1) The document discusses nano film technology and quantum mechanics principles such as the Schrodinger wave equation.
2) It describes how quantum confinement effects occur when the motion of particles is restricted in one or more dimensions, as in quantum dots, wells, and wires. This changes the density of electron states.
3) The properties of quantum dots include discrete and tunable energy levels depending on their size, as well as excitonic emission in the ultraviolet region and defect emission in the visible region.
4) Quantum well devices are described that take advantage of two-dimensional electron confinement to reduce lasing threshold currents.
1) The document discusses nano film technology and quantum mechanics principles such as the Schrodinger wave equation.
2) It describes how quantum confinement effects occur when the motion of particles is restricted in one or more dimensions, as in quantum dots, wells, and wires. This changes the density of electron states.
3) The properties of quantum dots include discrete and tunable energy levels depending on their size, as well as excitonic emission in the ultraviolet region and defect emission in the visible region.
4) Quantum well devices are described that take advantage of two-dimensional electron confinement to reduce lasing threshold currents.
1) The document discusses nano film technology and quantum mechanics principles such as the Schrodinger wave equation.
2) It describes how quantum confinement effects occur when the motion of particles is restricted in one or more dimensions, as in quantum dots, wells, and wires. This changes the density of electron states.
3) The properties of quantum dots include discrete and tunable energy levels depending on their size, as well as excitonic emission in the ultraviolet region and defect emission in the visible region.
4) Quantum well devices are described that take advantage of two-dimensional electron confinement to reduce lasing threshold currents.
1) The document discusses nano film technology and quantum mechanics principles such as the Schrodinger wave equation.
2) It describes how quantum confinement effects occur when the motion of particles is restricted in one or more dimensions, as in quantum dots, wells, and wires. This changes the density of electron states.
3) The properties of quantum dots include discrete and tunable energy levels depending on their size, as well as excitonic emission in the ultraviolet region and defect emission in the visible region.
4) Quantum well devices are described that take advantage of two-dimensional electron confinement to reduce lasing threshold currents.
one understands quantum mechanics. Do not keep saying to yourself, if you can possibly avoid it, “But how can it be like that?” because you will get “down the drain” into a blind alley from which nobody has yet escaped. Nobody knows how it can be like that. - Richard Feynman Those who are not shocked when they first come across quantum mechanics cannot possibly have understood it. - Niels Bohr Richard Feynman (1918-1988) 6.1: The Schrödinger Wave Equation The Schrödinger wave equation in its time-dependent form for a particle of energy E moving in a potential V in one dimension is:
∂Ψ ( x , t ) h2 ∂ Ψ ( x , t ) ih ∂t where V = V ( x,t ) where i is the square root of -1.
The Schrodinger Equation is THE fundamental equation of
Quantum Mechanics. General Solution of the Schrödinger Wave Equation when V = 0 In free space (with V = 0), the general form of the wave function is
Ψ ( x , t ) = Ae i ( kx − ω t ) = A [cos( kx − ω t ) + i sin( kx − ω t )]
which also describes a wave moving in the x direction. In general
the amplitude may also be complex.
The wave function is also not restricted to being real. Notice that this function is complex.
Only the physically measurable quantities must be real. These
include the probability, momentum and energy. Electronic Structure of the Atom Principles of Quantum Mechanics p = h/l De Broglie relation p = the momentum of the particle ( m·v ) h = Plank’s constant (6.626 × 10-27 erg sec)
Ek = p2 / 2me kinetic energy of electron
Schrödinger Equation wave function
The permitted energies are
Energy Bands in Solids
No interactions Interatomic interaction Two heighest energy bands:
of the electron results in the formation valenced band wavefunction of electron energy band conduction band Energy Bands in Semiconductor C o v a le n t b o n d S i io n c o re (+ 4 e ) E lectro n en erg y , E
E +c c C onduction B and (C B ) E m pty of electrons at 0 K .
E c
B and gap = Eg
E v
V alence B and (V B ) F ull of electrons at 0 K .
(a ) (b )
(a) A simplified two dimensional view of a region of the Si crystal
showing covalent bonds. (b) The energy band diagram of electrons in the Si crystal at absolute zero of temperature. ☞ No allowed electron energies in the bandgap Eg = Ec – Ev
☞ the width of CB: electron affinity c
Quantum Wells, Wires, and Dots ► The dimensionality of a material can be reduced by sandwiching it between two layers of another material that has higher-energy electrons. ► This confinement changes the density of electron states, or specific energy levels, that will be filled by incoming electrons.
The word ‘quantum’ is used here since the changes in properties arise from the quantum-mechanical nature of physics in the ultrasmall domains. Quantum Dots – Basic properties
J . Ma t e r . C h em., 2 0 0 4 , 1 4 , 6 6 1 – 6 6 8 Quantum Dots - A tunable range of energies
Quantum confinement describes the increase in energy which occurs when the motion of a particle is restricted in one or more dimensions by a potential well. A quantum dot is a well that confines in all three dimensions such as a small sphere, a quantum wire confines in two dimensions, and a quantum well confines in one dimension. h2n2 En = 3D potential well 8mL2 Quantum dots' electron energy levels are discrete rather than continuous. So the addition or subtraction of just a few atoms to the quantum dot has the effect of altering the boundaries of the bandgap. Optical properties of ZnO nanostructures Luminescence is an optical phenomenon mostly found in cold bodies, in which the molecular absorption of a photon triggers the emission of another photon with a longer wavelength.
Generally ZnO nanocrystals show two line patterns viz. sharp excitonic emission in the Ultra Violet region and broad defect related emission in the visible region. Quantum confinement effect [ZnO]
S 4pr 2 1 = ¥ V 4 pr 3 r 3
Emission energy as well as intensity ratio of which depends upon the surface to volume ratio of the nancrystals. #Nano images of ZnO Band gap engineering of ZnO nanostructures by alloying with Mg and Cd
Wurtzite ZnO Rock salt MgO and CdO
S. G. P63mc S.G. Fm3m
Ionic radii = Ionic radii = 0.57 0.60 Å Å (Mg) and 0.72Å (Cd)
Undoped ZnO Mg doped ZnO Cd doped ZnO
Band gap engineering of ZnO nanostructures by alloying with Mg and Cd Quantum Well Devices E QW Dy d Bulk Ec E3 E ² Ec n = 2 E2 d n=1 E1 Eg2 D z AlGaAs AlGaAs z Eg1 y QW Bulk ² Ev x Ev g(E) GaAs Density of states
(a) (b) (c)
A quantum well (QW) device. (a) Schematic illustration of a quantum well (QW) structure in which a thin layer of GaAs is sandwiched between two wider bandgap semiconductors (AlGaAs). (b) The conduction electrons in the GaAs layer are confined (by ? Ec) in the x-direction to a small length d so that their energy is quantized. (c) The density of states of a two-dimensional QW. The density of states is constant at each quantized energy level.
?1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
☞ Two dimensional confinement of electrons in the conduction band and holes in the valance band. → Advantages : 1) the reduced threshold current for population inversion (0.1~1mA) 2) the very narrow range of emitted photon energies (E1 - E1’) : narrow wavelength Quantum Well Devices
Ec E Active layer Barrier layer E1 Ec E hu = E1 ? E¢1
E¢1 Ev Ev
A multiple quantum well (MQW) structure.
In single quantum well (SQW) lasers electrons are Electrons are injected by the forward current injected by the forward current into the thin GaAs into active layers which are quantum wells. layer which serves as the active layer. Population inversion between E1 and E ¢1 is reached even with a ?1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall) small forward current which results in stimulated emissions.
