GaAs量子阱太阳能电池量子效率的研究

将量子阱结构引入到单结GaAs太阳能电池中能够有效扩展吸收光谱.为了研究量子阱结构在GaAs太阳能电池中的作用机理,本文采用实验和理论的方法研究了InGaAs/GaAsP量子阱结构对电池量子效率的影响.实验结果表明,量子阱结构的窄带隙阱层材料将电池的吸收光谱从890 nm扩展到1000 nm.同时,量子阱结构的引入提高了680—890 nm波长范围内的量子效率,降低了波长在680 nm以下的量子效率.通过计算得到的量子阱结构和GaAs材料的光吸收系数,可以用来解释量子阱结构对太阳能电池量子效率的影响.     

Extremely narrow plasmon resonances based on diffraction coupling of localized plasmons in arrays of metallic nanoparticles

We experimentally demonstrate extremely narrow plasmon resonances with half-width of just several nanometers in regular arrays of metallic nanoparticles. These resonances are observed at Rayleigh's cutoff wavelengths for Wood anomalies and based on diffraction coupling of localized plasmons. We show experimentally that reflection from an array of nanoparticles can be completely suppressed at certain wavelengths. As a result, our metal nanostructures exhibit pi-jump for the phase of the reflected light.     

Photorefractive multiple quantum wells at 1064 nm

We have fabricated photorefractive InGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum wells that are sensitive at wavelengths near 1.06 mum for what is believed to be the first time. We have measured four-wave-mixing diffraction efficiency, using a Nd:YAG laser. A maximum diffraction efficiency of 7 x 10(-4) and a cutoff grating period of ~2 mum are obtained.     

Resonant photorefractive effect in InGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum wells

Semi-insulating InGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum wells are fabricated by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy and proton implantation. Two-wave mixing gain and four-wave mixing diffraction efficiency are measured at wavelengths of 0.91-0.94microm in the Franz-Keldysh geometry. We observe a large photorefractive effect caused by the excitonic electro-optic effect. The maximum diffraction efficiency reaches ~1.5x10(-4) .     

Electrostatic and optical resonances of arrays of cylinders

The solutions of the electrostatic potential problem for the square and hexagonal arrays of circular cylinders with zero applied field (homogeneous or resonant solutions) are studied. We show that for non-touching cylinders, the set of resonances is discrete except in the neighbourhood of one point, at which the dielectric constant of the array has an essential singularity. For arrays of touching cylinders, the set is well represented by a continuous distribution. This representation enables the derivation of the asymptotic form of the expansion for the dielectric constant of the array when the dielectric constant of the cylinders is large. The known value of the first term in the expansion enables us to derive the second term. The physical characteristics of the resonant solutions are studied. Metals achieve values of dielectric constant which are close to the resonant values (real and negative) for certain wavelengths. Curves are given which enable the prediction of those wavelengths at which the optical resonances of both arrays occur, for any area fraction and composition of a columnar cerment film.     

Observation of high-order quantum resonances in the kicked rotor

Quantum resonances in the kicked rotor are characterized by a dramatically increased energy absorption rate, in stark contrast to the momentum localization generally observed. These resonances occur when the scaled Planck's constant Planck's [over ]=r/s 4pi, for any integers r and s. However, only the variant Planck's [over ]=r2pi resonances are easily observable. We have observed high-order quantum resonances (s>2) utilizing a sample of low energy, noncondensed atoms and a pulsed optical standing wave. Resonances are observed for variant Planck's [over ]=r/16 4pi for integers r=2-6. Quantum numerical simulations suggest that our observation of high-order resonances indicate a larger coherence length (i.e., coherence between different wells) than expected from an initially thermal atomic sample.     

Current effects on high magnetic field resonances in a dot array

In recent studies of disordered quantum dot arrays, it was found that a re-entrant metal–insulator transition occurs in these structures as the gate voltage is varied, even though there is no change in carrier density or disorder. Here, we study resonances that appear with the quantum Hall effect in these dot arrays. Several resonances are observed on the side of the plateaus, which may be due either to charging of isolated islands or to transmission resonances in the quantum point contacts. Heating of the carriers causes these peaks to decrease with an energy relaxation time comparable to that of the dots themselves.     

The role of sequential tunnelling in the dark current of quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs)

A quantum mechanical approach is taken to investigate the contribution of sequential tunnelling as a component of the dark current in quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs). Calculations are performed on three different experimentally reported QWIP devices made for different detection wavelengths. The results show that the sequential tunnelling component remains rather constant with different devices, however it is swamped by the thermionic emission components of the dark current at longer wavelengths. The lack of a local maximum in the dark current due to resonant LO phonon emission, which should be observed at short wavelengths, suggests that interface roughness and alloy disorder could be destroying the coherence of the electron wavefunctions between quantum wells.     

Design and application of a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator for time-resolved spectroscopy of semiconductor heterostructures

Femtosecond pulses of a collinearly pumped Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) are applied for investigations of the carrier dynamics in ternary and quaternary semiconductor quantum wells. The design and the specifications of the OPO are given in detail. We show that no measurable jitter exists between the pump pulses and the output pulses of the OPO. Therefore, it is possible to use the OPO and its pump laser for two-color experiments with a time resolution limited by the pulse lengths. We present and discuss results of transient four-wave mixing experiments on (InGa) As/InP quantum wells, and find a new kind of polarization-dependent quantum beat phenomenon. In addition, non-degenerate experiments on quantum wells from the quaternary (InGaAl) As material system, using two pulses at different wavelengths (one from the OPO and one from the pump laser), are discussed as a novel experimental technique to study carrier trapping into quantum wells.     

Effect of heteroboundary spreading on the properties of exciton states in Zn(Cd)Se/ZnMgSSe quantum wells

Exciton states in Zn(Cd)Se/ZnMgSSe quantum wells with different diffusion spreading of interfaces are studied by optical spectroscopy methods. It is shown that the emission spectrum of quantum wells at low temperatures is determined by free excitons and bound excitons on neutral donors. The nonlinear dependence of the stationary photoluminescence intensity on the excitation power density and the biexponential luminescence decay are explained by the neutralization of charged defects upon photoexcitation of heterostructures. With the stationary illumination on, durable (about 40 min) reversible changes in the reflection coefficient near the exciton resonances of quantum wells are observed. It is shown that, along with the shift of exciton levels, the spreading of heteroboundaries leads to three effects: an increase in the excitonphonon interaction, an increase in the energy shift between the emission lines of free and bound excitons, and a decrease in the decay time of exciton luminescence in a broad temperature range. The main reasons for these effects are discussed.     

Exciton polaritons and their one-dimensional localization in disordered quantum-well structures

A theory of the Anderson localization of light in randomly arranged ultrathin layers (quantum wells) uniform in lateral dimensions and possessing intrinsic optical resonances is put forward. To solve the multiple-scattering problem, a model of layers with a δ-function resonance dielectric polarization is proposed. The model is an electromagnetic counterpart of the electronic model of zero-radius potentials. Interlayer disorder is included under the assumption of a low average concentration of identical layers in order to calculate analytically the one-and two-photon characteristics of electromagnetic-radiation transport, in particular, the average energy density and the Anderson localization length of light. The analysis is carried out for a structure with randomly distributed quantum wells in which quasi-two-dimensional excitons of different quantum wells are in resonance while their wave functions do not overlap. It is shown that the average electromagnetic field propagates through this disordered structure in the form of polaritons but are produced in exciton reemission between quantum wells. The localization length of light in the polariton spectral region decreases substantially, because the scattering (reflection) of light by individual quantum wells grows near the excitonic resonance.     

Suppression of nonradiative recombination by V-shaped pits in GaInN/GaN quantum wells produces a large increase in the light emission efficiency

Despite the high density of threading dislocations generally found in (AlGaIn)N heterostructures, the light emission efficiency of such structures is exceptionally high. It has become common to attribute the high efficiency to compositional fluctuations or even phase separation in the active GaInN quantum well region. The resulting localization of charge carriers is thought to keep them from recombining nonradiatively at the defects. Here, we show that random disorder is not the key but that under suitable growth conditions hexagonal V-shaped pits decorating the defects exhibit narrow sidewall quantum wells with an effective band gap significantly larger than that of the regular c-plane quantum wells. Thereby nature provides a unique, hitherto unrecognized mechanism generating a potential landscape which effectively screens the defects themselves by providing an energy barrier around every defect.     

Fabrication and optical properties of quantum dots and wires

We describe photoluminescence measurements made on mesa geometry quantum dots and wires with exposed side walls fabricated by laterally patterning undoped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells using electron beam lithography and dry etching. At low temperature the photoluminescence efficiency of many but not all of the GaAs quantum dot arrays scales with the volume of quantum well material down to lateral dimensions of 50nm. This behaviour contrasts with that found in wires produced at the same time where the intensity falls off rapidly with decreasing wire width for dimensions below 500nm but is recovered by overgrowth with indium tin oxide, possibly as a result of strain. Narrow overgrown wires exhibit anisotropy in polarized excitation spectra which is discussed in relation to strain and lateral confinement effects.     

Ensembles of plasmonic nanospheres at optical frequencies and a problem of negative index behavior

Arrays of metallic nanoparticles support individual and collective plasmonic excitations that contribute to unusual phenomena like surface-enhanced Raman scattering, anomalous transparency, negative index, and subwavelength resolution in various metamaterials. We examined the electromagnetic response of dual Kron’s lattice and films containing up to three monolayers of metallic nanospheres. It appears that open cubic Kron’s lattice exhibits ‘soft’ electromagnetic response but no negative index behavior. The close-packed arrays behave similarly: there are plasmon resonances and very high transmission at certain wavelengths that are much larger than the separation between the particles, and a ‘soft’ magnetic response, with small but positive effective index of refraction. It would be interesting to check these predictions experimentally. PACS 78.20.Ci; 42.30.Wb; 73.20.Mf; 42.25.Bs     

离子注入诱导的具有两个不同发射波长的混合双量子阱结构

叙述了磷离子注入方法诱导具有不同发射波长的InGaAsP双量子阱结构的混合,并通过光致发光谱和断面透射电子显微术对量子阱混合的程度进行了研究。在特定条件下快速热退火处理后,光致发光谱显示,在离子注入剂量低于7×10¹¹/cm²情况下,两个阱的谱峰能保持较好的分离,注入剂量从10¹¹ /cm²增大到10¹²/cm²的过程中,两个阱的带隙蓝移值都似乎存在一个极大值,并且在同样的条件下,上阱(发射波长为1.52 μm)的带隙蓝移值较下阱(发射波长为1.59 μm)大些。当离子注入剂量达到10¹²/cm²时,上阱的谱峰近乎消失,双阱光致发光谱出现了一个谱峰。用断面透射电子显微术对原生长样品与带隙蓝移具有极大值的退火样品进行微结构比较,结果显示,对比原生长样品,退火样品的晶格原子基本得到修复,但阱与垒间的界面显得模糊,这说明离子注入导致两阱完全混合。     

Ultra-compact two-dimensional plasmonic nano-ring antenna array for sensing applications

In this paper, a novel optical nanoantenna based on two-dimensional plasmonic nano-ring antenna array is proposed, investigated numerically and compared with a nano-disk antenna array. The results show that the nano-ring structure has resonances similar to the resonances of nano-disk structure but in higher wavelengths. These resonances are tunable by varying the structural parameters of the ring. The optical properties of the proposed structure are investigated in the context of designing a plasmonic refractive index sensor. The nano-ring antenna array sensor has large sensitivity in comparison to the conventional nano-disk antenna arrays. The special feature of the presented structure and the device concepts introduced in this work are applicable in realization of various integrated components and could play an important role in development of plasmonic sensors.     

Resonant mechanisms of inelastic light scattering by low-dimensional electron gases

The contribution of elementary excitations in low-dimensional electron gases to resonant inelastic light scattering is found to be determined by interband transitions involving states at specific wave vectors. In modulation-doped GaAs/GaAlAs quantum wells, we detect only the single-particle excitations (SPE) at resonances with electron-hole transitions at the Fermi wave vector, and only plasmons at resonances with zone-center excitons. The plasmon cross section is comparable to the SPE when double electronic resonance is achieved by tuning the plasmon energy to a valence subband separation.     

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.     

Structural control of Fano resonances in semiconductor heterostructures

Structural control of quantum interference in the optical intrasubband absorption spectrum of GaAs/AlGaAs multi-quantum wells is investigated theoretically. Our study shows that pronounced Fano resonances are in general difficult to obtain in quantum well heterostructures, with a presence of distinct Fano resonance features being the exception rather than the rule. Guided by an analogy to Young’s double-slit experiment, we design increasingly improved structures to display Fano resonances. Best results are achieved in structures where there is strong overlap between the ground-state wavefunction and scattering states associated with the uncoupled continuum. Alternatively one may use ionization via two or more resonances. In this case, resonances should not be separated by more than 25 meV to give significant effects. Moreover, we show that resonance features may also be induced without potential barriers to a continuum merely via orthogonality between bound and excited states.     

A review on quantum well structures in photonic devices for enhanced speed and span of the transmission network

Quantum well devices feature heterostructures of very thin epitaxial layers of group III-V and II-VI semiconductor materials. Quantum well devices are integrated monolithically with various optoelectronics devices to provide photonic integrated circuits. The representative structure could be realized with GaAs wells with GaAlAs barriers for wavelengths around 0.9 μm and InGaAsP are used for longer wavelengths. Together with quantum well, superlattice structure is another popular design for InGaAs Avalanche Photo Diode (APD). Quantum well structures find their applications in improved lasers, superlattice for photodiodes, modulators and switches. Consequences of quantum well theory are available today in terms of quantum wires and quantum dots. Upon the application of the normal electric field to quantum well structures, exciton pairs becomes more and more confined and the sharp exciton absorption peaks are observed. The effect is termed as “Quantum Confined Stark Effect”. The electro-absorption effect is approximately 50 times larger in multiple quantum well structures than it is in bulk semiconductors. Another electro-absorption effect known as “Franz Keldysh Effect” has been employed in monolithic waveguide detector. These effects lead to electro-absorption lasers (EAL) as well as electro-absorption laser modulators (EML).