Two-dimensional electron transport in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

We present a theoretical study of electron transport properties of two-dimensional electron gas in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. By assuming a drifted Fermi–Dirac distribution and taking into account all major scattering mechanisms, including polar optical and acoustic phonons, background impurities, dislocation and interface roughness, the momentum- and energy-balance equations derived from Boltzmann equation are solved self-consistently. The dependence of the electron drift velocity and electron temperature as a function of the applied electric field are obtained and discussed.     

Transient response of hot electrons in narrow-gap semiconductors at low temperatures in the presence of a longitudinal quantizing magnetic field

Transient response of hot electrons in narrow-gap semiconductors to a step electric field in the presence of a longitudinal quantizing magnetic field has been studied at low temperatures using displaced Maxwellian distribution. The energy and momentum balance equations are used assuming acoustic phonon scattering via deformation potential responsible for the energy relaxation and elastic acoustic phonon scattering together with ionized impurity scattering for momentum relaxation. The calculations for the variation of drift velocity and electron temperature as functions of time are made for n-Hg_0.8Cd_0.2 Te in the extreme quantum limit at 1.5 K and 4.2 K. The momentum and energy relaxation times are found to be of the same order of magnitudes as with the experimental values. The magnetic field and lattice temperature dependences of the relaxation rates have been investigated.One of the authors, Suchandra Bhaumik, acknowledges the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Delhi) for financial support.     

Energy and momentum relaxation of electrons in bulk and 2D GaN

We present our experimental and theoretical studies regarding the energy and momentum relaxation of hot electrons in n-type bulk GaN and AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures. We determine the non-equilibrium temperatures and the energy relaxation rates in the steady state using the mobility mapping technique together with the power balance conditions as described by us elsewhere [N. Balkan, M.C. Arikan, S. Gokden, V. Tilak, B. Schaff, R.J. Shealy, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 14 (2002) 3457]. We obtain the e–LO phonon scattering time of 8 fs and show that the power loss of electrons due to optical phonon emission agrees with the theoretical prediction. The drift velocity–field curves at high electric fields indicate that the drift velocity saturates at approximately 3×10⁶ cm/s for the two-dimensional structure and 4×10⁶ cm/s for the bulk material at 77 K. These values are much lower than those predicted by the existing theories. A critical analysis of the observations is given with a model taking into account of the non-drifting non-equilibrium phonon production.     

Determination of the LO phonon energy by using electronic and optical methods in AlGaN/GaN

The longitudinal optical (LO) phonon energy in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures is determined from temperature-dependent Hall effect measurements and also from Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The Hall effect measurements on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures grown by MOCVD have been carried out as a function of temperature in the range 1.8-275 K at a fixed magnetic field. The IR and Raman spectroscopy measurements have been carried out at room temperature. The experimental data for the temperature dependence of the Hall mobility were compared with the calculated electron mobility. In the calculations of electron mobility, polar optical phonon scattering, ionized impurity scattering, background impurity scattering, interface roughness, piezoelectric scattering, acoustic phonon scattering and dislocation scattering were taken into account at all temperatures. The result is that at low temperatures interface roughness scattering is the dominant scattering mechanism and at high temperatures polar optical phonon scattering is dominant.     

Electron mobility in a modulation doped AlGaN/GaN quantum well

We consider a two dimensional electron gas confined to a modulation doped AlGaN/GaN quantum well and study the dependence of low field mobility on various parameters such as composition, well width, remote impurity and interface roughness as a function of temperature. GaN is assumed to be in the zincblende structure. Acoustic and optical phonon, ionized remote impurity and interface roughness scatterings are taken into account in mobility calculations. The scattering rates are calculated using the self-consistently calculated wave functions obtained from the numerical solution of Poisson and Schr?dinger equations. Also found from the self-consistent solutions are the potential profile at the junction, the energy levels in the well and electron concentrations in each level. Ensemble Monte Carlo method is used to find the drift velocities of the two dimensional electrons along the interface under an applied field. The mobility of two dimensional electrons is obtained from the drift velocity of electrons. It is found that while remote impurity scattering is very effective for small values of spacer layer and doping concentrations, increasing Al concentration reduces the mobility of electrons. The effect of surface roughness, on the other hand, on mobility is almost independent of well width. The results of our simulations are compatible with the existing experimental data.     

Electric field driven plasmon dispersion in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

We present a theoretical study on the electric field driven plasmon dispersion of the two-dimensional electron gas(2DEG)in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs).By introducing a drifted Fermi–Dirac distribution,we calculate the transport properties of the 2DEG in the AlGaN/GaN interface by employing the balance-equation approach based on the Boltzmann equation.Then,the nonequilibrium Fermi–Dirac function is obtained by applying the calculated electron drift velocity and electron temperature.Under random phase approximation(RPA),the electric field driven plasmon dispersion is investigated.The calculated results indicate that the plasmon frequency is dominated by both the electric field and the angle between wavevector and electric field.Importantly,the plasmon frequency could be tuned by the applied source–drain bias voltage besides the gate voltage(change of the electron density).     

Electric-field-induced impact ionization of excitons in GaN and GaN/AlGaN quantum wells

Impact ionization of exciton states in epitaxial GaN films and GaN/AlGaN quantum-well structures was studied. The study was done using an optical method based on the observation of exciton photoluminescence quenching under application of an electric field. It was established that electron scattering on impurities dominates over that from acoustic phonons in electron relaxation in energy and momentum. The mean free path of the hot electrons was estimated. The hot-electron mean free path in GaN/AlGaN quantum wells was found to be an order of magnitude larger than that in epitaxial GaN films, which is due to the electron scattering probability being lower in the two-dimensional case.     

纤锌矿相GaN空穴输运特性的Monte Carlo模拟研究

用全带多粒子Monte Carlo方法模拟纤锌矿相(Wurtzite)GaN空穴输运特性的结果. 用经验赝势法计算得到能带结构数据. 模拟包含了声学声子散射，光学声子散射，极性光学声子散射，压电散射，电离杂质散射及带间散射等散射机理. 计算得到了空穴沿3个主要对称方向上的空穴平均漂移速度和平均能量与电场强度的关系曲线，室温下漂移速度呈现饱和特性. 在所研究的电场范围内，最大平均漂移速度约为6×10⁶cm s^-1，最大空穴平均能量约为0.12eV, 这些值均比电子的相应参数低很多. 还给出了空穴的扩散迁移率与杂质浓度关系的模拟结果. 关键词： 蒙特卡罗 氮化镓 输运特性 能带结构     

Optically pumped GaN/AlGaN quantum well intersubband terahertz laser

We propose an optically pumped nonpolar GaN/AlGaN quantum well (QW) active region design for terahertz (THz) lasing in the wavelength range of 30 μm～ 40 μm and operating at room temperature. The fast longitudinal optical (LO) phonon scattering in GaN/AlGaN QWs is used to depopulate the lower laser state, and more importantly, the large LO phonon energy is utilized to reduce the thermal population of the lasing states at high temperatures. The influences of temperature and pump intensity on gain and electron densities are investigated. Based on our simulations, we predict that with a sufficiently high pump intensity, a room temperature operated THz laser using a nonpolar GaN/AlGaN structure is realizable.     

Theoretical assessment of electronic transport in InN

Among the group-III nitrides, InN displays markedly unusual electronic transport characteristics due to its smaller effective mass, high peak velocity and high background electron concentration. First, a non-local empirical pseudopotential band structure of InN is obtained in the light of recent experimental and first-principles results. This is utilized within an ensemble Monte Carlo framework to illuminate the interesting transport properties. It is observed that InN has a peak velocity which is about 75% higher than that of GaN while at higher fields its saturation velocity is lower than that of GaN. Because of the strongly degenerate regime brought about by the high background electron concentration, the electron–electron interaction is also investigated, but its effect on the steady-state and transient velocity–field characteristics is shown to be negligible. Finally, hot phonon generation due to excessive polar optical phonon production in the electron scattering and relaxation processes is accounted for. The main findings are the appreciable reduction in the saturation drift velocity and the slower recovery from the velocity overshoot regime. The time evolution of the hot phonon distribution is analysed in detail and it is observed to be extremely anisotropic, predominantly along the electric force direction.     

Electron transport in wurtzite InN

Using ensemble Monte Carlo simulation technique, we have calculated the transport properties of InN such as the drift velocity, the drift mobility, the average electron, energy relaxation times and momentum relaxation times at high electric field. The scattering mechanisms included scattering mechanisms are polar optical phonon, ionized impurity, acoustic phonon and intervalley phonon. It is found that the maximum peak velocity only occurs when the electric field is increased to a value above a certain critical field. This critical field is strongly dependent on InN parameters. The steady-state transport parameters are in fair agreement with other recent calculations.     

Temperature characterization of Raman scattering in an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure

Raman scattering from an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure was performed in the temperature range from 77 to 773 K. The first- and second-order Raman scattering of the A₁ longitudinal-optical phonon–plasmon coupled mode from an AlGaN/GaN interface as well as the Raman scattering from the GaN layer were observed. All the modes downshift, and their intensities weaken with increasing temperature. The free-carrier concentration estimated by the frequency of the coupled mode from an AlGaN/GaN interface is 7.5 times as high as that of n-AlGaN, indicating mass free-carrier transfer from the AlGaN barrier to the GaN well. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the phonon frequency is well described by an empirical formula. PACS 78.30.Fs; 63.20.Ls; 61.82.Fk; 68.60.Dv; 81.15.Gh     

Energy loss rate of two-dimensional electron gas in GaInAs/AlInAs, InSb/AlInSb and GaSb/AlGaAsSb heterostructures

Energy loss rates of two-dimensional electron gas in GaInAs/AlInAs, InSb/AlInSb and GaSb/AlGaAsSb heterostructures are theoretically investigated over a wide range of temperature based on the electron–one-phonon and electron–two-phonon interactions. Calculations are presented for electron acoustic one-phonon interaction via deformation potential and piezoelectric coupling and electron–LO phonon interaction with hot phonon effect. In addition, energy loss rate due to electron-two-zone edge transverse acoustic (TA) phonons is also presented. A very good agreement is obtained between the calculations and experimental data in GaInAs/AlInAs structure with the inclusion of electron–two-zone edge TA phonon interaction. In all these three structures energy loss is dominated by (i) acoustic one-phonon scattering at low temperatures, (ii) two-TA zone edge phonons at intermediate temperatures and (iii) LO phonons at high temperatures. It is observed that, hot phonon effect reduces the energy loss rate considerably in these structures.     

Effects of non-equilibrium polar optic phonons and the band non-parabolicity on small signal high-frequency hot electrons ac mobility in narrow gap semiconductors in high magnetic fields

The small signal high-frequency ac mobility of hot electrons in n-HgCdTe in the extreme quantum limit at low and high temperatures have been calculated considering the non-equilibrium phonon distribution as well as the thermal phonon distribution .The energy loss rate has been calculated considering only optical phonon scattering while the momentum loss rate has been calculated considering acoustic phonon scattering and piezoelectric scattering together with polar optical phonon scattering and separately considering only the polar optical scattering. The results have been discussed and compared. It has been observed that at 20 K, the normalized mobility considering all the three scattering mechanisms differs appreciably from that considering only the polar optical phonon scattering. However, at 77 K, there is no difference in the normalized mobility. This establishes the fact that at higher temperature, the effect of acoustic phonon scattering and piezoelectric coupling is negligible, compared to the polar optical phonon scattering. So the ac mobility considering only polar optical phonon scattering has been studied at 77 and 20 K. The ac mobility is found to remain constant up to 100 GHz and thereafter it started decreasing at higher frequencies at 77 K whereas the ac mobility reduces at much lower frequencies at lower temperature at lower field. The non-parabolicity of the band structure enhances the normalized mobility.     

Influence of the quantum dot shape on the determination of the electronic structure and electron decoherence

Theoretical calculations of electron–phonon scattering rates in AlGaN/GaN quantum dots (QDs) have been performed by means of effective mass approximation in the frame of finite element method. The influence of a symmetry breaking of the carrier's wave function on the electron dephasing time is investigated for various QDs shapes. In a QD system the electron energy increases when the QD shape changes from a spherical to a non-spherical form. In addition, the influence of the QD shape upon the electronic structure can be modulated by external magnetic fields. We also show that the electron–acoustic phonon scattering rates strongly depend upon both the QD shape and the applied magnetic field. As an additional parameter, the QD shape can be used to modify the electron–acoustic phonon interaction in a wide range. Moreover, the scattering rate of different transitions, such as Δm=0(1), presents distinct magnetic field dependency.     

Macroscopic polarization and thermal conductivity of GaN

We theoretically investigated the effect of macroscopic polarization (sum of spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization) on the thermal conductivity of wurtzite GaN. Macroscopic polarization contributes to the effective elastic constant of the GaN and thus modifies the phonon group velocity. We used the revised phonon velocity to estimate the Debye frequency and temperature. Different phonon scattering rates were calculated as functions of the phonon frequency. The thermal conductivity of GaN was estimated using revised parameters such as the phonon velocity and phonon relaxation rate. The revised thermal conductivity at room temperature increased from 250 to 279 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ due to macroscopic polarization. The method we developed can be used for thermal budget calculations for GaN optoelectronic devices.     

The effect of interface roughness scattering on low field mobility of 2D electron gas in GaN/AlGaN heterostructure

We report the results of our experimental and theoretical studies concerning the temperature dependence of electron mobility in a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) confined at the GaN/AlGaN interface. Experimental mobility of about at 3.8 K remains almost constant up to lattice temperature , it then decreases rapidly down to about at . The results are discussed using a theoretical model that takes into account the most important scattering mechanisms contributing to determine the mobility of electrons in 2DEG. We show that the polar optical phonon scattering is the dominant mechanism at high temperatures and the acoustic deformation potential and piezoelectric scatterings are dominant at the intermediate temperatures. At low temperatures, the Hall mobility is confined by both the interface roughness (IFR) and ionised impurity scattering. The correlation length (Λ) and lateral size (Δ) of roughness at the GaN/AlGaN heterointerface have been determined by fitting best to our low-temperature experimental data.     

Effects of dislocations on small signal high frequency hot electron mobility in n-GaN at low and high temperatures under high magnetic fields including hot phonon effect

The small signal high-frequency ac mobility of hot electrons in n-GaN in the extreme quantum limit at low- and high-temperatures has been calculated considering the non-equilibrium phonon distribution as well as the thermal phonon distributions. The energy loss rate has been calculated considering the dominance of the piezo electric coupling scattering and the polar optical phonon scattering while the momentum loss rate has been calculated considering the acoustic phonon scattering via deformation potential and the piezo electric coupling and the dislocation scattering.     

Comparative Analysis of Temperature-dependent Raman Spectra of GaN and GaN/Mg Films

The Raman spectra of unintentionally doped gallium nitride (GaN) and Mg-doped GaN films were investigated and compared at room temperature and low temperature. The differences of E₂ and A₁(LO) mode in two samples are discussed. Stress relaxation is observed in Mg-doped GaN, and it is suggested that Mg-induced misfit dislocation and electron–phonon interaction are the possible origins. A peak at 247 cm^?1 is observed in both the Raman spectra of GaN and Mg-doped GaN. Temperature-dependent Raman scattering experiment of Mg-doped GaN shows the frequency and intensity changes of this peak with temperature. This peak is attributed to the defect-induced vibrational mode.     

Hot electron energy and momentum relaxation in GaAs/AlAs and GaAs/Ga1-xAlxAs multiple quantum wells

Experimental results on high electric field longitudinal transport in GaAs/AlAs and GaAs/Ga_1-xAl_xAs multiple quantum wells (MQW) are presented and compared with the prediction of a dielectric continuum model. We draw from our experiments the following four conclusions.(i) In GaAs/Ga_1-xAl_xAs systems the dominant energy and momentum relaxation mechanism is through scattering with GaAs -modes.(ii) However, in GaAs/AlAs systems the AlAs interface mode is dominant in relaxing the energy and momentum of the quantum well electrons.(iii) The hot electron momentum relaxation as obtained from the high-field drift velocity experiments is strongly affected by the production of hot phonons as expected from a model involving a non-drifting hot phonon distribution.(iv) The importance of the AlAs interface mode in GaAs/Ga_1-xAl_xAs MQW is not the result of the intrinsic scattering rate but related to its shorter lifetime, compared to GaAs modes.