Investigations on the effect of InSb and InAsSb step-graded buffer layers in InAs0.5Sb0.5 epilayers grown on GaAs (0 0 1)

We report the structural and electrical properties of InAsSb epilayers grown on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates with mid-alloy composition of 0.5. InSb buffer layer and InAs_xSb_1−x step-graded (SG) buffer layer have been used to relax lattice mismatch between the epilayer and substrate. A decrease in the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the epilayer is observed with increasing the thickness of the InSb buffer layer. The surface morphology of the epilayer is found to change from 3D island growth to 2D growth and the electron mobility of the sample is increased from 5.2×10³ to 1.1×10⁴ cm²/V s by increasing the thickness of the SG layers. These results suggest that high crystalline quality and electron mobility of the InAs_0.5Sb_0.5 alloy can be achieved by the growth of thick SG InAsSb buffer layer accompanied with a thick InSb buffer layer. We have confirmed the improvement in the structural and electrical properties of the InAs_0.5Sb_0.5 epilayer by quantitative analysis of the epilayer having a 2.09 μm thick InSb buffer layer and 0.6 μm thickness of each SG layers.     

Growth and properties of (Pb0.90La0.10)TiO3 thick films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering with a PbO buffer layer

The (Pb_0.90La_0.10)TiO₃ [PLT] thick films (3.0 μm) with a PbO buffer layer were deposited on the Pt(1 1 1)/Ti/SiO₂/Si(1 0 0) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering method. The PLT thick films comprise five periodicities, the layer thicknesses of (Pb_0.90La_0.10)TiO₃ and PbO in one periodicity are fixed. The PbO buffer layer improves the phase purity and electrical properties of the PLT thick films. The microstructure and electrical properties of the PLT thick films with a PbO buffer layer were studied. The PLT thick films with a PbO buffer layer possess good electrical properties with the remnant polarization (P_r=2.40 μC cm⁻²), coercive field (E_c=18.2 kV cm⁻¹), dielectric constant (ε_r=139) and dielectric loss (tan δ=0.0206) at 1 kHz, and pyroelectric coefficient (9.20×10⁻⁹ C cm⁻² K⁻¹). The result shows the PLT thick film with a PbO buffer layer is a good candidate for pyroelectric detector.     

Growth of laser single-crystals Er:YVO4 by floating zone method

High optical quality Er³⁺:YVO₄ laser crystals have been grown by using the floating zone method (FZ). The spectroscopic properties and 3 μm lasing of Er³⁺:YVO₄ were investigated. It is found that the Er³⁺ concentration has a negative effect on the emission of the transition ⁴I_13/2→⁴I_15/2(1.55 μm ), and a positive effect on that of the ⁴I_11/2→⁴I_13/2 transition (2.68 μm). With direct upper-state pumping and a plane-concave cavity a self-terminating laser was achieved at the wavelength of 2.724 μm in the 30 at% Er³⁺ doped sample.     

Defect reduction in GaN epilayers and HFET structures grown on (0 0 0 1)sapphire by ammonia MBE

The quality of GaN epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy on substrates such as sapphire and silicon carbide has improved considerably over the past few years and in fact now produces AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices with characteristics among the best reported for any growth technique. However, only recently has the bulk defect density of MBE grown GaN achieved levels comparable to that obtained by MOVPE and with a comparable level of electrical performance. In this paper, we report the ammonia-MBE growth of GaN epilayers and HFET structures on (0 0 0 1)sapphire. The effect of growth temperature on the defect density of single GaN layers and the effect of an insulating carbon doped layer on the defect density of an overgrown channel layer in the HFET structures is reported. The quality of the epilayers has been studied using Hall effect and the defect density using TEM, SEM and wet etching. The growth of an insulating carbon-doped buffer layer followed by an undoped GaN channel layer results in a defect density in the channel layer of 2×10⁸ cm⁻². Mobilities close to 490 cm²/Vs at a carrier density of 8×10¹⁶ cm⁻³ for a 0.4 μm thick channel layer has been observed. Growth temperature is one of the most critical parameters for achieving this low defect density both in the bulk layers and the FET structures. Photo-chemical wet etching has been used to reveal the defect structure in these layers.     

Growth and spectral properties of Nd:LaVO4 crystal

This paper reports the growth and spectral properties of 3.5 at% Nd³⁺:LaVO₄ crystal with diameter of 20×15 mm² which has been grown by the Czochralski method. The spectral parameters were calculated based on Judd–Ofelt theory. The intensity parameters Ω_λ are: Ω₂=2.102×10⁻²⁰ cm², Ω₄=3.871×10⁻²⁰ cm², Ω₆=3.235×10⁻²⁰ cm². The radiative lifetime τ_r is 209 μs and calculated fluorescence branch ratios are: β₁(0.88μm)=45.2, β₂(1.06μm)=46.7, β₃(1.34μm)=8.1. The measured fluorescence lifetime τ_f is 137 μm and the quantum efficiency η is 65.6%. The absorption band at 808 nm wavelength has an FWHM of 20 nm. The absorption and emission cross sections are 3×10⁻²⁰ and 6.13×10⁻²⁰ cm², respectively.     

SiC epitaxial layer growth in a novel multi-wafer vapor-phase epitaxial (VPE) reactor

Experimental results are presented for SiC epitaxial layer growths employing a unique planetary SiC-VPE reactor. The high-throughput, multi-wafer (7×2″) reactor, was designed for atmospheric and reduced pressure operation at temperatures up to and exceeding 1600°C. Specular epitaxial layers have been grown in the reactor at growth rates ranging from 3–5 μm/h. The thickest layer grown to date is 42 μm thick. The layers exhibit minimum unintentional n-type doping of 1×10¹⁵ cm⁻³, and room temperature mobilities of 1000 cm²/V s. Intentional n-type doping from 5×10¹⁵ cm⁻³ to >1×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ has been achieved. Intrawafer layer thickness and doping uniformities (standard deviation/mean at 1×10¹⁶ cm⁻³) are typically 4 and 7%, respectively, on 35 mm diameter substrates. Moderately doped, 4×10¹⁷ cm⁻³, layers, exhibit 3% doping uniformity. Recently, 3% thickness and 10% doping uniformity (at 1×10¹⁶ cm⁻³) has been demonstrated on 50 mm substrates. Within a run, wafer-to-wafer thickness deviation averages 9%. Doping variation, initially ranging as much as a factor of two from the highest to the lowest doped wafer, has been reduced to 13% at 1×10¹⁶ cm⁻³, by reducing susceptor temperature nonuniformity and eliminating exposed susceptor graphite. Ongoing developments intended to further improve layer uniformity and run-to-run reproducibility, are also presented.     

Selectively embedded growth by chemical beam epitaxy for the fabrication of InGaAs/InP double-heterostructure lasers

In order to fabricate InGaAs/InP double-heterostructure (DH) lasers, a novel selectively embedded one-step growth by chemical beam epitaxy (CBE) was adopted. Before the selective CBE growth, 6–8 μm wide channels on an n-InP substrate were undercut by wet chemical etching through a 170 nm thick SiO₂ film mask. A 6 μm wide stripe-geometry DH laser structure with an active layer of 0.14 μm thickness was grown selectively with good planarity into the channels and operated by a pulse.     

Structure and optical properties of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots with In0.15Ga0.85As underlying layer

A high density of 1.02×10¹¹ cm⁻² of InAs islands with In_0.15Ga_0.85As underlying layer has been achieved on GaAs (1 0 0) substrate by solid source molecular beam epitaxy. Atomic force microscopy and PL spectra show the size evolution of InAs islands. A 1.3 μm photoluminescence (PL) from InAs islands with In_0.15Ga_0.85As underlying layer and InGaAs strain-reduced layer has been obtained. Our results provide important information for optimizing the epitaxial structures of 1.3 μm wavelength quantum dots devices.     

Growth of InP in chemical beam epitaxy with high purity tertiarybutylphosphine

InP layers were grown by chemical beam epitaxy (CBE) using high purity thermally precracked tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) and trimethylindium (TMI) as the source of the group III element. For optimized substrate temperature and V/III ratio, InP films of good electrical and optical quality have been obtained; the n-type background carrier concentration is (1–2) × 10¹⁵ cm^-3, with a Hall mobility at 77 K being μ₇₇ = 45,000 cm² V^-1 s^-1. Given the low value of the V/III ratio, and according to mass spectrosc measurements, the phosphorus species giving rise to epitaxy is expected to be the dimer P₂. The TBP consumption in CBE is very low when compared to organometallic vapour phase epitaxy (OMVPE), typicaly below 0.25 g/μm of InP layer.     

NdxLa2−xCaB10O19: Synthesis and characterization

Solid solutions of Nd_xLa_2−xcaB₁₀O₁₉ with different Na³⁺ concentration have been synthesized by substituting Nd ³⁺ for La³⁺ in La₂CaB₁₀O₁₉ Powder X-ray diffraction analysis shows that Nd³⁺ is easy to incorporate into the crystal. Single crystal nd_xLa_2−xCaB₁₀O₁₉ (NLCB) in centimeter size has been grown by Kyropoulos method. The crystal has strong absorption around 580nm and 805nm. The fluorescence spectra indicate that there is an energy transition at 1.06μm. And the SHG of NLCB is about the twice as that of KDP. These favorable features make NLCB a candidate for laser NLO multifunctional materials.     

Growth and spectroscopic properties of Er single doped and Er–Yb co-doped YAl3(BO3)4 crystals

Er³⁺-doped and Er³⁺–Yb³⁺ co-doped yttrium aluminum borate (YAB) single crystals have been grown by the top-seeded solution growth method using a new flux system, namely NaF–MoO₃–B₂O₃. The Er³⁺ concentrations were 1.3 mol% for both single doped and co-doped crystals and the Yb³⁺ concentration in the Er³⁺–Yb³⁺ co-doped crystal was 20.0 mol% in the raw materials. The distribution coefficients of Er³⁺ single doped and Er³⁺–Yb³⁺ co-doped crystals were measured. The polarized absorption and fluorescence spectra of Er³⁺–Yb³⁺ co-doped crystal were recorded and compared with those of Er³⁺ single doped crystal. The results demonstrate that Er³⁺–Yb³⁺ co-doped YAB crystal is a potential candidate for 1.55 μm laser materials.     

Surface modification of a TiO2 film electrode prepared by the sol-gel method and its effect on photoelectrochemical behavior

The surface of a TiO₂ film electrode, about 1 μm thick, prepared by the sol-gel method, was modified by being additionally coated with about 0.1 μm thick TiO₂---SiO₂, TiO₂---ZrO₂ or TiO₂---Al₂O₃ films. The effect of the additional coating on the photoelectrochemical properties of a TiO₂ film electrode was investigated in detail. On addition of the second additive to TiO₂, the flat band potential was shifted toward negative potential for SiO₂ and positive potential for ZrO₂ and Al₂O₃, which is attributed to the change in the point of zero zeta potential (pzzp), not in the electron affinity (EA). However, enhancement in photocurrent was not observed for all the cases.     

Formation and behavior of surface layers on electron emission glasses

The thermochemical reduction of thin surface layers on multicomponent lead-silicate glasses is fundamental to their use in electron multiplier and microchannel plate devices. These surface layers can exhibit a specific conductivity as high as 10⁻² (Ω cm)⁻¹ and secondary electron yields up to 3.5. However, due to the complex processing used in the fabrication of the devices, a basic understanding of the chemical and structural surface characteristics responsible for these properties has not been established. Moreover, the effects of prolonged electron bombardment upon the chemical characteristics of the surface have not been extensively investigated, nor related to any associated degradation of the electron emission properties.

In this study, the clean fracture surfaces of these glasses were investigated. The effects of hydrogen reduction, chemical etching, and prolonged electron bombardment were determined. Ion-scattering spectroscopy (ISS) was used for its monolayer sensitivity, especially to alkali species, while secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) provided depth profiles. The hydrogen profile created by the reduction could also be obtained with SIMS. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was employed selectively to examine changes in the oxidation state of the surface species.

It was found that the hydrogen reduction of these glasses creates a thin 20–50 nm silica-rich surface layer. The layer of reduced lead atoms is beneath this zone, and is visible to depths of the order 5 μm, but the hydrogen profiles which are found in these surfaces extend only 0.5 μm in depth. The electron bombardment of these surfaces leads to a decrease in concentration of alkali and lead in the surface monolayer, and to a change in the hydrogen profile. The cross-section for this bombardment-induced change in the surface composition correlates with the reported gain degradation in microchannel plate devices.     

宽周期掩膜法HVPE侧向外延自支撑GaN的研究

GaN膜在传统生长过程中主要通过异质外延获得,这往往会产生晶格失配和热失配,给GaN带来严重的位错和应力。目前降低位错最广泛的方法是使用侧向外延技术。在这项工作中,首先在蓝宝石基GaN衬底上沉积了一层SiO₂,并用光刻的方法将其制备成高掩膜宽度(窗口宽度20 μm/掩膜宽度280 μm)的宽周期掩膜,再通过氢化物气相外延(HVPE)侧向外延了厚度为325 μm的GaN厚膜,通过胶带可以将其进行剥离形成自支撑衬底。同时通过二维的Wulff结构图研究了GaN生长过程中晶面的变化趋势。宽周期掩膜法对于生长可剥离的低位错密度自支撑GaN有着重大意义。     

Extremely flat interfaces in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells with high Al content(0.7) grown on GaAs (411)A substrates by molecular beam epitaxy

Effectively atomically flat interfaces over a macroscopic area (200 μm diameter) have been achieved in GaAs/Al_0.7Ga_0.3As quantum wells (QWs) with well widths of 3.6-12 nm grown on (411)A GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for the first time. A single and very narrow photoluminescence peak (FWHM, full width at half maximum, is 6.1 meV) was observed at 717.4 nm for the QW with a well width of 3.6 nm at 4.2 K. The linewidth is comparable to that of growth-interrupted QWs grown on (100)-oriented GaAs substrates by MBE. A 1.5 μm thick Al_0.7Ga_0.3As layer with good surface morphology also could be grown on (411)A GaAs substrates in the entire growth temperature region of 580-700°C, while rough surfaces were observed in Al_0.7Ga_0.3As layers simultaneously grown on (100) GaAs substrates at 640-700°C. These results indicate that the surface of GaAs and Al_0.7Ga_0.3As grown on the (411)A GaAs substrates are extremely flat and stable on the (411)A plane.     

MoS2/SnS异质结太阳能电池的模拟研究

硫化亚锡(SnS)是一种Ⅳ-Ⅵ族层状化合物半导体材料,其禁带宽度与太阳能电池最佳带隙1.5 eV非常接近,并且在可见光范围内光的吸收系数很大(α>10⁴ cm^-1),因此SnS是一种很有应用前景的材料。本文利用太阳能电池模拟软件wxAMPS模拟了MoS₂/SnS异质结太阳能电池,主要研究SnS吸收层的厚度、掺杂浓度和缺陷态等因素对太阳能电池性能的影响。研究发现:SnS吸收层最佳厚度为2 μm,最佳掺杂浓度为1.0×10¹⁵ cm^-3;同时高斯缺陷态浓度超过1.0×10¹⁵ cm^-3时,电池各项性能参数随着浓度的增加而减小,而带尾缺陷态超过1.0×10¹⁹ cm^-3·eV^-1时,电池性能才开始下降;其中界面缺陷态对太阳能电池影响比较严重,界面缺陷态浓度超过1.0×10¹² cm^-2时,开路电压、短路电流、填充因子和转换效率迅速下降。另外,通过模拟获得的转换效率高达24.87%,开路电压为0.88 V,短路电流为33.4 mA/cm²。由此可知,MoS₂/SnS异质结太阳能电池是一种很有发展潜力的光伏器件结构。     

Migration of Cu ions in Cu2O---Al2O3---SiO2 glasses on heating in air

The behavior of copper ions in the Cu₂O·Al₂O₃·4SiO₂ (in moles) glass on heating in air at temperatures up to 500°C was studied. When the glass, in which about 90% of Cu was present as Cu⁺ ions, was heated in air above 300°C, a CuO layer was formed on the surface. The amount of CuO was increased with heating temperature and time, corresponding to the decrease in weight of the glass. Furthermore, the fraction of Cu²⁺ ions in the glass increased. These observations suggest that oxygens do not diffuse into the glass, but Cu⁺ ions migrate to the surface from the interior to balance the surplus positive charge produced by the oxidation of Cu⁺ to Cu²⁺ ions inside the glass. The following reaction scheme for the formation of the CuO layer was proposed; 2Cu⁺(interior) + ₂¹O₂(surface) → Cu²⁺(interior) + CuO(surface).     

Growth and spectral properties of Nd-doped Sr3Y(BO3)3 crystal

A new crystal of Nd³⁺:Sr₃Y(BO₃)₃ with dimension up to 25×35 mm² was grown by Czochralski method. Absorption and emission spectra of Nd³⁺: Sr₃Y(BO₃)₃ were investigated . The absorption band at 807 nm has a FWHM of 18 nm. The absorption and emission cross sections are 2.17×10⁻²⁰ cm² at 807 nm and 1.88×10⁻¹⁹ cm² at 1060 nm, respectively. The luminescence lifetime τ_f is 73 μs at room temperature     

Growth of heavily C-doped GaAs/AlGaAs MQW structures by MOVPE for 2–3 μm normal incidence photodetectors

The growth and intersubband optical properties of high quality heavily doped p-type GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well (MQW) structures are reported. The MQWs were fabricated by the atmospheric pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy process using liquid CCl₄ to dope the wells with C acceptors (N_a ≈ 2 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³). A constant growth temperature was maintained for the entire structure while different V/III ratios were used for the well and barrier regions. By this process it is possible to achieve both high C doping densities in the wells and to simultaneously obtain good quality AlGaAs barriers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements on heavily doped 10-period MQW structures reveal a new absorption peak at 2 μm with an effective normal incidence absorption coefficient of 4000 cm⁻¹. Photocurrent measurements on mesa-shaped diodes show a corresponding peak at 2.1 μm. The photodiodes exhibit a symmetrical current-voltage characteristic and a low dark current, which are indicative of a high quality MQW structure and a well-controlled C doping profile. The 2 μm absorption represents the shortest wavelength ever reported for any GaAs/AlGaAs or InGaAs/AlGaAs MQW structure and should be very useful for implementing multicolor infrared photodetectors.     

Luminescence characteristics of InAlP---InGaP heterostructures having native-oxide windows

Data are presented on the luminescence characteristics of InGaP/InAlP heterostructures with oxidized InAlP cladding layers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The structures are grown on GaAs substrates and consist of either a 20 nm thick In_0.5Ga_0.5P quantum well or a 0.75 μm InGaP layer sandwiched between two InAlP bulk barriers or between two 10-period In_0.5Al_0.5P/In_xGa_1−xP strain-modulated superlattice heterobarriers, where x varies from 0.5 to 0.45 and the period of the superlattice is 3 nm. The top InAlP cladding layer of the InAlP/InGaP heterostructures is oxidized for 2–5.5 h at 500°C in an ambient of H₂O vapor saturated in a N₂ carrier gas. Photoluminescence and time-resolved photoluminescence studies at room temperature show that, as a result of the oxidation of a portion of the top InAlP cladding layer, the photoluminescence emission intensity and lifetime from the InGaP QWs increase significantly.