Photoluminescence and electroreflectance studies of modulation-doped pseudomorphic AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells

In this study, we describe the correlations between the photoluminescence (PL) spectra and electrical properties of pseudomorphic modulation-doped AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells (MDQWs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy. In MDQWs, the presence of a large sheet carrier density contributes significantly to the PL linewidth. At low temperatures (4.2 K), free carrier induced broadening of the PL linewidth is influenced by the material quality of the structure. At higher temperatures (77 K), differences in the material quality do not affect the linewidth significantly, and under these conditions the PL linewidth is a good measure of the sheet carrier density. The ratio of the 77 K to 4.2 K PL linewidths provides useful information about the crystalline quality of the MDQW structures as illustrated by the correlation with 77 K Hall mobility data and a simple model. We present results of Electron Beam Electroreflectance (EBER) to characterize MDQWs and undoped quantum wells in the AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs material system. Several transitions have been observed and fitted to excitonic Lorentzian lineshapes, providing accurate estimates of transition energy and broadening parameter at temperatures of 96 K and 300 K.     

Science and prospects for non-stoichiometry in dielectrics

Si nanodots (NDs) were produced in a silicon-rich dielectric matrix by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. After rapid thermal annealing at 900°C, the Si NDs have a mean diameter of 3 nm and a sheet density of 10¹¹/cm², as determined by the transmission electron microscopy. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum is red-shifted after the annealing. The electroluminescence spectrum from Al/Si NDs embedded silicon nitride/ Si device structure was investigated. The spectrum was spread from 400 to 750 nm and is blue-shifted as compared to the PL spectrum. The device electrical characteristics, with as-deposited and annealed Si NDs embedded in the silicon nitride layer, were investigated at room temperature. The current transport was found to be strongly correlated to the Si NDs. The annealed Si NDs have lower energy states, which are consistent with the shift of the PL spectrum.     

Photoluminescence of erbium-doped aluminum oxide films with embedded silicon nanoparticles

Erbium-doped aluminum oxide films with embedded Si nanoparticles have been obtained by magnetron puttering of a composite (Al + Er₂O₃ + Si) target and subsequent electrochemical anodization at room temperature. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of these films are measured in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. Efficient PL is observed at a wavelength of 1.54 μm without preliminary annealing of the samples, which indicates the possibility of activating Er³⁺ ions without any high-temperature treatment. The aluminum oxide films with embedded Si nanoparticles were observed to show stronger PL at a wavelength of 1.54 μm than similar films without Si nanoparticles. This effect can be explained by additional pumping of Er-based luminescence centers and energy transfer from the Si nanoparticles.     

应力对ZnO/Si异质结构的光致发光的影响

研究了ZnO薄膜中应力对发光的影响.实验样品为ZnO体单晶、在Si基片上直接生长的ZnO薄膜以及通过SiC过渡层在Si基片上生长的ZnO薄膜.测量了这三种样品的X射线衍射图形、喇曼光谱和光致发光光谱.由X射线衍射图形可以看出,由于SiC过渡层缓解了ZnO与Si之间的晶格失配,使得通过SiC过渡层在Si上生长的ZnO薄膜的结晶质量好于直接在Si上生长的ZnO薄膜的质量.进一步通过喇曼谱测量发现,与ZnO体单晶相比,直接在Si上生长的ZnO薄膜的E2(high)峰红移1.9cm-1,根据喇曼谱峰位移与应力的关系可以推出薄膜中存在0.4GPa的张应力;而通过SiC过渡层在Si上生长的ZnO薄膜的E2(high)峰红移0.9cm-1,对应着0.2GPa的张应力.对照X射线衍射图形的结果可以看出,薄膜中张应力的大小与薄膜的结晶质量密切相关,表明张应力来源于外延层和基片间的晶格失配,晶格失配越大,外延层中产生的张应力越大.有无SiC过渡层的两种薄膜样品的PL光谱中都存在紫外和绿光两种谱带,随样品热处理时氧气分压增加,两种样品都出现绿光增强的相似的变化规律,但有SiC过渡层的样品的变化幅度较小.这一结果说明,绿色发光中心与薄膜的质量,也就是与薄膜中存在的张应力大小有关.在以往研究中得出的非故意掺杂ZnO薄膜的绿色发光中心来源于氧反位缺陷(Ozn),文中研究的结果正好可以解释氧反位缺陷形成的原因.由于薄膜中存在张应力,使得样品的能量升高,其结果必然会产生缺陷来释放张应力,以便降低系统能量.而氧离子半径大于锌离子半径,氧替位锌有利于释放张应力,也就是说,在存在张应力的情况下,Ozn的形成能降低.这一结果进一步证明Si上生长的ZnO薄膜中的绿色发光中心与氧反位缺陷有关.     

Effect of Lattice Mismatch on Luminescence of ZnO/Si Hetero-Structure

研究了ZnO薄膜中应力对发光的影响.实验样品为ZnO体单晶、在Si基片上直接生长的ZnO薄膜以及通过SiC过渡层在Si基片上生长的ZnO薄膜.测量了这三种样品的X射线衍射图形、喇曼光谱和光致发光光谱.由X射线衍射图形可以看出,由于SiC过渡层缓解了ZnO与Si之间的晶格失配,使得通过SiC过渡层在Si上生长的ZnO薄膜的结晶质量好于直接在Si上生长的ZnO薄膜的质量.进一步通过喇曼谱测量发现,与ZnO体单晶相比,直接在Si上生长的ZnO薄膜的E2(high)峰红移1.9cm-1,根据喇曼谱峰位移与应力的关系可以推出薄膜中存在0.4GPa的张应力;而通过SiC过渡层在Si上生长的ZnO薄膜的E2(high)峰红移0.9cm-1,对应着0.2GPa的张应力.对照X射线衍射图形的结果可以看出,薄膜中张应力的大小与薄膜的结晶质量密切相关,表明张应力来源于外延层和基片间的晶格失配,晶格失配越大,外延层中产生的张应力越大.有无SiC过渡层的两种薄膜样品的PL光谱中都存在紫外和绿光两种谱带,随样品热处理时氧气分压增加,两种样品都出现绿光增强的相似的变化规律,但有SiC过渡层的样品的变化幅度较小.这一结果说明,绿色发光中心与薄膜的质量,也就是与薄膜中存在的张应力大小有关.在以往研究中得出的非故意掺杂ZnO薄膜的绿色发光中心来源于氧反位缺陷(Ozn),文中研究的结果正好可以解释氧反位缺陷形成的原因.由于薄膜中存在张应力,使得样品的能量升高,其结果必然会产生缺陷来释放张应力,以便降低系统能量.而氧离子半径大于锌离子半径,氧替位锌有利于释放张应力,也就是说,在存在张应力的情况下,Ozn的形成能降低.这一结果进一步证明Si上生长的ZnO薄膜中的绿色发光中心与氧反位缺陷有关.     

Metallic conduction behavior in selenium-hyperdoped silicon

Hall measurements at 80–300 K are performed on crystalline silicon doped with selenium exceeding the equilibrium solid solubility limit using ion implantation combined with furnace annealing. The temperature dependence of free carrier density and sheet conductivity of the Se doping layer changes with implantation dose. Metallic conduction behavior is well observed in the sample doped with selenium to be 7.4×10²⁰/cm³. The overlapping between Se impurity states below Si conduction band might give a microscopic explanation.     

Photoluminescence of Hg<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Cd<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Te based heterostructures grown by molecular-beam epitaxy

Photoluminescence (PL) of Hg_{1 − x} Cd _x Te-based heterostructures grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) on GaAs and Si substrates has been studied. It is shown that a pronounced disruption of the long-range order in the crystal lattice is characteristic of structures of this kind. It is demonstrated that the observed disordering is mostly due to the nonequilibrium nature of MBE and can be partly eliminated by postgrowth thermal annealing. Low-temperature spectra of epitaxial layers and structures with wide potential wells are dominated by the recombination peak of an exciton localized in density-of-states tails; the energy of this peak is substantially lower than the energy gap. In quantum-well (QW) structures at low temperatures, the main PL peak is due to carrier recombination between QW levels and the energy of the emitted photon is strictly determined by the effective (with the QW levels taken into account) energy gap.     

Si衬底上MBE长成的GaAs中剩余应力起源的研究(英文)

<正> High qualities of GaAs layers directly grown on Si substrates have been obtained by MBE. The residual stress in those MBE grown GaAs layers on     

Effect of low-temperature annealing on photoluminescence of silicon nanocluster structures

Experimental data on the photoluminescence spectra of Si nanocluster structures obtained after high-temperature annealing (1150°C) of SiO _x films deposited onto Si and subsequent low-temperature annealing of the films at the temperature 450°C in different ambient are reported. It is shown that the photoluminescence intensity substantially increases after low-temperature annealing and the most-pronounced effect is observed after annealing in the oxygen-nitrogen mixture. In this case, the photoluminescence spectrum is shifted to longer wavelengths and shaped as a broad band with a peak around 800 nm. The processes responsible for the increase in the PL intensity on low-temperature annealing in the oxygen-nitrogen mixture are defined by reconstruction of the Si/SiO₂ interfaces and by energy levels formed at the interfaces and involved in recombination of nonequilibrium charge carriers. The quasichemical reactions that bring about the formation of such levels involve oxygen and nitrogen atoms, and the centers, at which the reactions are initiated, are unsaturated valence bonds at the interfaces between Si nanoclusters and the SiO₂ matrix.     

Co-Implantation and autocompensation in close contact rapid thermal annealing of Si-implanted GaAs:Cr

Close contact rapid thermal annealing of semi-insulating GaAs:Cr implanted with Si, Si + Al, and Si + P has been studied using variable temperature Hall effect measurements and low temperature (4.2K) photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Isochronal (10 sec) and isothermal (1000° C) anneals indicate that As is lost from the surface during close contact annealing at high anneal temperatures and long anneal times. Samples which were implanted with Si alone show maximum activation at an annealing temperature of 900° C, above which activation efficiency decreases. Low temperature Hall and PL measurements indicate that this reduced activation is due to increasing auto-compensation of Si donors by Si acceptors at higher anneal temperatures. However, co-implantation of column V elements can increase the activation of Si implants by reducing Si occupancy of As sites and increasing Si occupancy of Ga sites, and therebyoffset the effects of As loss from the surface. For samples implanted with Si + P, activation increases continuously up to a maximum at an anneal temperature of 1050° C, and both low temperature Hall and PL measurements indicate that autocompensation does not increase in this case as the anneal temperature increases. In contrast, samples implanted with Si + Al show very low activation and very high compensation at all anneal temperatures, as expected. The use of column V co-implants in conjunction with close contact RTA can produce excellent donor activation of Si implanted GaAs.     

Photoluminescence spectra of Si1-xGex/Si quantum well structures grown by three different techniques

Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Si_1-xGe_x/Si multiple quantum wells have been measured at 4.2 K for the samples grown by three different techniques; conventional molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), gas-source MBE, and ultra high vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHV-CVD). Only in the case of conventional MBE, strong emission bands appear about 80 meV below the band gap of Si_1-xGe_x. These strong emission bands disappear after the annealing at 800° C. From the dependence of the PL intensity on the excitation power, strong emission is considered to be due to some recombination center. On the other hand, in the case of gas-source MBE and UHV-CVD, the strong emission bands are undetectable, although the band-edge PL lines of Si_1-xGe_x are clearly observed. There is no significant change in the PL spectra after the annealing. The origin of the strong emission band is considered to be defects which are characteristic of conventional MBE.     

Photoluminescence analysis of InAIAs-InGaAs HFET Material with Varied Placement of Heavy δ-Doping

Low temperature photoluminescence (PL) has been used to characterize InAlAs/InGaAs/InP heterojunction field-effect transistor (HFET) structure material. A phenomenological lineshape model has been applied to the PL spectrum to derive energy levels and the position of the Fermi-energy and hence the channel carrier concentration. The data is compared with results from low-temperature Hall and Shubnikov-de Hans (SdH) measurements, and fit with a charge-control model of the conduction band. Values for the sheet density are derived from PL for channel-doped structures where SdH measurements are difficult. Changes in the quantum well symmetry through variations in the dopant distribution are shown to be reflected in the PL lineshape.     

Si/SiGe n-MODFETs on thin SiGe virtual substrates prepared by means of He implantation

Si/SiGe n-type modulation-doped field-effect transistors grown on a very thin strain-relieved Si/sub 0.69/Ge/sub 0.31/ buffer on top of a Si(100) substrate were fabricated and characterized. This novel type of virtual substrate has been created by means of a high dose He ion implantation localized beneath a 95-nm-thick pseudomorphic SiGe layer on Si followed by a strain relaxing annealing step at 850/spl deg/C. The layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Electron mobilities of 1415 cm/sup 2//Vs and 5270 cm/sup 2//Vs were measured at room temperature and 77 K, respectively, at a sheet carrier density of about 3/spl times/10/sup 12//cm/sup 2/. The fabricated transistors with Pt-Schottky gates showed good dc characteristics with a drain current of 330 mA/mm and a transconductance of 200 mS/mm. Cutoff frequencies of f/sub t/=49 GHz and f/sub max/=95 GHz at 100 nm gate length were obtained which are quite close to the figures of merit of a control sample grown on a conventional, thick Si/sub 0.7/Ge/sub 0.3/ buffer.     

Light emission from Si/SiO2 superlattices fabricated by RPECVD

Si/SiO₂ superlattices that exhibit intense luminescence properties were fabricated by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. (RPECVD) and subsequent rapid thermal annealing for silicon crystallization. The effects of charge carrier confinement like blue shifting of the PL spectra and intensity increase with decreasing Silicon quantum well thickness are observed in low temperature photoluminescence experiments. The Si/SiO₂ interface quality is calculated from capacitance voltage (CV) measurements on metal oxide semiconductor teststructures showing excellent layer and Si/SiO₂ interface properties. The Si crystallization process is investigated and analyzed by Raman and transmission electron microscopy. Decreasing the Si quantum well thickness to 2 nm leads to light emission at room temperature.     

Structural and Luminescent Properties of SiO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>N<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript>(Si) Nanocomposite Films

With a view to creating Si LEDs, the structural and luminescent properties of SiO _x N _y films containing Si nanocrystals in the SiO _x N _y matrix are studied experimentally. It is found that the film structure (nanocrystal size and concentration, the presence of an amorphous phase, etc.) and the spectrum and intensity of photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) are strongly dependent on the Si stoichiometric excess δ and annealing conditions. At δ≈ 10%, unannealed films are amorphous and contain Si clusters of size < 2 nm, as deduced from the TEM and microdiffraction data obtained. Annealing at 800–1000°C for 10–60 min produces Si crystals 3–5 nm in size with a concentration of ≈10¹⁸ cm^?3. The annealed films exhibit room-temperature PL and EL over the wavelength range 400–850 nm with intensity peaks located at 50–60 and 60–70 nm, respectively. The PL and EL spectra are found to be qualitatively similar. This suggests that both the PL and the EL should be associated with the formation of luminescent centers at nanocrystal–matrix interfaces and in boundary regions. However, the two phenomena should differ in the mechanism by which the centers are excited. With the EL, excitation should occur by impact processes due to carrier heating in high electric fields. It is found that as δ increases, so does the proportion of large amorphous Si clusters with a high density of dangling bonds. This enhances nonradiative recombination and suppresses luminescence.     

Effect of implantation and annealing conditions on the photoluminescence emission of Si nanocrystals ion beam synthesised in SiO2

In this article, we present a systematic study of the evolution of photoluminescence (PL) emission of Si nanocrystals with elaboration conditions. Si nanocrystals synthesised in SiO₂ by ion implantation and annealing at 1100°C show a wide (0.3 eV) and a very intense PL emission centred at 1.5–1.7 eV, linked to the presence of the nanocrystals. The intensity of this emission shows a typical behaviour with the annealing time, with a fast transitory increase to reach an asymptotical saturation. There is a linear increase of the PL intensity at saturation with the dose. Two regimes are clearly observed for the evolution of the PL energy position as a function of the annealing time for different peak supersaturations (s): (i) for s<5%, there is a decrease transient followed by a saturation state of the maximum peak energy, and (ii) for s5% the PL energy presents an increase transient followed by a saturation state.     

多孔硅衬底上ZnS薄膜的白光光致发光

通过脉冲激光沉积（PLD）技术在多孔硅（PS）衬底上制备了ZnS薄膜。用光致发光（PL）的方法观察到白光发射,这个白光是由ZnS薄膜的蓝、绿光和PS的红光叠加形成的。白光光致发光谱是一个从450nm 到700nm的较强的可见光宽谱带。同时研究了激发波长、ZnS薄膜的生长温度、PS的孔隙率和退火温度对ZnS/PS光致发光谱的影响。     

White light photoluminescence from ZnS films on porous Si substrates

ZnS films were deposited on porous Si (PS) substrates using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique.White light emission is observed in photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and the white light is the combination of blue and green emission from ZnS and red emission from PS. The white PL spectra are broad, intense in a visible band ranging from 450 to 700 nm. The effects of the excitation wavelength, growth temperature of ZnS films, PS porosity and annealing temperature on the PL spectra of ZnS/PS were also investigated.     

利用P-MBE在Si(111)衬底上生长氧化锌薄膜及其光学性质的研究

在Si(111)衬底上利用等离子体辅助分子束外延(P-MBE)生长氧化锌(ZnO)薄膜,研究了在不同衬底生长温度下(350～750℃)制备的ZnO薄膜的结构和光学性质．随着衬底温度的升高,样品的X射线及光致发光的半高宽度都是先变小后变大,衬底温度为550℃样品的结构及光学性质都比较好,这表明550℃为在Si(111)衬底上生长ZnO薄膜的最佳衬底温度;同时,我们还通过550℃样品的变温光致发光谱(81～300K)研究了ZnO薄膜室温紫外发光峰的来源,证明其来源于自由激子发射．     

Study of the effect of excess carrier lifetime depth profiles and depth dependent absorption coefficients on the emitted photoluminescence spectrum of chalcopyrite thin films

The emitted photoluminescence (PL) resulting from radiative recombination in semiconductors is strongly governed by excess carrier density, which is influenced by excess carrier lifetime, absorption coefficient and according boundary conditions at front and rear contact. We have numerically solved the diffusion equation for the excess carrier density with depth dependent lifetime profiles (originating from a depth dependent defect density) and depth dependent absorption coefficient (originating from a depth dependent band‐gap) using a residual control based boundary value problem solver. The emitted PL from the absorber has been calculated on the basis of the excess carrier density with a 1D‐matrix transfer formalism including propagation, multireflection at phase boundaries and reabsorption of PL‐photons. For different lifetime or absorption depth profiles we have characterized the influence on the excess carrier depth profile as well as on the resulting spectral PL yield. Finally the calculated PL spectra were compared to the quasi‐Fermi level splitting from the excess carriers to show the influence of both depth profiles on the shape of the photoluminescence spectrum. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.