High-resolution electroreflectance measurements of GaAs

High-resolution surface-barrier electroreflectance measurements are reported for GaAs, taken at 4.2 K in the Schottky barrier configuration. Interference effects between the bulk and space-charge regions are seen at the n = 1 exciton line for both E₀ and E₀ + Δ₀ transitions. We calculate the value μ_T = (0.055 ± 0.008) m_e for the transverse mass of the E₁ + Δ₁ transition from Franz-Keldysh oscillations observed at high fields. The E'₀ structure is resolved into separate critical points of Γ and Δ symmetry. Threshold and broadening energies are obtained at 4.2 K for the E₀,E₀, E₀ + Δ₀, E₁, E₁ + Δ₁, E'₀ (Γ and and E₂ (Σ and X) critical points.     

High-resolution strain analysis of the human heart with fast-DENSE.

Single breath-hold displacement data from the human heart were acquired with fast-DENSE (fast displacement encoding with stimulated echoes) during systolic contraction at 2.5 x 2.5 mm in-plane resolution. Encoding strengths of 0.86-1.60 mm/pi were utilized in order to extend the dynamic range of the phase measurements and minimize effects of physiologic and instrument noise. The noise level in strain measurements for both contraction and dilation corresponded to a strain value of 2.8%. In the human heart, strain analysis has sufficient resolution to reveal transmural variation across the left ventricular wall. Data processing required minimal user intervention and provided a rapid quantitative feedback. The intrinsic temporal integration of fast-DENSE achieves high accuracy at the expense of temporal resolution.     

High-resolution transparent x-ray beam location and imaging

We present a high-resolution in situ imaging and localization method of energetic particle beams. Recording of the scattered radiation from a thin featureless foil, placed in the path of the beam, and taken with a pinhole or coded aperture camera arrangement magnifies beam movements at the sensor. At the same time, a magnified image of the beam is available with an exceptional signal-to-noise ratio. We show measurement results of the level of precision that can be achieved and compare them to theoretical limits based on the signal-to-noise levels.     

Spin-polarization and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism in GaAs

The combination of angular spin momentum with electronics is a promising successor to charge-based electronics. The conduction bands in GaAs may become spin-polarized via optical spin pumping, doping with magnetic ions, or induction of a moment with an external magnetic field. We investigated the spin populations in GaAs with x-ray magnetic circular dichroism for each of these three cases. We find strong anti-symmetric lineshapes at the Ga L₃ edge indicating conduction band spin splitting, with differences in line width and amplitude depending on the source of spin polarization.     

Analysis of inelastic x-ray scattering spectra of low-temperature water

We analyze a set of high-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) spectra from H2O measured at T=259, 273, and 294 K using two different phenomenological models. Model I, called the "dynamic cage model," combines the short time in-cage dynamics described by a generalized Enskog kinetic theory with a long-time cage relaxation dynamics described by an alpha relaxation. This model is appropriate for supercooled water where the cage effect is dominant and the existence of an alpha relaxation is evident from molecular-dynamics (MD) simulation data of extended simple point charge (SPC/E) model water. Model II is essentially a generalized hydrodynamic theory called the "three effective eigenmode theory" by de Schepper et al. 11. This model is appropriate for normal liquid water where the cage effect is less prominent and there is no evidence of the alpha relaxation from the MD data. We use the model I to analyze IXS data at T=259 K (supercooled water). We successfully extract the Debye-Waller factor, the cage relaxation time from the long-time dynamics, and the dispersion relation of high-frequency sound from the short time dynamics. We then use the model II to analyze IXS data at all three temperatures, from which we are able to extract the relaxation rate of the central mode and the damping of the sound mode as well as the dispersion relation for the high-frequency sound. It turns out that the dispersion relations extracted from the two models at their respective temperatures agree with each other giving the high-frequency sound speed of 2900+/-300 m/s. This is to be compared with a slightly higher value reported previously, 3200+/-320 m/s, by analyzing similar IXS data with a phenomenological-damped harmonic oscillator model 22. This latter model has traditionally been used exclusively for the analysis of inelastic scattering spectra of water. The k-dependent sound damping and central mode relaxation rate extracted from our model analyses are compared with the known values in the hydrodynamic limit.     

Time-evolution of low-temperature photoconductivity and hall mobility in semi-insulating GaAs

The time-evolution of photo-Hall mobility, μ_H, during low-temperature illumination with 1.55 eV photons is presented as determined experimentally. At first μ_H decreases gradually during illumination, dropping almost to zero, and then increases back to high values, reaching an equilibrium value. The same behavior of μ_H is predicted from calculations of time-evolutions of free electrons and holes, derived from the time-evolution of independently measured thermoelectric effect signal and photoconductivity. Results are compatible with the model in which the dynamics of trap filling and changes of relative occupancies of traps with different sign are responsible for transient phenomena observed in photoconductivity, Hall mobility and thermoelectric signal during low-temperature, low-intensity illumination.     

High-resolution nonlinear laser spectroscopy of exciton relaxation in GaAs quantum wells

This paper describes measurements of exciton relaxation in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well structures based on high resolution nonlinear laser spectroscopy. The nonlinear optical measurements show that low energy excitons can be localized by monolayer disorder of the quantum well interface. We show that these excitons migrate between localization sites by phonon assisted migration, leading to spectral diffusion of the excitons. The frequency domain measurements give a direct measure of the quasi-equilibrium exciton spectral redistribution due to exciton energy relaxation, and the temperature dependence of the measured migration rates confirms recent theoretical predictions. The observed line shapes are interpreted based on solutions we obtain to modified Bloch equations which include the effects of spectral diffusion.     

X-ray diffraction micro-imaging of strain in laterally overgrown GaAs layers. Part I: analysis of a single GaAs stripe

Spatially resolved X-ray diffraction (SRXRD) is used for micro-imaging of strain in GaAs:Si layers grown by liquid phase epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) on SiO₂-masked GaAs substrates. We show that laterally overgrown parts of the layers (wings) are tilted towards the underlying mask. By SRXRD mapping local wing tilt is easily distinguished from macroscopic sample curvature. The direction of the tilt and distribution of tilt magnitude across the width of each layer can also be readily determined. This allows measuring of the shape of the lattice planes in individual ELO stripes. Downward wing tilt disappears completely when the mask is removed by selective etching. Then residual strain in ELO layers is exposed. In particular, upward tilt is found in free-standing ELO wings. Numerical simulations show that this phenomenon is caused by different concentrations of silicon dopant in vertically and laterally grown parts of the layer. PACS 61.05.cp; 61.72.Ff; 68.55.ag     

High-resolution small-angle x-ray diffraction study of long-range order in hard-sphere colloidal crystals

The long-range order parameters in single crystals of hard colloidal spheres grown in sediments of colloid-polymer mixtures are determined using synchrotron small-angle x-ray diffraction with a resolution of 10(-6) of the wave vector. The interplanar positional order derived from the width of lattice reflections extends over at least 500 lattice planes. The lattice planes are orientationally correlated within approximately 0.1 degrees throughout the crystals, whereas the stacking of hexagonal planes remains random.     

Finite element analysis of stress and strain distributions in InAs/GaAs quantum dots

In this paper, we perform systematic calculations of the stress and strain distributions in InAs/GaAs truncated pyramidal quantum dots (QDs) with different wetting layer (WL) thickness, using the finite element method (FEM). The stresses and strains are concentrated at the boundaries of the WL and QDs, are reduced gradually from the boundaries to the interior, and tend to a uniform state for the positions away from the boundaries. The maximal strain energy density occurs at the vicinity of the interface between the WL and the substrate. The stresses, strains and released strain energy are reduced gradually with increasing WL thickness. The above results show that a critical WL thickness may exist, and the stress and strain distributions can make the growth of QDs a growth of strained three-dimensional island when the WL thickness is above the critical value, and FEM can be applied to investigate such nanosystems, QDs, and the relevant results are supported by the experiments.     

High-resolution spatial characterization of laser produced plasmas at soft x-ray wavelengths

In this article, we describe the setup and application of a system for the spatial characterization of laser-produced plasma x-ray sources. While pinhole cameras are normally used for this purpose, we employed a zone plate to act as the x-ray lens. Together with an x-ray CCD camera as the detector, a spatial resolution of up to 2 m was achieved. Due to the wavelength-dependent focal length of a zone plate, the monochromaticity of the image was better than /=150, and the large aperture of the zone plate allowed single-laser-shot images to be collected. Methanol and ethanol were used as liquid-jet target systems. Two different Nd:YAG lasers with pulse durations of 3 ns and 10 ns produced the plasmas. Our measurements concentrated on the line emission of carbon in the soft x-ray spectral range, namely, the hydrogen-like -line at 3.37 nm and the helium-like -line at 4.03 nm. We investigated the influence of different nozzle sizes, laser energies, and pulse durations on the source size of the plasma. Depending on the experimental conditions, plasma diameters of 17–60 m were measured. PACS 41.50.+h; 52.38.-r; 52.70.La     

Microstructure and strain films using in-plane grazing analysis of GaN epitaxial incidence x-ray diffraction

This paper investigates the major structural parameters, such as crystal quality and strain state of （001）-oriented GaN thin films grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition, using an in-plane grazing incidence x-ray diffraction technique. The results are analysed and compared with a complementary out-of-plane x- ray diffraction technique. The twist of the GaN mosaic structure is determined through the direct grazing incidence t of （100） reflection which agrees well with the result obtained by extrapolation method. The method for directly determining the in-plane lattice parameters of the GaN layers is also presented. Combined with the biaxial strain model, it derives the lattice parameters corresponding to fully relaxed GaN films. The GaN epilayers show an increasing residual compressive stress with increasing layer thickness when the two dimensional growth stage is established, reaching to a maximum level of-0.89 GPa.     

Microstructure and strain analysis of GaN epitaxial films using in-plane grazing incidence x-ray diffraction

This paper investigates the major structural parameters,such as crystal quality and strain state of (001)-oriented GaN thin films grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition,using an in-plane grazing incidence x-ray diffraction technique.The results are analysed and compared with a complementary out-of-plane xray diffraction technique.The twist of the GaN mosaic structure is determined through the direct grazing incidence measurement of (100) reflection which agrees well with the result obtained by extrapolation method.The method for directly determining the in-plane lattice parameters of the GaN layers is also presented.Combined with the biaxial strain model,it derives the lattice parameters corresponding to fully relaxed GaN films.The GaN epilayers show an increasing residual compressive stress with increasing layer thickness when the two dimensional growth stage is established,reaching to a maximum level of-0.89 GPa.     

Ultrafast photoconductors from low-temperature MOCVD-grown GaAs and InGaAs epitaxial layers

GaAs and InGaAs epitaxial layers were grown by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition at Low substrate Temperatures (LT-MOCVD). The layers, grown at temperatures below 430° C were semi-insulating. Transmission electron microscopy images reveal uniformly distributed 3–10nm size clusters which consist, most probably, of zinc. Photodetectors fabricated from those layers feature nonlinear photocurrent versus optical power dependence. The nonlinearities are explained in terms of electric field redistribution. The nonlinear photoconductive correlation measurements show that excess carrier lifetimes are in the range of 20–50 ps.Deceased