Influence of the Miniband Width on the Relaxation Time of Superlattice Electrons Scattered by Impurity Ions

Based on the Boltzmann equation, the influence of the miniband width on the relaxation time of nondegenerate electrons scattered by impurity ions in the GaAs/Al _x Ga_1–x As superlattice with doped quantum wells is numerically analyzed. The wave function being the eigenfunction of the ground state of the lower miniband of the superlattice is used to calculate the scattering probability. The dispersion of the longitudinal and transverse relaxation times versus the longitudinal wave vector is investigated.     

The effect of exchange interaction on the energy spectrum of electrons in doped intentionally disordered superlattices

The electron density distribution is calculated for a doped superlattice with controlled vertical disorder caused by fluctuations of the layer thicknesses (quantum well widths) in the growth direction. At low temperatures, the exchange interaction leads to an increase in the scatter of quantum confinement levels and the formation of a soft gap in the electron density distribution over quantum wells of the superlattice.     

Anisotropic positive magnetoresistance of a nonplanar 2D electron gas in a parallel pagnetic field

Magnetotransport properties of a 2D electron gas in narrow GaAs quantum wells with AlAs/GaAs superlattice barriers were studied. It is shown that the anisotropic positive magnetoresistance observed in selectively doped semiconductor structures in a parallel magnetic field is caused by the spatial modulation of the 2D electron gas.     

Commensurate oscillations of the magnetoresistance of a two-dimensional electron gas in GaAs quantum wells with corrugated heteroboundaries

Oscillations of the magnetoresistance commensurate with the spatial modulation period of the growth surfaces were observed in selectively doped GaAs quantum wells with AlAs/GaAs superlattice barriers grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The experimental data obtained are explained by the lateral potential modulation of the two-dimensional electron gas in narrow GaAs quantum wells with corrugated heteroboundaries and agree with the two-dimensional distribution of the local capacitance in such structures.     

掺杂GaN/AlN超晶格第一性原理计算研究

第一性原理计算方法在解释实验现象和预测新材料结构及其性质上有着重要作用. 因此, 通过基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理的方法, 本文系统地研究了Mg和Si掺杂闪锌矿和纤锌矿两种晶体结构的GaN/AlN超晶格体系中的能量稳定性以及电学性质. 结果表明: 在势阱层(GaN 层)中, 掺杂原子在体系中的掺杂形成能不随掺杂位置的变化而发生变化, 在势垒层(AlN层)中也是类似的情况, 这表明对于掺杂原子来说, 替代势垒层(或势阱层)中的任意阳离子都是等同的; 然而, 相比势阱层和势垒层的掺杂形成能却有很大的不同, 并且势阱层的掺杂形成能远低于势垒层的掺杂形成能, 即掺杂元素(Mg_Ga, Mg_Al, Si_Ga和Si_Al)在势阱区域的形成能更低, 这表明杂质原子更易掺杂于结构的势阱层中. 此外, 闪锌矿更低的形成能表明: 闪锌矿结构的超晶格体系比纤锌矿结构的超晶格体系更易于实现掺杂; 其中, 闪锌矿结构中, 负的形成能表明: 当Mg原子掺入闪锌矿结构的势阱层中会自发引起缺陷. 由此, 制备以闪锌矿结构超晶格体系为基底的p型半导体超晶格比制备n型半导体超晶格需要的能量更低并且更为容易制备. 对于纤锌矿体系来说, 制备p型和n型半导体的难易程度基本相同. 电子态密度对掺杂体系的稳定性和电学性质进一步分析发现, 掺杂均使得体系的带隙减小, 掺杂前后仍然为第一类半导体. 综上所述, 本文内容为当前实验中关于纤锌矿结构难以实现p型掺杂问题提供了一种新的技术思路, 即可通过调控相结构实现其p型掺杂.     

Electron–hole superlattices in GaAs/Al x Ga1− x As multiple quantum wells

A GaAs/Al _x Ga_{1? x} As semiconductor structure is proposed, which is predicted to superconduct at T _c?≈?2?K. Formation of an alternating sequence of electron- and hole-populated quantum wells (an electron–hole superlattice) in a modulation-doped GaAs/Al _x Ga_{1? x} As superlattice is considered. This superlattice may be analogous to the layered electronic structure of high-T _c superconductors. In the structures of interest, the mean spacing between nearest electron (or hole) wells is the same as the mean distance between the electrons (or holes) in any given well. This geometrical relationship mimics a prominent property of optimally doped high-T _c superconductors. Band bending by built-in electric fields from ionized donors and acceptors induces electron and heavy-hole bound states in alternate GaAs quantum wells. A proposed superlattice structure meeting this criterion for superconductivity is studied by self-consistent numerical simulation.     

Magnetophonon resonance in a GaAs quantum well with AlAs/GaAs superlattice barriers at high filling factors

The magnetotransport of a high-mobility 2D electron gas in single GaAs quantum wells with AlAs/GaAs superlattice barriers is studied at high filling factors. For the selectively doped structures under study in the temperature range from 10 to 25 K, magnetoresistance oscillations periodic in the inverse magnetic field are observed with their frequency being proportional to the Fermi wave vector of the 2D electron gas. The experimental results are explained by the interaction of the 2D electron gas with leaky interface acoustic phonons.     

Interwell excitons in GaAs multiple quantum wells and superlattices

Il Nuovo Cimento D - The optical properties of multiple quantum wells in the transition from isolated wells to a superlattice are investigated theoretically and experimentally. For superlattices...     

Optic and acoustic plasmon modes of a semiconductor superlattice

The collective plasmon modes of s semiconductor superlattices consisting of alternating layers of electrons and holes or alternating layers of electrons with different densities are investigated. For wells widely separated in space, such that Bloch wavefunction overlap between wells is negligible, we find optical-like and acoustical-like plasmon modes propagating along the superlattice direction. Perpendicular to the superlattice direction, the acoustic mode (ω～q_″) recently observed by Olego and Pinczuk⁸ is found to be split into two acoustic branches.     

Staggered excitonic resonances of Stark-ladder transitions in an asymmetric double-well GaAs/AlAs superlattice

Excitonic effects on Stark-ladder transitions have been investigated experimentally and theoretically in a novel asymmetric double-well superlattice consisting of wide and narrow GaAs quantum wells separated by a constant AlAs barrier. In this superlattice strong electron resonance can occur under the applied electric field between the wide and narrow wells. It is found that due to existence of the two different heavy-hole localized states two types of excitonic resonances which are staggered in field are observed in the low-temperature photocurrent spectra. This field difference in the staggered exciton resonances is rigorously explained by variational calculations of the changes in the direct and indirect exciton binding energies with the field.     

剪切形变对硼氮掺杂碳纳米管超晶格电子结构和光学性能的影响

碳纳米管作为最先进的纳米材料之一, 在电子和光学器件领域有潜在的应用前景, 因此引起了广泛关注. 掺杂、变形及形成超晶格为调制纳米管电子、光学性质提供了有效途径. 为了理解相关机理, 利用第一性原理方法研究了不同剪切形变下扶手椅型硼氮交替环状掺杂碳纳米管超晶格的空间结构、电子结构和光学性质. 研究发现, 剪切形变会改变碳纳米管的几何结构, 当剪切形变大于12%后, 其几何结构有较大畸变. 结合能计算表明, 剪切形变改变了掺杂碳纳米管超晶格的稳定性, 剪切形变越大, 稳定性越低. 电荷布居分析表明, 硼氮掺杂碳纳米管超晶格中离子键和共价键共存. 能带和态密度分析发现硼氮交替环状掺杂使碳纳米管超晶格从金属转变为半导体. 随着剪切形变加剧, 纳米管超晶格能隙逐渐减小, 当剪切形变大于12%后, 碳纳米管又从半导体变为金属. 在光学性能中, 剪切形变的硼氮掺杂碳纳米管超晶格的光吸收系数及反射率峰值较未受剪切形变的均减小, 且均出现了红移.     

A new mechanism for negative differential conductivity in superlattices

Electrons in a superlattice at high fields are suitably described in terms of localized states related to the potential wells. Conduction is dominated by transitions between adjacent wells if the potential drop over a superlattice period exceeds the width of the lowest miniband. It is shown that the probability of these transitions, and consequently the current as well, decrease with increasing field. This effect originates from decreasing overlap between electron states of neighbouring wells, and it is found for the interaction with acoustic phonons and with impurities as well.     

Properties of excitons in a wide CdTe-based quantum well with irregular insertions of a fractional monolayer of ZnTe

The irregular short period CdTe/ZnTe superlattice structure is investigated by both stationary and time-resolved optical spectroscopy with and without an external magnetic field as a perturbation. This study is aimed to emphasize the properties of radiative excitonic recombination in a superlattice of this type in comparison with the excitons confined in a single QW structure. The decay time of the excitons is about 400 ps which is deduced from the time-resolved measurements. Theg-factors of electrons and holes are obtained by the spin quantum beat measurements combined with Zeeman measurements. The experimental results show that theg-factors of holes in the irregular short period CdTe/ZnTe superlattice become dramatically different in comparison with the single CdTe/CdMgTe quantum wells.     

Pseudospin splitting of the energy spectrum of planar polytype graphene-based superlattices

The energy spectrum of planar polytype graphene-based superlattices has been investigated. It is shown that their energy spectrum undergoes pseudospin splitting due to the asymmetry of quantum wells forming the superlattice potential profile.     

Intraminiband plasmons in a superlattice within a parabolic well

A well defined collective plasma resonance corresponding to electrons tunneling back and forth through superlattice barriers is observed in a series of modulation doped AlGaAs heterostructures containing a superlattice within a parabolic potential. Due to occupation of a large fraction of the miniband, the resonance frequency decreases strongly with increasing superlattice barrier thickness.     

Spin-orbit interactions in semiconductor superlattice

The purpose of this paper is to theoretically investigate the spin-orbit interactions of common semiconductor superlattices. Spin splitting and spin-orbit interaction coefficients are calculated based on interactions between the interface-related-Rashba effect and Dresselhaus effect. Semiconductor superlattice shows a series of specific characteristics in spin splitting as follows. The spin splitting of the superlattice structure is greater than that of a single quantum well, contributing to significant spin polarization, spin filtering, and convenient manipulation of spintronic devices. The spin splitting of some superlattice structures does not change with variation of the size of some constituent quantum wells, reducing the requirements for accuracy in the size of quantum wells. The total spin splitting of lower sub-levels of some superlattice can be designed to be zero, realizing a persistent spin helix effect and long spin relaxation time, however, the total spin splitting of higher sub-levels is still appreciable, contributing to desirable spin polarization. These results demonstrate that one superlattice structure can realize two functions, acting as a spin field effect transistor and a spin filter.     

Droop improvement in blue InGaN light-emitting diodes with GaN/InGaN superlattice barriers

GaN/InGaN superlattice barriers are used in InGaN-based light-emitting diodes （LEDs）. The electrostatic field in the quantum wells, electron hole wavefunction overlap, carrier concentration, spontaneous emission spectrum, light-current performance curve, and internal quantum efficiency are numerically investigated using the APSYS simulation software. It is found that the structure with GaN/InGaN superlattice barriers shows improved light output power, and lower current leakage and efficiency droop. According to our numerical simulation and analysis, these improvements in the electrical and optical characteristics are mainly attributed to the alleviation of the electrostatic field in the active region.     

Electron energy states and miniband parameters in a class of non-uniform quantum well and superlattice structures

A simple method to compute the carrier energy states, miniband parameters and dispersion characteristics for single and multiple quantum well and superlattice structures is presented. The method utilizes the continuity of the envelope function across the heterojunctions according to the boundary conditions that both the wavefunction ψ and the particle current density $\text{ψ′}\text{m}{}^{\mathrm{★}}$ be continuous at each interface. The nonuniform potential distribution encountered in doped or compositionally graded materials is approximated by piecewise constant potential functions. In addition to being conceptually simple, the method is readily adopted to fairly complex structures where other more sophisticated methods such as LCAO, reduced Hamiltonian and tight binding theories may become unfeasible or unmanageable. It is shown that for an arbitrary stepped potential variation, the eigenvalues (or the energy states) of quantum wells or a finite number of coupled quantum wells can be found by utilizing a transverse resonance method which is readily implemented on a digital computer for the computation of these eigenvalues. For the case of periodic superlattices, the miniband parameters and the dispersion characteristics are computed from a suitably defined transmission matrix associated with a unit cell of the superlattice which may itself consist of multiple layers. Typical results for the computed parameters for several wells and simple, biperiodic, binary and polytype superlattices consisting of various Al_xGa_1?xAs and In_xGa_1?xAs alloys are presented.     

单轴应力对量子阱红外探测器吸收波长的影响

以单轴应力作用下超晶格量子阱应变能带理论为基础,采用电子反射与干涉方法,研究了单轴应力对超晶格能带的影响,推导了单轴应力与超晶格导带子能级的定量关系。以GaAs-AlGaAs-GaAs为例,具体计算了导带中子能级对应力的依赖关系,进而给出了单轴应力对n型AlGaAs-GaAs量子阱红外探测器(QWIP)吸收波长的影响。计算结果表明,随着单轴压应力的增大,量子阱红外探测器的吸收波长表现出较明显的变化。当单轴压力增大到1.3GPa,量子阱红外探测器的吸收峰值移动了将近1.1μm,并且基本与应力呈线性关系。量子阱红外探测器吸收波长连续可调范围5.57～4.46μm。     

Intersubband plasmons of a semiconductor superlattice

Collective intersubband plasmon-like excitations are predicted to exist for a semiconductor superlattice. These modes arise because the single quantum well depolarization shifted intersubband excitation couples via the long-range Coulomb interaction with the corresponding excitations of the other quantum wells of the superlattice. The dispersion relation for these intersubband plasmons is obtained.