We developed advanced techniques for the growth of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) for fabricating a broadband light source that can be applied to optical coherence tomography (OCT). Four QD ensembles and strain reducing layers (SRLs) were grown in selective areas on a wafer by the use of a 90° rotational metal mask. The SRL thickness was varied to achieve appropriate shifts in the peak wavelength of the QD emission spectrum of up to 120 nm. The four-color QD ensembles were expected to have a broad bandwidth of more than 160 nm due to the combination of excited state emissions when introduced in a current-induced broadband light source such as a superluminescent diode (SLD). Furthermore, a desired shape of the SLD spectrum can be obtained by controlling the injection current applied to each QD ensemble. The broadband and spectrum shape controlled light source is promising for high-resolution and low-noise OCT systems.

This paper reviews our recent activities on nanophotonics based on a photonic crystal (PC)/quantum dot (QD)-combined structure for an all-optical device and a metal/semiconductor composite structure using surface plasmon (SP) and negative refractive index material (NIM). The former structure contributes to an ultrafast signal processing component by virtue of new PC design and QD selective-area-growth technologies, while the latter provides a new RGB color filter with a high precision and optical beam-steering device with a wide steering angle.

We developed an electrically driven near-infrared broadband light source based on self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs). By combining emissions from four InAs QD ensembles with controlled emission center wavelengths, electro-luminescence (EL) with a Gaussian-like spectral shape and approximately 85-nm bandwidth was obtained. The peak wavelength of the EL was blue-shifted from approximately 1230 to 1200 nm with increased injection current density (J). This was due to the state-filling effect: sequential filling of the discrete QD electron/hole states by supplied carriers from lower (ground state; GS) to higher (excited state; ES) energy states. The EL intensities of the ES and GS emissions exhibited different J dependence, also because of the state-filling effect. The point-spread function (PSF) deduced from the Fourier-transformed EL spectrum exhibited a peak without apparent side lobes. The half width at half maximum of the PSF was 6.5 µm, which corresponds to the estimated axial resolution of the optical coherence tomography (OCT) image obtained with this light source. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the QD-based device for realizing noise-reduced high-resolution OCT.