Journal of vacuum science & technology, Jun 22, 2023
The growth of InN quantum dots (QDs) on c-plane sapphire by droplet epitaxy (DE) using radio freq... more The growth of InN quantum dots (QDs) on c-plane sapphire by droplet epitaxy (DE) using radio frequency plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy is reported here. The QD growth process from liquid In droplets to the InN QDs is described with a focus on the effect ambient nitrogen from an active RF-plasma source has on the formation of In droplets as a function of substrate temperatures. The variation in the shape and size of InN QDs is explained in terms of the In atom surface diffusion and the migration of droplets. Additionally, two nitridation procedures were used to investigate the crystallization of In droplets. The droplet formation was determined to follow well known principles of nucleation theory with ripening. The resulting activation energy for In surface diffusion on sapphire was found to be 0.62 ± 0.07 eV in ultra-high vacuum, ∼10−10 Torr, and 0.57 ± 0.08 eV in ambient N2, ∼10−5 Torr. The growth of InN QDs using the DE method has many advantages over the classical Stranski–Krastanov technique, including the ability to control a wide range of QD shapes, sizes, and densities.
The type-I to type-II band alignment transition in InAlAsAs/AlGaAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum do... more The type-I to type-II band alignment transition in InAlAsAs/AlGaAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) is investigated when the Al-composition in QDs and barrier are changed. In particular, the In0.46Al0.54As/Ga0.46Al0.54As/GaAs QDs show unique optical properties. The PL peak energy has a blue-shift of >40 meV when the laser intensity increases by four orders of magnitude, indicating a type-II band alignment of the QDs. The formation of the type-II band alignment is explained by that the quantum-confinement effect pulls up the minimum electron energy level in the QDs and the Γ→X transition in the Ga0.46Al0.54As barrier. The time-resolved PL (TRPL) spectrum of QDs at peak wavelength exhibits a double-component decay behavior, suggesting the possibility of type-I and type-II band alignment coexistence in this QD sample. The continuum state of the QDs is also investigated. Emission associated with the continuum states of the QDs is directly observed in PL spectra. The PL excitation (PLE) and TRPL spectra reveal an efficient carrier relaxation from the AlGaAs barrier into the InAlAs QD ground state via the continuum states. The carrier recombination in the continuum states can compete with that in the QDs due to the long recombination lifetime in the type-II QDs. This feature of continuum state emission can not be observed for normal InGaAs/GaAs QDs with the type-I band structure.
Optical properties of GaAs/Al x Ga1−x As quantum rings (QRs) grown on GaAs (1 0 0) by droplet epi... more Optical properties of GaAs/Al x Ga1−x As quantum rings (QRs) grown on GaAs (1 0 0) by droplet epitaxy have been investigated as a function of the Al-composition in the Al x Ga1−x As barrier. A transition from type-I to type-II band alignment is observed for the QRs via photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements. While x ≤ 0.45, the QR PL spectra show a blue-shift and an increasing intensity with increasing Al-composition, revealing the enhancement of quantum confinement in the QRs with type-I band alignment. While x ≥ 0.60, the characteristic large blue-shift with excitation intensity and the much longer lifetime indicate the realization of a type-II band alignment. Due to the height fluctuation of QR structures grown by droplet epitaxy mode, it is not the large blue-shift of emission energy, but the long lifetime that becomes the more important feature to identify the type-II band alignment.
Ionizing radiation has the potential to cause operational disruptions and destroy microelectronic... more Ionizing radiation has the potential to cause operational disruptions and destroy microelectronic devices. This paper introduces and demonstrates a method of hardening microelectronic devices for sustained use in applications where exposure to ionizing radiation exists. By incorporating quantum structures below active regions of devices, gettering of charges created by ionizing radiation becomes possible. The gettering of electrons and holes forces recombination of carriers, thus eliminating photocurrent surges and trap filling which would otherwise disrupt device operation. Experimental results discussed here show a reduction in photocurrent of over two orders of magnitude when utilizing energy band engineering to create quantum structures for charge gettering. In this work, a nitride-based high electron mobility two-dimensional electron gas demonstrates the method. However, the theory utilized pertains not only to nitride-based devices, but transfers to other materials as well.
Surface atomic arrangement and physical properties of aluminum ultrathin layers on c-Si(111)-7 × ... more Surface atomic arrangement and physical properties of aluminum ultrathin layers on c-Si(111)-7 × 7 and hydrogen-terminated c-Si(111)-1 × 1 surfaces deposited using molecular beam epitaxy were investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra were collected in two configurations (take-off angle of 0° and 45°) to precisely determine the surface species. Moreover, 3D atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the air-exposed samples were acquired to investigate the clustering formations in film structure. The deposition of the Al layers was monitored in situ using a reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) experiments to confirm the surface crystalline structure of the c-Si(111). The analysis of the RHEED patterns during the growth process suggests the settlement of aluminum atoms in Al(111)-1 × 1 clustered formations on both types of surfaces. The surface electrical conductivity in both configurations was tested against atmospheric oxidation. The results indicate differen...
The optical properties are investigated by spectroscopic characterizations for bilayer InGaAs/GaA... more The optical properties are investigated by spectroscopic characterizations for bilayer InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) structures consisting of a layer of surface quantum dots (SQDs) separated from a layer of buried quantum dots (BQDs) by different GaAs spacers with thicknesses of 7 nm, 10.5 nm and 70 nm. The coupling from the BQDs to SQDs leads to carrier transfer for the two samples with thin spacers, 7 nm and 10.5 nm, in which QD pairs are obtained while not for the 70 nm spacer sample. The carrier tunneling time is measured to be 0.145 ns and 0.275 ns from BQDs to SQD through the 7 nm and 10.5 nm spacers, respectively. A weak emission band can be observed at the wavelength of ∼ 960 nm, while the excitation intensity dependent PL and PLE spectra show that this is from the wetting layer (WL) of the SQDs. This WL is very important for carrier dynamics in bilayer structures of BQDs and SQDs, including for carrier generation, capture, relaxation, tunneling, and recombination. These resu...
A 2D-to-3D transition from nanostructured films to multifaceted InN nanocrystals for growth on Ga... more A 2D-to-3D transition from nanostructured films to multifaceted InN nanocrystals for growth on GaN(0001) is accompanied by a 30-fold enhancement of InN photoluminescence emission.
Photoluminescence properties of InAs/GaAs1−xSbx quantum dots (QDs) are investigated with respect ... more Photoluminescence properties of InAs/GaAs1−xSbx quantum dots (QDs) are investigated with respect to the Sb-composition of x = 0, 0.15, and 0.25. The QDs demonstrate a type-II band alignment for x = 0.15 and 0.25. In contrast, with well-defined InAs/GaAs QDs, the InAs/GaAs1−xSbx QDs exhibit overlapping spectral features with increasing laser excitation intensity, which are determined to be the result of different carrier recombination routes, including both type-I and type-II pathways. Our investigation indicates that the optical behavior and the carrier dynamics in these InAs/GaAs1−xSbx QDs are much more complicated than in the InAs/GaAs QD counterparts. It provides very useful information for understanding the band structure and carrier dynamics of type-II InAs/GaAs1−xSbx QDs.
We report on the effect of strain on the optical and structural properties of 5-, 10-, and 20-per... more We report on the effect of strain on the optical and structural properties of 5-, 10-, and 20-period GaN/AlN superlattices (SLs) deposited by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The deformation state in SLs has been studied by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction, and micro-Raman, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and photoluminescence spectroscopy. HRTEM images showed that the structural quality of the SL layers is significantly improved and the interfaces become very sharp on the atomic level with an increase of the SL periods. A combined analysis through XRD, Raman, and FTIR reflectance spectroscopy found that with increasing number of SL periods, the strain in the GaN quantum wells (QWs) increases and the AlN barrier is relaxed. Based on the dependence of the frequency shift of the E2High and E1TO Raman and IR modes on the deformation in the layers, the values of the biaxial stress coefficients as well as the phonon deformation potenti...
Journal of vacuum science & technology, Jun 22, 2023
The growth of InN quantum dots (QDs) on c-plane sapphire by droplet epitaxy (DE) using radio freq... more The growth of InN quantum dots (QDs) on c-plane sapphire by droplet epitaxy (DE) using radio frequency plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy is reported here. The QD growth process from liquid In droplets to the InN QDs is described with a focus on the effect ambient nitrogen from an active RF-plasma source has on the formation of In droplets as a function of substrate temperatures. The variation in the shape and size of InN QDs is explained in terms of the In atom surface diffusion and the migration of droplets. Additionally, two nitridation procedures were used to investigate the crystallization of In droplets. The droplet formation was determined to follow well known principles of nucleation theory with ripening. The resulting activation energy for In surface diffusion on sapphire was found to be 0.62 ± 0.07 eV in ultra-high vacuum, ∼10−10 Torr, and 0.57 ± 0.08 eV in ambient N2, ∼10−5 Torr. The growth of InN QDs using the DE method has many advantages over the classical Stranski–Krastanov technique, including the ability to control a wide range of QD shapes, sizes, and densities.
The type-I to type-II band alignment transition in InAlAsAs/AlGaAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum do... more The type-I to type-II band alignment transition in InAlAsAs/AlGaAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) is investigated when the Al-composition in QDs and barrier are changed. In particular, the In0.46Al0.54As/Ga0.46Al0.54As/GaAs QDs show unique optical properties. The PL peak energy has a blue-shift of >40 meV when the laser intensity increases by four orders of magnitude, indicating a type-II band alignment of the QDs. The formation of the type-II band alignment is explained by that the quantum-confinement effect pulls up the minimum electron energy level in the QDs and the Γ→X transition in the Ga0.46Al0.54As barrier. The time-resolved PL (TRPL) spectrum of QDs at peak wavelength exhibits a double-component decay behavior, suggesting the possibility of type-I and type-II band alignment coexistence in this QD sample. The continuum state of the QDs is also investigated. Emission associated with the continuum states of the QDs is directly observed in PL spectra. The PL excitation (PLE) and TRPL spectra reveal an efficient carrier relaxation from the AlGaAs barrier into the InAlAs QD ground state via the continuum states. The carrier recombination in the continuum states can compete with that in the QDs due to the long recombination lifetime in the type-II QDs. This feature of continuum state emission can not be observed for normal InGaAs/GaAs QDs with the type-I band structure.
Optical properties of GaAs/Al x Ga1−x As quantum rings (QRs) grown on GaAs (1 0 0) by droplet epi... more Optical properties of GaAs/Al x Ga1−x As quantum rings (QRs) grown on GaAs (1 0 0) by droplet epitaxy have been investigated as a function of the Al-composition in the Al x Ga1−x As barrier. A transition from type-I to type-II band alignment is observed for the QRs via photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements. While x ≤ 0.45, the QR PL spectra show a blue-shift and an increasing intensity with increasing Al-composition, revealing the enhancement of quantum confinement in the QRs with type-I band alignment. While x ≥ 0.60, the characteristic large blue-shift with excitation intensity and the much longer lifetime indicate the realization of a type-II band alignment. Due to the height fluctuation of QR structures grown by droplet epitaxy mode, it is not the large blue-shift of emission energy, but the long lifetime that becomes the more important feature to identify the type-II band alignment.
Ionizing radiation has the potential to cause operational disruptions and destroy microelectronic... more Ionizing radiation has the potential to cause operational disruptions and destroy microelectronic devices. This paper introduces and demonstrates a method of hardening microelectronic devices for sustained use in applications where exposure to ionizing radiation exists. By incorporating quantum structures below active regions of devices, gettering of charges created by ionizing radiation becomes possible. The gettering of electrons and holes forces recombination of carriers, thus eliminating photocurrent surges and trap filling which would otherwise disrupt device operation. Experimental results discussed here show a reduction in photocurrent of over two orders of magnitude when utilizing energy band engineering to create quantum structures for charge gettering. In this work, a nitride-based high electron mobility two-dimensional electron gas demonstrates the method. However, the theory utilized pertains not only to nitride-based devices, but transfers to other materials as well.
Surface atomic arrangement and physical properties of aluminum ultrathin layers on c-Si(111)-7 × ... more Surface atomic arrangement and physical properties of aluminum ultrathin layers on c-Si(111)-7 × 7 and hydrogen-terminated c-Si(111)-1 × 1 surfaces deposited using molecular beam epitaxy were investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra were collected in two configurations (take-off angle of 0° and 45°) to precisely determine the surface species. Moreover, 3D atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the air-exposed samples were acquired to investigate the clustering formations in film structure. The deposition of the Al layers was monitored in situ using a reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) experiments to confirm the surface crystalline structure of the c-Si(111). The analysis of the RHEED patterns during the growth process suggests the settlement of aluminum atoms in Al(111)-1 × 1 clustered formations on both types of surfaces. The surface electrical conductivity in both configurations was tested against atmospheric oxidation. The results indicate differen...
The optical properties are investigated by spectroscopic characterizations for bilayer InGaAs/GaA... more The optical properties are investigated by spectroscopic characterizations for bilayer InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) structures consisting of a layer of surface quantum dots (SQDs) separated from a layer of buried quantum dots (BQDs) by different GaAs spacers with thicknesses of 7 nm, 10.5 nm and 70 nm. The coupling from the BQDs to SQDs leads to carrier transfer for the two samples with thin spacers, 7 nm and 10.5 nm, in which QD pairs are obtained while not for the 70 nm spacer sample. The carrier tunneling time is measured to be 0.145 ns and 0.275 ns from BQDs to SQD through the 7 nm and 10.5 nm spacers, respectively. A weak emission band can be observed at the wavelength of ∼ 960 nm, while the excitation intensity dependent PL and PLE spectra show that this is from the wetting layer (WL) of the SQDs. This WL is very important for carrier dynamics in bilayer structures of BQDs and SQDs, including for carrier generation, capture, relaxation, tunneling, and recombination. These resu...
A 2D-to-3D transition from nanostructured films to multifaceted InN nanocrystals for growth on Ga... more A 2D-to-3D transition from nanostructured films to multifaceted InN nanocrystals for growth on GaN(0001) is accompanied by a 30-fold enhancement of InN photoluminescence emission.
Photoluminescence properties of InAs/GaAs1−xSbx quantum dots (QDs) are investigated with respect ... more Photoluminescence properties of InAs/GaAs1−xSbx quantum dots (QDs) are investigated with respect to the Sb-composition of x = 0, 0.15, and 0.25. The QDs demonstrate a type-II band alignment for x = 0.15 and 0.25. In contrast, with well-defined InAs/GaAs QDs, the InAs/GaAs1−xSbx QDs exhibit overlapping spectral features with increasing laser excitation intensity, which are determined to be the result of different carrier recombination routes, including both type-I and type-II pathways. Our investigation indicates that the optical behavior and the carrier dynamics in these InAs/GaAs1−xSbx QDs are much more complicated than in the InAs/GaAs QD counterparts. It provides very useful information for understanding the band structure and carrier dynamics of type-II InAs/GaAs1−xSbx QDs.
We report on the effect of strain on the optical and structural properties of 5-, 10-, and 20-per... more We report on the effect of strain on the optical and structural properties of 5-, 10-, and 20-period GaN/AlN superlattices (SLs) deposited by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The deformation state in SLs has been studied by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction, and micro-Raman, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and photoluminescence spectroscopy. HRTEM images showed that the structural quality of the SL layers is significantly improved and the interfaces become very sharp on the atomic level with an increase of the SL periods. A combined analysis through XRD, Raman, and FTIR reflectance spectroscopy found that with increasing number of SL periods, the strain in the GaN quantum wells (QWs) increases and the AlN barrier is relaxed. Based on the dependence of the frequency shift of the E2High and E1TO Raman and IR modes on the deformation in the layers, the values of the biaxial stress coefficients as well as the phonon deformation potenti...
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