不同气体氛围下硅量子点的结构及其发光机理

纳秒脉冲激光在氮气、氧气和空气等不同氛围中加工出的硅量子点都有光致荧光(PL)的发光增强效应,并且在700 nm波长附近观察到了受激辐射.在不同氛围下生成的样品有几乎相同的PL光谱分布,其原因是不同氛围下加工出的样品带隙中有相同的电子态分布.计算结果显示:当硅量子点表面被氮或氧钝化后,在带隙中能够形成几乎相同的局域电子态,这种局域电子态可以俘获来自导带的电子,从而形成亚稳态,这是PL发光增强乃至产生受激辐射的关键因素. 关键词： 硅量子点 PL光谱 发光增强 电子局域态     

PHOTOLUMINESCENCE STUDY OF InAs/GaAs SELF-ORGANIZED QUANTUM DOTS WITH BIMODAL SIZE DISTRIBUTION

We have investigated the temperature dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of self-organized InAs/GaAs quantum dots. A distinctive double-peak feature of the PL spectra from quantum dots has been observed, and a bimodal distribution of dot sizes has also been confirmed by scanning tunneling microscopy image for uncapped sample. The power-dependent PL study demonstrates that the distinctive PL emission peaks are associated with the ground-state emission of islands in different size branches. The temperature-dependent PL study shows that the PL quenching temperature for different dot families is different. Due to lacking of the couple between quantum dots, an unusual temperature dependence of the linewidth and peak energy of the dot ensemble photoluminescence has not been observed. In addition, we have tuned the emission wavelength of InAs QDs to 1.3 μm at room temperature.     

Quantum emission efficiency of nanocrystalline and amorphous Si quantum dots

The paper presents the comparison of emission efficiencies for crystalline Si quantum dots (QDs) and amorphous Si nanoclusters (QDs) embedded in hydrogenated amorphous (a-Si:H) films grown by the hot wire-CVD method (HW-CVD) at the variation of technological parameters. The correlations between the intensities of different PL bands and the volumes of Si nanocrystals (nc-Si:H) and/or an amorphous (a-Si:H) phase have been revealed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) methods. These correlations permit to discuss the PL mechanisms in a-Si:H films with embedded nc-Si QDs. The QD parameters of nc-Si:H and a-Si:H QDs have been estimated from PL results and have been compared (for nc-Si QDs) with the parameters obtained by the XRD method. Using PL and XRD results the relations between quantum emission efficiencies for crystalline (η_cr) and amorphous (η_am) QDs have been estimated and discussed for all studied QD samples. It is revealed that a-Si:H films prepared by HW-CVD with the variation of wire temperatures are characterized by better passivation of nonradiative recombination centers in comparison with the films prepared at the variation of substrate temperatures or oxygen flows.     

Abnormal Energy Dependence of Photoluminescence Decay Time in InGaN Epilayer

We employ photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL to study exciton localization effect in InGaN epilayers.By measuring the exciton decay time as a function of the monitored emission energy at different temperatures,we have found unusual behaviour of the energy dependence in the PL decay process. At low temperature, the measured PL decay time increases with the emission energy. It decreases with the emission energy at 200K, and remains nearly constant at the intermediate temperature of 12OK. We have studied the dot size effect on the radiative recombination time by calculating the temperature dependence of the exciton recombination lifetime in quantum dots, and have found that the observed behaviour can be well correlated to the exciton localization in quantum dots. This suggestion is further supported by steady state PL results.     

InN分凝的InGaN薄膜的光致发光与吸收谱

我们用低压MOCVD在蓝宝石衬底生长了InGaN/GaN外延层.用X射线衍射(XRD),光致发光谱(PL),光吸收谱等测量手段,研究了InGaN的辐射发光机制.In组分利用Vegard定理和XRD测量得到.我们发现随着In组分的增加,在光吸收谱上发现吸收边的红移和较宽的Urbach带尾;PL谱中低能端的发射渐渐成为主导,并且在PL激发谱中InGaN峰也变宽.我们认为压电效应改变了InGaN的能带结构,从而影响了光学吸收特性.而在InN量子点中的辐射复合则是InGaN层发光的起源.     

The temporal evolution of the structure and luminescence properties of CdSe semiconductor quantum dots grown at low temperatures

Mono-dispersed CdSe quantum dots have been prepared by water based route using 2-mercaptoethanol at low temperatures. The structures of the CdSe nanocrystals were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The XRD pattern showed that the prepared CdSe has a cubic phase with zinc blende structure. The temporal evolution of the absorption and photoluminescence spectra was used to follow the reaction process and to characterize the optical properties of the prepared CdSe quantum dots. The results exhibited clear exciton peaks in the absorption spectra. The influence of the temperature and/or time of reaction on the properties of the CdSe nanocrystals were investigated. It is found that the size of CdSe nanoparticles increases, as the reaction temperature and/or time are increased. The results showed that the Stokes shift between photoluminescence emission peak and absorption peaks is increased with the increase of the reaction temperature.     

Dependency of photoluminescence from SiO_2 thin films containing Si_(1-x)Ge_x quantum dots on Ge/Si doping ratio

SiO2 thin films containing Si1-xGex quantum dots （QDs） are prepared by ion implantation and annealing treatment. The photoluminescence （PL） and microstructural properties of thin films are investigated. The samples exhibit strong PL in the wavelength range of 400-470 nm and relatively weak PL peaks at 730 and 780 nm at room temperature. Blue shift is found for the 400-nm PL peak, and the intensity increases initially and then decreases with the increase of Ge-doping dose. We propose that the 400-470 nm PL band originates from multiple luminescence centers, and the 730- and 780-nm PL peaks are ascribed to the Si=O and GeO luminescence centers.     

Time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy of InAs quantum dots on InP with various InAlGaAs barrier thicknesses

The Optical characteristics of InAs quantum dots (QDs) embeded in InAlGaAs on InP have been investigated by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and time-resolved PL. Four different QD samples are grown by using molecular beam epitaxy, and all the QD samples have five-stacked InAs quantum dot layers with a different InAlGaAs barrier thickness. The PL yield from InAs QDs was increased with an increase in the thickness of the InAlGaAs barrier, and the emission peak positions of all InAs QD samples were measured around 1.5 μm at room temperature. The decay time of the carrier in InAs QDs is decreased abruptly in the QD sample with the 5 nm InAlGaAs barrier. This feature is explained by the tunneling and coupling effect in the vertical direction and probably defect generation.     

ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS量子点发光光谱特性的研究

ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS量子点是一种无毒,无重金属的“绿色”半导体纳米材料。在研究中,制备了三种尺寸的ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS核壳量子点,其直径分别为3.3,2.7,2.3 nm。通过测量不同尺寸的ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS量子点的光致发光光谱,其发射峰值波长随尺寸的减小而蓝移。其吸收峰值波长和发射峰值波长分别是510,611(3.3 nm),483,583(2.7 nm)以及447,545 nm(2.3 nm)。ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS量子点具有显著的尺寸依赖效应。ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS量子点的斯托克斯位移分别为398 meV(3.3 nm),436 meV(2.7 nm)以及498 meV(2.3 nm),这样大的斯托克斯位移证明,ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS量子点的发光机制与缺陷能级有关。同时,对直径为3.3 nm的ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS量子点进行了温度依赖的光致发光光谱的测量,当温度为15～90 ℃时,该量子点发射峰值波长随温度的升高而红移,发光强度随温度的升高而降低,说明ZnCuInS/ZnSe/ZnS量子点是以导带能级与缺陷能级之间跃迁为主的复合发光。     

Photoluminescence of InAs Self-Organized Quantum Dots Formation on InP Substrate by MOCVD

In this letter, we present results of photoluminescence (PL) emission from single-layer and multilayer InAs self-organized quantum dots (QDs), which were grown on (001) InP substrate. The room temperature PL peak of the single-layer QDs locates at 1608 nm, and full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the PL peak is 71 meV. The PL peak of the multilayer QDs locates at 1478 nm, PL intensity of which is stronger than that of single-layer QDs. The single-layer QD PL spectra also display excited state emission and state filling as the excitation intensity is increased. Low temperature PL spectra show a weak peak between the peaks of QDs and wetting layer (WL), which suggests the recombination between electrons in the WL and holes in the dots.     

Luminescence study of Si/Ge quantum dots

We present a photoluminescence (PL) study of Ge quantum dots embedded in Si. Two different types of recombination processes related to the Ge quantum dots are observed in temperature-dependent PL measurements. The Ge dot-related luminescence peak near 0.80 eV is ascribed to the spatially indirect recombination in the type-II band lineup, while a high-energy peak near 0.85 eV has its origin in the spatially direct recombination. A transition from the spatially indirect to the spatially direct recombination is observed as the temperature is increased. The PL dependence of the excitation power shows an upshift of the Ge quantum dot emission energy with increasing excitation power density. The blueshift is ascribed to band bending at the type-II Si/Ge interface at high carrier densities. Comparison is made with results derived from measurements on uncapped samples. For these uncapped samples, no energy shifts due to excitation power or temperatures are observed in contrast to the capped samples.     

Visualization of space charge field effect on excitons in a GaAs quantum dot by near-field optical wavefunction mapping

Near-field photoluminescence (PL) imaging spectroscopy was used to investigate multi-exciton and charged-exciton states confined in a single GaAs interface fluctuation quantum dot. We determined the origin of peaks in the PL spectra by employing a wavefunction mapping technique. We observed distortion of the exciton wavefunction due to the electric field produced by an excess electron at a nearby confined state. Near-field wavefunction mapping was demonstrated to be a powerful tool for visualizing the local environment, which affects the emission properties of quantum dots.     

Dependence of bimodal size distribution on temperature and optical properties of InAs quantum dots grown on vicinal GaAs （100） substrates by using MOCVD

Self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) are grown on vicinal GaAs (100) substrates by using metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD). An abnormal temperature dependence of bimodal size distribution of InAs quantum dots is found. As the temperature increases, the density of the small dots grows larger while the density of the large dots turns smaller, which is contrary to the evolution of QDs on exact GaAs (100) substrates. This trend is explained by taking into account the presence of multiatomic steps on the substrates. The optical properties of InAs QDs on vicinal GaAs(100) substrates are also studied by photoluminescence (PL) . It is found that dots on a vicinal substrate have a longer emission wavelength, a narrower PL line width and a much larger PL intensity.     

尺寸分布对量子点激发态发光性质的影响

采用有效质量近似方法研究了量子点的激发态光致发光峰的展宽问题. 对尺寸不均匀分布下量子点各能级发光峰与平均尺寸量子点发光峰的能量偏差进行了计算，定性地描述了尺寸分布对量子点基态和激发态发光峰展宽的影响. 研究表明，量子点的高度、直径以及体积等不均匀分布使量子点具有不同的垂直、平面方向的量子束缚. 这两种量子限制的相互作用决定了量子点激发态发光峰的宽度相对于基态发光峰的大小. 在各种不同性质的尺寸分布下，量子点激发态发光峰的展宽有可能大于、等于或小于基态发光峰的展宽. 关键词： 量子点 尺寸分布 激发态     

Surface effects on the photoluminescence of Si quantum dots

Si quantum dots (SiQDs) with sizes ranging from 5 to 20 nm were fabricated by vapor condensation. They showed red photoluminescence (PL) in vacuum with the peak located at around 750 nm. After the specimen was exposed to air, the PL intensity became higher, and continued to increase during the PL test with a cycling of vacuum-air-vacuum. In pure oxygen, the PL intensity exhibited an irreversible decrease, while in nitrogen a smaller amount of reversible increase of PL intensity was observed. Furthermore, the PL intensity exhibited a remarkable enhancement if the SiQDs were treated with water. With HF treatment, the PL peak position showed a blue-shift to 680 nm, and was recovered after subsequent exposure to air. Si–O–H complexes were suggested to be responsible for this red luminescence. The irreversible decrease of PL intensity due to oxygen adsorption was speculated to be caused by the modification of chemical bonds on the surface. In the case of nitrogen adsorption, the PL change was attributed to the surface charging during adsorption.     

Modification of the spontaneous emission of quantum dots near the surface of a three-dimensional colloidal photonic crystal

This paper demonstrates experimentally and numerically that a significant modification of spontaneous emission rate can be achieved near the surface of a three-dimensional photonic crystal.In experiments,semiconductor core-shell quantum dots are intentionally confined in a thin polymer film on which a three-dimensional colloidal photonic crystal is fabricated.The spontaneous emission rate of quantum dots is characterised by conventional and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements.The modification of the spontaneous emission rate,which is reflected in the change of spectral shape and PL lifetime,is clearly observed.While an obvious increase in the PL lifetime is found at most wavelengths in the band gap,a significant reduction in the PL lifetime by one order of magnitude is observed at the short-wavelength band edge.Numerical simulation reveals a periodic modulation of spontaneous emission rate with decreasing modulation strength when an emitter is moved away from the surface of the photonic crystal.It is supported by the fact that the modification of spontaneous emission rate is not pronounced for quantum dots distributed in a thick polymer film where both enhancement and suppression are present simultaneously.This finding provides a simple and effective way for improving the performance of light emitting devices.     

Size-dependent radiative emission of PbS quantum dots embedded in Nafion membrane

PbS quantum dots (QDs) have been incorporated in a Nafion membrane, where the QD sizes were adjusted by changing the reaction time due to the steady growing process. The radiative emissions of the samples were investigated by optical absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and time-resolved PL spectroscopy. Size-tunable emissions are shown by the PL spectrum in a range of 1.84–1.65 eV, and the emission mechanism was investigated based on a four-band envelope-function model. Possible energy transitions for the radiative emission are listed. The PL lifetime depending on the particle size is about one microsecond, and PL decay curves exhibit a trend of decreasing decay time with an increase of the PbS QD size.     

Strong white light emission from a processed porous silicon and its photoluminescence mechanism

We have prepared various porous silicon (PS) structures with different surface conditions (any combination of oxidation, carbonization as well as thermal annealing) to increase the intensity of photoluminescence (PL) spectrum in the visible range. Strong white light (similar to day-light) emission was achieved by carrying out thermal annealing at 1100 °C after surface modification with 1-decene of anodic oxidized PS structures. Temperature-dependent PL measurements were first performed by gradually increasing the sample temperature from 10 to 300 K inside a cryostat. Then, we analyzed the measured spectrum of all prepared samples. After the analysis, we note that throughout entire measured spectrum, only two main peaks corresponding to blue and green-orange emission lines (which can be interpreted by quantum size effect and/or configuration coordinate model) were seem to be predominant for all temperature range. To further reveal and analysis these peaks, finally, measured data were inputted into the formula of activation energy of thermal excitation. We found that activation energies of blue and green-orange lines were approximately 49.3 and 44.6 meV, respectively.     

Anti-Reflection Characteristics of Si Nanowires for Enhanced Photoluminescence from CdTe/CdS Quantum Dots

CdTe/CdS quantum dots(QDs) are fabricated on Si nanowires(NWs) substrates with and without Au nanoparticles(NPs). The formation of Au NPs on Si NWs can be certified as shown in scanning electron microscopy images. The optical properties of samples are also investigated. It is interesting to find that the photoluminescence(PL) intensity of Cd Te/Cd S QD films on Si nanowire substrates with Au NPs is significantly increased,which can reach 8-fold higher than that of samples on planar Si without Au NPs. The results of finite-difference time-domain simulation indicate that Au NPs induce stronger localization of electric field and then boost the PL intensity of QDs nearby. Furthermore, the time-resolved luminescence decay curve shows the PL lifetime, which is about 5.5 ns at the emission peaks of QD films on planar, increasing from 1.8 ns of QD films on Si NWs to4.7 ns after introducing Au NPs into Si NWs.     

Optical properties of 1.3 μm room temperature emitting InAs quantum dots covered by In0.4Ga0.6As/GaAs hetero-capping layer

Room temperature 1.3 μm emitting InAs quantum dots (QDs) covered by an In_0.4Ga_0.6As/GaAs strain reducing layer (SRL) have been fabricated by solid source molecular beam epitaxy (SSMBE) using the Stranski–Krastanov growth mode. The sample used has been investigated by temperature and excitation power dependent photoluminescence (PL), photoluminescence excitation (PLE), and time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) experiments. Three emission peaks are apparent in the low temperature PL spectrum. We have found, through PLE measurement, a single quantum dot ground state and the corresponding first excited state with relatively large energy spacing. This attribute has been confirmed by TRPL measurements which allow comparison of the dynamics of the ground state with that of the excited states. Optical transitions related to the InGaAs quantum well have been also identified. Over the whole temperature range, the PL intensity is found to exhibit an anomalous increase with increasing temperatures up to 100 K and then followed by a drop by three orders of magnitude. Carrier’s activation energy out of the quantum dots is found to be close to the energy difference between each two subsequent transition energies. PACS 68.65.Ac; 68.65.Hb; 78.67.Hc