Controlled fabrication of Si nanostructures by high vacuum electron beam annealing

Silicon nanostructures, called Si nanowhiskers, have been successfully synthesized on Si(1 0 0) substrate by high vacuum electron beam annealing (EBA). Detailed analysis of the Si nanowhisker morphology depending on annealing temperature, duration and the temperature gradients applied in the annealing cycle is presented. A correlation was found between the variation in annealing temperature and the nanowhisker height and density. Annealing at 935 °C for 0 s, the density of nanowhiskers is about 0.2 μm⁻² with average height of 2.4 nm grow on a surface area of 5×5 μm, whereas more than 500 nanowhiskers (density up to 28 μm⁻²) with an important average height of 4.6 nm for field emission applications grow on the same surface area for a sample annealed at 970 °C for 0 s. At a cooling rate of −50 °C s⁻¹ during the annealing cycle, 10–12 nanowhiskers grew on a surface area of 5×5 μm, whereas close to 500 nanowhiskers grew on the same surface area for samples annealed at the cooling rate of −5 °C s⁻¹. An exponential dependence between the density of Si nanowhiskers and the cooling rate has been found. At 950 °C, the average height of Si nanowhiskers increased from 4.0 to 6.3 nm with an increase of annealing duration from 10 to 180 s. A linear dependence exists between the average height of Si nanowhiskers and annealing duration. Selected results are presented showing the possibility of controlling the density and the height of Si nanowhiskers for improved field emission properties by applying different annealing temperatures, durations and cooling rates.     

Controlled fabrication of Si nanostructures by high vacuum electron beam annealing

Silicon nanostructures, called Si nanowhiskers, have been successfully synthesized on Si(1 0 0) substrate by high vacuum electron beam annealing (EBA). Detailed analysis of the Si nanowhisker morphology depending on annealing temperature, duration and the temperature gradients applied in the annealing cycle is presented. A correlation was found between the variation in annealing temperature and the nanowhisker height and density. Annealing at 935 °C for 0 s, the density of nanowhiskers is about 0.2 μm⁻² with average height of 2.4 nm grow on a surface area of 5×5 μm, whereas more than 500 nanowhiskers (density up to 28 μm⁻²) with an important average height of 4.6 nm for field emission applications grow on the same surface area for a sample annealed at 970 °C for 0 s. At a cooling rate of −50 °C s⁻¹ during the annealing cycle, 10–12 nanowhiskers grew on a surface area of 5×5 μm, whereas close to 500 nanowhiskers grew on the same surface area for samples annealed at the cooling rate of −5 °C s⁻¹. An exponential dependence between the density of Si nanowhiskers and the cooling rate has been found. At 950 °C, the average height of Si nanowhiskers increased from 4.0 to 6.3 nm with an increase of annealing duration from 10 to 180 s. A linear dependence exists between the average height of Si nanowhiskers and annealing duration. Selected results are presented showing the possibility of controlling the density and the height of Si nanowhiskers for improved field emission properties by applying different annealing temperatures, durations and cooling rates.     

On diffusion lengths of Ga adatoms on AlAs(111) and GaAs(111) surfaces

An expression for calculating the effective diffusion length from the measured values of the height and density of nanowhiskers is derived in terms of the diffusion growth model. From experimental data for GaAs nanowhisker MBE growth, the diffusion lengths of Ga adatoms on the GaAs(111) and AlAs(111) surfaces are evaluated. Under typical growth conditions, the value of the Ga diffusion length is found to be about several hundreds of nanometers.     

Atomic structure of MBE-grown GaAs nanowhiskers

The structural properties of MBE-grown GaAs and Al_0.3Ga_0.7 As nanowhiskers were studied. The formation of wurtzite and 4H-polytype hexagonal structures with characteristic sizes of 100 nm or larger in these materials was demonstrated. It is concluded that the Au-Ga activation alloy symmetry influences the formation of the hexagonal structure.     

Size, position and direction control on GaAs and InAs nanowhisker growth

The self-organized, position-controlled and parallel growth of GaAs and InAs nanowhiskers is successfully demonstrated by using a metal–organic chemical vapour deposition method. The growth takes place preferentially along the 111 As direction with the aid of the catalytic effect of Au nanodroplets, and not along 111 Ga or In directions. The diameter and length of the whisker can be controlled artificially down to 10 nm and to over 1 μm, respectively. Doping and composition control of p- or n-type such as GaAs–InAs heterostructure formation are possible along the length direction of the whisker by changing the source gases. In order to control the growth position of the whisker, positioning of a Au nanodroplet is essential and realized by a lithographic method. By choosing the [111]B direction to the substrate surface and normal to the patterned side edges, and by positioning the Au nanodroplet on the side wall, the positioned planar nanowhisker growth and bridging are successfully demonstrated. The growth mechanism of the nanowhiskers is revealed by the scanning and transmission electron microscope observations. Nanometer-size Au-alloy droplets play an important role in the growth of the whiskers. The whisker growth process is governed by the vapor–liquid–solid growth mechanism.     

A study of photosensitive InAs/GaAs heterostructures with quantum dots grown by ion-beam deposition

The possibility of obtaining ion-beam-deposited InAs/GaAs heterostructures with quantum dots for photovoltaic converters is shown. The surface morphology of the grown heterostructures is analyzed by scanning probe microscopy. Quantum dots and InAs nanoclusters with planar dimensions from 20 to 100 nm and a height from 5 to 80 nm are detected. The average surface density of quantum-dimensional InAs objects with a size below 35 nm is 10⁵ mm⁻². In the photoluminescence spectra (T = 300 K), a peak is revealed with a maximum at the wavelength λ = 1150 nm (hν ≈ 1.1 eV), which shows that the grown heterostructures contain InAs quantum dots of various sizes.     

Electron diffraction on GaAs nanowhiskers grown on Si(100) and Si(111) substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy

The crystal structure of GaAs nanowhiskers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on Si(111) and Si(100) substrates is investigated using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). It is revealed that, in both cases, the electron diffraction images contain a combination (superposition) of systems of reflections characteristic of the hexagonal (wurtzite and/or 4H polytype) and cubic (sphalerite) phases of the GaAs compound. The growth on the Si(111) substrates leads to the formation of nanowhiskers with hexagonal (wurtzite and/or 4H polytype) and cubic (sphalerite) structures with one and two orientations, respectively. In the case of the Si(100) substrates, the grown array contains GaAs nanowhiskers that have a cubic structure with five different orientations and a hexagonal structure with eight orientations in the (110) planes of the substrate. The formation of the two-phase crystal structure in nanowhiskers is explained by the wurtzite—sphalerite phase transitions and/or twinning of crystallites.     

Raman spectra and structural peculiarities of GaAs nanowires

The Raman scattering spectra of nanowire samples in the region of fundamental modes (50–320 cm^?1) are studied to analyze the structural peculiarities of GaAs nanowires (nanowhiskers) grown on a Si (111) substrate. Factor analysis of the experimental data array consisting of 55 spectra, each of which contains 300 points, is carried out. It is found that the number of linearly independent contributions in these data arrays amounts to only two spectra. The form of each linearly independent contribution is close to zincblende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) spectra. It is established that ZB and WZ phases exist in nanowhiskers. Comparison with the calculated frequencies of the normal vibrations of hexagonal GaAs polytypes makes it possible to assume that the spectra of crystal nanowhiskers are combinations of ZB and WZ spectra with good accuracy and agree with the scheme of phonon branch folding of the ZB Brillouin zone.     

The emission wavelength tuning of InAs/InP quantum dots with thin GaAs, InGaAs, InP capping layers by MOCVD

InAs quantum dots (QDs) were grown on InP substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The width and height of the dots were 50 and 5.8 nm, respectively on the average and an areal density of 3.0×10¹⁰ cm⁻² was observed by atomic force microscopy before the capping process. The influences of GaAs, In_0.53Ga_0.47As, and InP capping layers (5–10 ML thickness) on the InAs/InP QDs were studied. Insertion of a thin GaAs capping layer on the QDs led to a blue shift of up to 146 meV of the photoluminescence (PL) peak and an InGaAs capping layer on the QDs led to a red shift of 64 meV relative to the case when a conventional InP capping layer was used. We were able to tune the emission wavelength of the InAs QDs from 1.43 to 1.89 μm by using the GaAs and InGaAs capping layers. In addition, the full-width at half-maximum of the PL peak decreased from 79 to 26 meV by inserting a 7.5 ML GaAs layer. It is believed that this technique is useful in tailoring the optical properties of the InAs QDs at mid-infrared regime.     

Modification of the properties of ferromagnetic layers based on A<Superscript>3</Superscript>B<Superscript>5</Superscript> compounds by pulsed laser annealing

Laser annealing experiments were performed in order to increase the concentration of electrically active manganese in the layers of A³B⁵: Mn semiconductors. An LPX-200 KrF excimer laser with a wavelength of 248 nm and a pulse duration of ~30 ns was used. It is shown experimentally that at a pulse energy of an excimer laser of >230 mJ/cm², the hole concentration in GaAs: Mn layers increases to 3 × 10²⁰ cm^–3. The negative magnetoresistance and the anomalous Hall effect with a hysteresis loop for annealed GaAs: Mn samples remain the same up to 80–100 K. Similar changes are observed for InAs: Mn layers as a result of laser annealing.     

LT-GaAs飞秒光电导之电场响应特性

利用飞秒光电导自相关技术研究了LT GaAs飞秒光电导开关时间随外加偏置电场的变化规律 .实验结果显示当外加偏置电场从0.5×10⁴ V/cm 上升到9.5×10⁴ V/cm 时，光电导 开关时间开始在200fs附近缓慢变化再迅速增加到750fs.这是由于随着外加电场增加，Fren kel-Poole效应导致的EL2缺陷中心库仑吸引势垒降低和电场增强的碰撞电离效应显著增强 ，导致载流子俘获截面减小，载流子寿命增加之故. 关键词： 光电导自相关技术 载流子俘获时间 Frenkel-Poole效应 电子碰撞电离效应     

Surface topography of ultrashort laser-irradiated CaF2

A single-crystal CaF₂ (111) was irradiated with single and multiple laser (Ti:sapphire, 800 nm, 25 fs) shots at fluences ranging from 0.25 to 1.5 J cm^?2. In this fluence regime, a single laser pulse usually leads to typical bump-like features ranging from 200 nm to 1.5 μm in diameter and 10–50 nm in height. These bumps are related to compressive stresses due to a pressure build-up induced by fast laser heating and their subsequent relaxation. When CaF₂ is irradiated with successive (in our case 20) shots at a laser fluence of 1.5 J cm^?2, nanocavities at the top of the microbumps are observed. The formation of these nanocavities is regarded as an explosion and is attributed to the explosive expansion generated by shock waves due to laser-induced plasma after the nonlinear absorption of the laser energy by the material. Such kinds of surface structures at the nanometre scale could be attractive for nanolithography.     

Electron microscopy study of the structural defect formation in ZnS under irradiation by electrons with energy of 400 keV

ZnS crystals grown form the vapor phase and ZnS/(001)GaAs epitaxial structures grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy are studied by transmission electron microscopy after in situ irradiation in an electron microscope at an electron energy of 400 keV and intensity of (1–4) × 10¹⁹ electrons/cm² s. It is shown that irradiation leads to the formation of small (2.5–45 nm) dislocation loops with a density of 1.4 × 10¹¹ cm^–2, as well as voids and new phase inclusions ≤10 nm in size. Using the moire fringe contrast analysis, these inclusions were identified as ZnO and ZnO₂.     

Effects of silicon negative ion implantation in semi-insulating gallium arsenide

ABSTRACT

In the present work, effects of silicon negative ion implantation into semi-insulating gallium arsenide (GaAs) samples with fluences varying between 1?×?10¹⁵ and 4?×?10¹⁷?ions?cm^?2 at 100?keV have been described. Atomic force microscopic images obtained from samples implanted with fluence up to 1?×?10¹⁷?ion?cm^?2 showed the formation of GaAs clusters on the surface of the sample. The shape, size and density of these clusters were found to depend on ion fluence. Whereas sample implanted at higher fluence of 4?×?10¹⁷?ions?cm^?2 showed bump of arbitrary shapes due to cumulative effect of multiple silicon ion impact with GaAs on the same place. GXRD study revealed formation of silicon crystallites in the gallium arsenide sample after implantation. The silicon crystallite size estimated from the full width at half maxima of silicon (111) XRD peak using Debye-Scherrer formula was found to vary between 1.72 and 1.87?nm with respect to ion fluence. Hall measurement revealed the formation of n-type layer in gallium arsenide samples. The current–voltage measurement of the sample implanted with different fluences exhibited the diode like behavior.     

Dielectric Response and Broadband Microwave Absorption Properties of Three-Layer Graded ZnO Nanowhisker/Polyester Composites

We design and prepare three-layer graded ZnO nanowhisker/polyester composites. The dispersion configuration of ZnO nanowhiskers in the polyester is investigated, and their microwave reflectivity curves are also measured. Experimental results have shown that the graded dispersion with ZnO nanowhiskers contributes to broadband microwave absorption. In other words, the absorption band depends on the graded dispersion configuration of ZnO nanowhiskers in polyester matrix.     

Fabrication of Al nanoparticles and their electrical properties studied by capacitance-voltage measurements

Nanometer-scale Al particles are fabricated and are embedded in a GaAs matrix using molecular beam epitaxial technique. The Al particle is self-assembled on GaAs by supplying an Al molecular beam. The average particle size is found to be 25 nm. The density is 7 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻² when Al of 6.2 × 10¹⁵ atoms/cm² is supplied on (1 0 0)GaAs at a substrate temperature of 300 °C. Clear hysteresis and plateaus in capacitance-voltage (C-V) curves are found in an Al-embedded sample, whereas monotonic increase of capacitance is obtained in a reference sample having an AlAs layer instead of Al. This difference results from trapping of electrons by the Al particles, suggesting that the particles have metallic character.     

Specific features of Raman spectra of III–V nanowhiskers

Raman spectra of GaAs nanowhiskers that are grown on different substrates and differ from one another by the content of the sphalerite and wurtzite phases have been investigated. Special attention has been focused on the manifestation of structural features in the scattering spectra of nanowhiskers. It has been established that the nanowhiskers are characterized both by random inclusions of wurtzite layers in the sphalerite structure and by the continuous growth in the wurtzite phase. The interpretation of the scattering spectrum agrees with the concept of summation of the dispersion curves of the sphalerite structure upon transition to the wurtzite structure, which leads to a transformation of zone-boundary modes at the L point of the Brillouin zone into zone-center modes of the wurtzite structure and, as a consequence, to the appearance of a number of new fundamental modes of different symmetries. An analysis of the Raman spectra has revealed the formation of the hexagonal 4H polytype in narrow layers of nanowhiskers due to a random packing of hexagonal layers. The coexistence of the sphalerite and wurtzite phases in GaAs nanowhiskers completely correlates with the photoluminescence spectra measured for the same samples.     

Strain and optical transitions in InAs quantum dots on (001) GaAs

To investigate the strain characteristics of InAs quantum dots grown on (001) GaAs by solid source molecular beam epitaxy we have compared calculated transition energies with those obtained from photoluminescence measurements. Atomic force microscopy shows the typical lateral size of the quantum dots as 20–22 nm with a height of 10–12 nm, and photoluminescence spectra show strong emission at 1.26 μ m when the sample is capped with a GaAs layer. The luminescence peak wavelength is red-shifted to 1.33 μ m when the dots are capped by an In_0.4Ga_0.6As layer. Excluding the strain it is shown that the theoretical expectation of the ground-state optical transition energy is only 0.566 eV (2.19 μ m), whereas a model with three-dimensionally-distributed strain results in a transition energy of 0.989 eV (1.25 μ m). It has thus been concluded that the InAs quantum dot is spatially strained. The InGaAs capping layer reduces the effective barrier height so that the transition energy becomes red-shifted.     

Investigation of positron reemission holography

A feasibility study of using low energy positron reemission microscopy in an in-line holographic mode is carried out by means of computer simulations. The effects of substrate backscattering and statistical fluctuations (corresponding to 10⁴ counts/pixel) are found not to be significant. Transverse and height resolutions of 1 and 14 nm, respectively, are determined in the hologram reconstructed images for a positron emission transverse coherence length of 20 nm. Future capabilities of positron reemission holography in high flux (10¹⁰ e⁺/s) facilities are discussed.     

掺铍GaAs量子阱的光致荧光

测量了掺铍的,阱宽约为10nm的GaAs量子阱在4.2K的光致荧光。掺杂浓度分别为1×10¹⁷和5×10¹⁸cm^-3。测量结果表明:对于无规掺杂,局域在阱中心的铍的状态密度与导带电子从n=1量子能级到阱中心中性铍的跃迁概率的乘积大于对应于介面铍的乘积。另外,实验结果也表明:当掺杂浓度升高时,由于带隙收缩的影响,阱中心铍的电离能减小。