The Dept of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Sheffield, which incorporates the UK's National Centre for III-V technologies, has extensive facilities on III-V Epitaxy and fabrication technology funded by the principle UK funding agency EPSRC and contracted with the task of providing materials and device supply to a wide range of UK University groups. Within this framework, EPSRC strongly support EU-wide interactions and provide a costing platform for the use of equipment and some of the contract research costs associated with these projects.
Since it was established 25 years ago the group has established a long track record on III-V materials and a number of world firsts have been demonstrated. Present research themes led by the epitaxial growth of materials include QDs, gallium nitride, dilute nitrides, inter sub band devices (Quantum cascade laser (QCL), quantum well infrared photodiodes (QWIPS) and avalanche photodiodes (APDs). A considerable program of research has been undertaken since 1995 within the field of QD physics and device applications. Over more recent years the device element of this program has been directed towards QD lasers for low threshold, high speed and high power applications in telecommunications. Much of this expertise has been gained from the Sheffield involvement in the FP5 programme NANOMAT and continues to be collaboratively development in the FP6 NoE SANDie. Within this program, we have developed in collaboration QD lasers for 1300 nm operation which now serious rival alternative technologies. Examples of recent results include ultra low threshold current (~20A.cm-1), low temperature dependence (T0 values > 100C), direct modulation up to 2 GHz and reliable output over ~10,000 hours. These results are directly applicable to this new project, although we exploit them in entirely new applications which have the novel requirement for high bandwidth.