Dr. Yang

Rui Q. Yang received the B.Sc. degree in physics from Zhejiang University in 1982, and the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in physics from Nanjing University in 1984 and 1987, respectively.

Dr. Yang is the inventor of interband cascade (IC) lasers with research activities ranging from condensed matter physics to semiconductor quantum devices such as tunneling diodes, mid-infrared lasers and detectors, photovoltaic devices for converting infrared light to electricity. Prior to joining the University of Oklahoma (OU) in 2007, he was a Principal Member of Engineering Staff and a Task Manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, where he led the development of advanced mid-infrared interband cascade lasers for applications in Earth sciences and planetary explorations. He received the Edward Stone Award in 2007 from JPL for outstanding research publication and the successful accelerated infusion of cutting-edge interband cascade semiconductor laser technology into flight mission readiness. The lasers that he invented and developed with his colleagues at JPL have been selected for NASA flight mission to Mars. He has authored/co-authored more than 110 refereed journal articles and two book chapters with 4 patents. In addition, he has over 200 conference contributions, invited seminars, and talks.

His group at OU is working on exploring quantum engineered semiconductor structures in sub-nanometer scale for realizing functional devices and sub-systems with support from NSF, DoD, and DoE.  In collaboration with researchers in other groups/institution, his group has demonstrated the world-first Plasmon-waveguide IC lasers at wavelengths near 6 and 7.5 microns, superlattice interband cascade photodetectors, and interband cascade photovoltaic devices for energy conversion.

Research Interests

•      Semiconductor quantum structures and devices
•      Applied and engineering physics
•      Mid-infrared lasers and detectors
•      Photovoltaic devices for energy conversion
•      Optoelectronics and applications

Selected Publications

• Y. Jiang, L. Li, Z. Tian, H. Ye, L. Zhao, R. Q. Yang, T. D. Mishima, M. B. Santos, M. B. Johnson, and K. Mansour “Electrically widely tunable interband cascade lasers”, J. Appl. Phys. 115, 113101 (2014).
•  H. Ye, H. Lotfi, L. Li, R. T. Hinkey, R. Q. Yang, L. Lei, J. C. Keay, M. B. Johnson, T.D. Mishima, and M. B. Santos, “Multistage interband cascade photovoltaic devices with a bandgap of ~0.23 eV operating above room temperature” Chinese Science Bulletin 59, 950-955 (2014).
• R. T. Hinkey, R. Q. Yang, “Theory of Multiple-Stage Interband Photovoltaic Devices and Ultimate Performance Limit Comparison of Multiple-Stage and Single-Stage Interband Infrared Detectors”, J. Appl. Phys. 114, 104506 (2013).
• H. Lotfi, R. T. Hinkey, L. Li, R. Q. Yang, J. F. Klem, and M. B. Johnson, “Narrow-Bandgap Photovoltaic Devices Operating at Room Temperature and Above with High Open-Circuit Voltage”, Appl. Phys. Lett, 102, 211103 (2013).
• R. T. Hinkey, Z. Tian, S.M. S. Rassel, R. Q. Yang, J. F. Klem, and M. B. Johnson, “Interband Cascade Photovoltaic Devices for Conversion of Mid-IR Radiation”, IEEE J. Photovoltaics, 3, 745 (2013).
•  L. Li, L. Zhao, Y. Jiang, R. Q. Yang, J. C. Keay, T. D. Mishima, M. B. Santos, and M. B. Johnson, “Single-waveguide dual-wavelength interband cascade lasers”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 171118 (2012).
• Z. Tian, Y. Jiang, L. Li, R. T. Hinkey, Z. Yin, R. Q. Yang, T. D. Mishima, M. B. Santos, and M. B. Johnson, “InAs-based interband cascade lasers near 5.3 µm”, IEEE J. Quantum Electron 48, 915 (2012).
• Z. Tian, R. T. Hinkey, R. Q. Yang, D. Lubyshev, Y. Qiu, J. M. Fastenau, W. K. Liu, M. B. Johnson, “Interband Cascade Infrared Photodetectors with enhanced electron barriers and p-type superlattice absorbers”, J. Appl. Phys. 111, 024510 (2012).
• Z. Tian, L. Li, Y. Hao, R. Q. Yang, T. D. Mishima, M. B. Santos, and M. B. Johnson, “InAs-based interband cascade lasers with emission wavelength at 10.4 µm”, Electronics Lett. 48, 113 (2012).
• R. T. Hinkey, Z. Tian, R. Q. Yang, T. D. Mishima, and M. B. Santos, “Reflectance spectrum of plasmon waveguide interband cascade lasers and observation of the Berreman effect”, J. Appl. Phys. 110, No. 4, 043113 (2011). 
• Z. Yin, Y. Jiang, Z. Tian, R. Q. Yang, T. D. Mishima, M. B. Santos, and M. B. Johnson, “Far-Field Patterns of Plasmon Waveguide Interband Cascade Lasers”, IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 47, 1414 (2011).
• R. Q. Yang, Z. Tian, Z. Cai, J. F. Klem, M. B. Johnson, and H. C. Liu, "Interband cascade infrared photodetectors with superlattice absorbers", J. Appl. Phys. 107, 054514 (2010).
• R. Q. Yang, Z. Tian, J. F. Klem, T. D. Mishima, M. B. Santos, and M. B. Johnson, "Interband cascade photovoltaic devices", Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 063504 (2010).
• Z. Tian, R. Q. Yang, T. D. Mishima, M. B. Santos, and M. B. Johnson, "Plasmon-Waveguide Interband Cascade Lasers Near 7.5 µm", Photonics Technol. Lett. 21, 1588 (2009).
• Z. Tain, R. Q. Yang, T. D. Mishima, M. B. Santos, R. T. Hinkey, M. E. Curtis, M. B. Johnson, "InAs-based interband cascade lasers near 6 µm", Electronics Letters, 45, 48 (2009).
• R. Q. Yang, C. J. Hill, K. Mansour, Y. Qiu, A. Soibel, R. Muller and P. Echternach, "Distributed feedback mid-infrared interband cascade lasers at thermoelectric cooler temperatures", IEEE J. Selected Topics of Quantum Electronics, 13, 1074 (2007).
• A. Soibel, K. Mansour, Y. Qiu, C. J. Hill, R. Q. Yang, "Optical gain, loss and transparency current in high performance mid-IR interband cascade lasers", J. Appl. Phys. 101, 093104 (2007).
• K. Mansour, Y. Qiu, C. J. Hill, A. Soibel, R. Q. Yang, "Mid-IR interband cascade lasers at thermoelectric cooler temperatures", Electronics Letters, 42, 1034 (2006).
• J.V. Li, R. Q. Yang, C. J. Hill, and S. L. Chuang, "Interband cascade detectors with room temperature photovoltaic operation", Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 101102 (2005).
• R. Q. Yang, C. J. Hill, B. Yang, "High-temperature and low-threshold mid-infrared interband casade lasers", Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 151109 (2005).
• C. J. Hill, and R. Q. Yang, "MBE Growth Optimization of Sb-Based Interband Cascade Lasers", J. Crystal Growth 278, 167 (2005).
• R. Q. Yang, C. J. Hill, B. Yang, C. M. Wong, R. Muller and P. Echternach, "Continuous-wave operation of distributed feedback interband casade lasers", Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 3699 (2004).
• R. Q. Yang, J. L. Bradshaw, J. D. Bruno, J. T. Pham, D. E. Wortman, "Mid-IR Type-II Interband Cascade Lasers", IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 38, No. 6, 559 (2002).
• R. Q. Yang, "Novel Concepts and Structures for Infrared Lasers", Chap. 2, in Long Wavelength Infrared Emitters Based on Quantum Wells and Superlattices, edited by M. Helm (Gordon & Breach Pub., Singapore, 2000).
• R. Q. Yang, "Mid-Infrared Interband Cascade Lasers Based on Type-II Heterostructures" Microelectronics Journal, 30, 1043 (1999).
• Rui Q. Yang, "Quantum real space transfer in semiconductor heterostructures" App. Phys. Lett. 73, 3265 (1998).
• Rui Q. Yang, "Optical intersubband transitions in conduction band quantum wells", Phys. Rev. B 52, 11958 (1995).
• R. Q. Yang, "Infrared laser based on intersubband transitions in quantum wells", Superlattices and Microstructures, 17, No.1, pp. 77-83 (1995).
• R. Q. Yang, J. M. Xu, and M. Sweeny, "Selection rules of intersubband transitions in conduction band quantum wells" Phys. Rev. B 50, pp. 7474-7482 (1994).

Office: DEH 530
Phone: (405) 325-7361
Fax: (405) 325-7066
Email: Dr. Yang
Web: Quantum Device Laboratory