seismicity of this area was weak before impoundment.Following impoundment,earthquake activity increased significantly.The occurrence of M≥3.5 earthquakes within five years of impoundment also appear to be closely related to rapid rises and falls in water level,though this correlation weakened after five years because earthquake activity was far from the reservoir area.Earthquakes in the XLD reservoir area are clustered;near the dam(Area A),small faults are intermittently distributed along the river,while Area B is composed of multiple NW-trending left-lateral strikeslip faults and a thrust fault and Area C is composed of a NW-trending left-lateral strike-slip main fault and a nearly EWtrending right-lateral strike-slip minor fault.The geometries of the deep and the shallow parts of the NW-trending fault differ.Under the action of the NW-trending background stress field,a series of NW-trending left-lateral strike-slip faults and NE-trending thrust faults in critical stress states were dislocated due to the stress caused by reservoir impoundment.The two largest earthquakes in the XLD reservoir area were tectonic earthquakes that were directly triggered by impoundment.

Single-Mode Fabry-Pérot Quantum Cascade Lasers at λ~10.5 μm

In this paper, we report a single-mode Fabry-Pérot long wave infrared quantum cascade lasers based on the double phonon resonance active region design. For room temperature CW operation, the wafer with 35 stages was processed into buried heterostructure lasers. For a 4 mm long and 13 μm wide laser with high-reflectivity (HR) coating on the rear facet, continuous wave output power of 43 mW at 288 K and 5 mW at 303 K is obtained with threshold current densities of 2.17 and 2.7 kA/cm2. The lasing wavelength is around 10.5 μm. Single mode emission was observed for this particular device over the whole investigated current and temperature range.

Mode-switchable dual-color infrared quantum cascade detector

In this paper,a patch-antenna-array enhanced quantum cascade detector with freely switchable operating modes among mid-wave,long-wave,and dual-color was proposed and discussed.The dual-color absorption occurs in a single active region through an optimized coupled miniband diagonal-transition subbands arrangement,and a successful separation of the operation regimes was realized by two nested antenna arrays with different patch sizes up to room temperature.At 77 K,the 5.7-μm channel achieved a peak responsivity of 34.6 mA/W and exhibited a detectivity of 2.0×10^(10)Jones,while the 10.0-μm channel achieved a peak responsivity of 87.5 mA/W,giving a detectivity of 5.0×10^(10)Jones.Under a polarization modulation of the incident light,the minimum cross talk of the mid-wave and the long-wave operating modes was 1:22.5 and 1:7.6,respectively.This demonstration opens a new prospect for multicolor infrared imaging chip integration technology.

Room-temperature continuous-wave InP-based 2.01 μm microcavity lasers in whispering-gallery modes with InGaAsSb quantum well

We demonstrated an electrically pumped InP-based microcavity laser operating in continuous-wave mode.The active region is designed with antimony surfactants to enhance the gain at 2 μm,and a selective electrical isolation scheme is used to secure continuous-wave operation for the microcavity laser at room temperature.The lasers were fabricated as a notched elliptical resonator,resulting in a highly unidirectional far-field profile with an in-plane beam divergence of less than 2°.Single-mode emission was obtained over the entire dynamic range,and the laser frequencies were tuned linearly with the pumping current.Overall,these directional lasers pave the way for portable and highly integrated on-chip sensing applications.

Room temperature continuous-wave operation of a dual-wavelength quantum cascade laser

We report on the design and fabrication of a dual-wavelength switchable quantum cascade laser(QCL)by optimizing thedesign of a homogeneous active region and combining superposed distributed feedback gratings.Coaxial,single-modeemissions at two different wavelengths were achieved only through adjusting the bias voltage.Room temperature continuous-wave operation with output powers of above 30 mW and 75 mW was realized for single-mode emission at 7.61μmand 7.06μm,respectively.The simplified fabrication process and easy wavelength control of our designed dual-wavelengthQCL make it very attractive for developing miniature multi-species gas sensing systems.

High-power distributed feedback lasers based on InP corrugated sidewalls atλ~2μm

We report a high-power single-mode InP-based 2μm distributed feedback(DFB)laser with a second-order buried grating and corrugated sidewalls.A second-order semiconductor grating is used for in-plane feedback and vertical out-coupling.The corrugated sidewalls are used to eliminate higher-order transverse modes.For the DFB laser with a 2 mm long cavity and 15μm wide ridge,the maximum continuous-wave edge-emitting and surface-emitting single-mode powers at 300 K are up to 81 and 42 m W,respectively.A single-lobed far-field radiation pattern with a low divergence angle of approximately 8.6°is achieved by a device with a ridge width of 15μm.The single-longitudinal-mode emission wavelength of the fabricated laser can be adjusted from2003.8 nm at 288 K to 2006.9 nm at 313 K without any mode hopping.Robust single-mode emission with a side-mode suppression ratio of 30 dB is achieved under all injection currents and temperature conditions.

Dual-mode distributed feedback quantum cascade laser based on stacked 3D monolithic integration for on-chip multi-channel gas sensing

To facilitate the development of on-chip integrated mid-infrared multi-channel gas sensing systems,we propose a high-power dual-mode(7.01 and 7.5μm)distributed feedback quantum cascade laser based on stacked 3D monolithic integration.Longitudinal mode control is achieved by preparing longitudinal nested bi-periodic compound one-dimensional Bragg gratings along the direction of the cavity length in the confinement layer.Additionally,transverse coherent coupling ridges perpendicular to the cavity length direction are fabricated in the upper waveguide layer to promote the fundamental transverse mode output when all ridges are in phase.Stable dual-wavelength simultaneous emission with a side-mode suppression ratio of more than 20 dB was achieved by holographic exposure and wet etching.The entire spectral tuning range covers nearly 100 nm through joint tuning of the injection current and heat-sink temperature.High peak power and beam quality are guaranteed by the parallel coherent integration of seven-element ridge arrays.The device operates in a fundamental supermode with a single-lobed far-field pattern,and its peak output power reaches 3.36 W in pulsed mode at 20℃.This dual-mode laser chip has the potential for in-situ on-chip simultaneous detection of CH4and C2H6gases in leak monitoring.

Sedimentary Characteristics and Paleoenvironment of Shale in the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation, North Guizhou Province, and Its Shale Gas Potential

The Paleozoic Wufeng-Longmaxi shale is one of the main horizons for shale gas exploration in Sichuan Basin. Outcrop, core and thin section observations, X-ray diffraction analysis, trace element geochemistry and other methods have been used to understand the sedimentary characteristics and identify hydrocarbon source rocks in suitable sedimentary paleoenvironments in the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale in northern Guizhou Province. The thickness of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation ranges from 20 to 200 m and it was mainly deposited on a deep-water shelf. The TOC content is high, up to 5.75%. The main non-organic minerals are detrital quartz and clay minerals, with a little plagioclase feldspar, potassium feldspar, calcite, dolomite and pyrite. There is also biogenic microcrystalline quartz. Six lithofacies have been identified： siliceous shale, clay shale, calcareous shale, silty shale, carbonaceous shale, and muddy siltstone. Using biological Ba, V/（V＋Ni）, TOC, V/Cr, B, Sr/Ba and other indicators, we estimate primary productivity, redox conditions and paleosalinity and show that the early stage of Wufeng-Longmaxi deposition occurred under strong anoxic conditions, high paleosalinity and yielded a high TOC content and an excellent potential shale gas source. The anoxic environment was destroyed at the late stages of Wufeng-Longmaxi deposition, the TOC content decreased, so that it is likely to be a high quality source rock. Organic pores acted as the key reservoir space in the shales, and the pores are mainly mesopose, with most pore diameters less than 20 nm. The siliceous shale has high TOC content and brittle mineral（quartz） content making it an important exploration target for shale oil and gas exploration.