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Modelling a Quantum Cascade Laser via Copper Heat Sink and GaAs

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Apologies for the long post. The model is attached in the attachments.

A simple drawing of what I am trying to model is shown in attachment (1).

I am trying to simulate a type of Quantum Cascade Laser, I'm looking at the effect the temperature has by running a 10V voltage pulse through a terminal at one of the GaAs-copper boundaries where the 10V is applied vs ground at the under-side of the heat-sink alongside a repetition frequency of 10kHz.

The variable in order to produce the 10V voltage pulse is setup as follows: V_appl = V0*rect1((mod(t,t_repeat)-t_on)/t_pulse), where V0 is 10V.

With:

V0 = 10V
t_on = 1us
t_pulse = 2us
f_repeat = 10kHz
t_repeat = 1/f_repeat

I created a heat flux at each other surface to allow the heat to escape (convective losses). I realise I need a solid mechanics constraint also, but which one should I use? I used a fixed constraint on one boundary of my system (randomly chosen). When I try to compute a stationary study with a fine mesh I receive the error: "Relative error is greater than relative tolerance", or a value such as the one attached in attachment (2).

The geometry was adapted in order to make the model compute to the geometry in attachment (3), however this geometry is not optimal. This time, the temperature rise was far too small, being ~0.04K compare to the ~50K value I expected.

I realise the boundary conditions must be wrong, and the geometry setup is not optimal. However, I can't figure out the correct geometry or boundary conditions to use for my system.

Thanks for your help,

Jonathan.


2 Replies Last Post Apr 15, 2015, 7:19 a.m. EDT
Rob Boswell COMSOL Employee

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Posted: 10 years ago Apr 13, 2015, 4:42 a.m. EDT
Hello Jonathan,

You can send this post into our support team who can give you advice and help you to get your model working correctly. Just log into your COMSOL Access account on our website: www.uk.comsol.com/access, and select the 'Submit New Case' button.

You will get response within 24 hours from one of our COMSOL specialists.

Rob

COMSOL UK
Hello Jonathan, You can send this post into our support team who can give you advice and help you to get your model working correctly. Just log into your COMSOL Access account on our website: http://www.uk.comsol.com/access, and select the 'Submit New Case' button. You will get response within 24 hours from one of our COMSOL specialists. Rob COMSOL UK

Mikael Noerregaard Nielsen

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Posted: 10 years ago Apr 15, 2015, 7:19 a.m. EDT
Dear Jonathan

I'm not very experienced in modeling electrical components but looking at your model, you have a 10V pulse for each 100 milli second correct?. Your convective coefficient suggests some liquid cooling or forced gas convection. Are the components cooled at each surface?
The fixed condition for structural also seems a bit odd to me but it does not really affect the model I presume. I think I would start off by ignoring the heat expansion and get the electrical heating working first. I've changed the convective coefficient from 400 to 4 and it does not change anything. Perhaps the multiphysics coupling is done incorrectly or maybe the solution isnt unique.

Best of luck
Dear Jonathan I'm not very experienced in modeling electrical components but looking at your model, you have a 10V pulse for each 100 milli second correct?. Your convective coefficient suggests some liquid cooling or forced gas convection. Are the components cooled at each surface? The fixed condition for structural also seems a bit odd to me but it does not really affect the model I presume. I think I would start off by ignoring the heat expansion and get the electrical heating working first. I've changed the convective coefficient from 400 to 4 and it does not change anything. Perhaps the multiphysics coupling is done incorrectly or maybe the solution isnt unique. Best of luck

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