Effect of oxygen partial pressure and annealing on nanocrystalline p-type ZnO:Sb thin films

We have investigated the effect of oxygen partial pressure and annealing on nanocrystalline p-type Sb-doped ZnO thin films, grown by pulsed laser deposition, with hole concentration of 6.5 × 10¹⁸/cm³ and mobility of 53 cm²/V-s. Uses of higher working pressure or annealing are found to reduce carrier concentration. A strong correlation is observed between carrier concentration and the violet (3.02 eV) emission related to free Zn-vacancy; stronger the violet emission, smaller the carrier concentration. In contrast to earlier suggestion of using higher oxygen pressure for obtaining p-type conductivity, the present results show a deterioration of the quality of film.     

Change of the electron effective mass in extremely heavily doped n-type Si obtained by ion implantation and laser annealing

Infrared optical properties of extremely heavily doped n-type Si, obtained by ion implantation and laser annealing, were studied. A new relation between free carrier effective mass (m¹) and carrier concentration (10¹⁹ ?5 × 10²¹cm^-3) was obtained. The value of m¹ increases significantly with the increase of carrier concentration, when carrier concentration exceeds 10²¹cm^-3. The result is discussed in relation to the occupation of electrons in a new valley of the conduction band.     

Near-contact diffusion and compensation in extrinsic photoconductors

Carrier diffusion from heavily doped contact regions has been experimentally monitored with resistivity measurements of variable thickness Si: P extrinsic photoconductors (n⁺−n−n⁺). Modeling of free carrier diffusion at the interface of heavily doped contacts and highly resistive bulk at low temperatures predicts extended regions (5–30 μm) of excess carriers in high purity materials so that, in thin device structures, free carrier diffusion profiles from each contact will overlap and determine the resistivity of the device. In this work, a decrease in resistivity of four orders of magnitude was observed in a 5 μm thick structure compared to a 10 μm thick device. The resistivity of an ohmic structure in the thin limit is strongly dependent on the bulk and near-contact compensation, and resistivity measurements can be used as a sensitive measure of compensation at interfaces or in the tail of implanted layers.     

Probing charge carrier compensation in high energy ion irradiated III–V semiconductor by Raman spectroscopy and Hall measurements

Raman spectroscopy and Hall measurements have been carried out to investigate the differences in near‐surface charge carrier modulation in high energy (~100 MeV) silicon ion (Si⁸⁺) and oxygen ion (O⁷⁺) irradiated n‐GaAs. In the case of O ion irradiation, the observed decrease in carrier concentration with increase in ion fluence could be explained in the view of charge compensation by possible point defect trap centers, which can form because of elastic collisions of high energy ions with the target nuclei. In Si irradiated n‐GaAs one would expect the carrier compensation to occur at a fluence of 2.5 × 10¹³ ions/cm², if the same mechanism of acceptor state formation, as in case of O irradiation, is considered. However, we observe the charge compensation in this system at a fluence of 5 × 10¹² ions/cm². We discuss the role of the complex defect states, which are formed because of the interaction of the primary point defects, in determining carrier concentration in a Si irradiated n‐GaAs wafer. The above results are combined with the reported data from the literature for high energy silver ion irradiated n‐GaAs, in order to illustrate the effect of both electronic and nuclear energy loss on trap creation and charge compensation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermally induced optical bistability in CdHgTe

We report optical bistability in a room temperature, uncoated Cd_0.185Hg_0.815Te etalon using a cw CO₂ laser at 10.6 μm. The results are consistent with a band gap resonant, dispersive nonlinearity induced by a thermal shift of the band gap energy through interband and free carrier absorption. A refractive index temperature coefficient, dn/dT ～ ? 1 × 10^-3K^-1 was measured, and bistability was observed at incident powers of 20 mW.     

Indium tin oxide sol-gel precursor conversion process using the third harmonics of Nd:YAG laser

We use the third harmonics of Nd:YAG laser (λ = 355 nm) for simultaneous precursor conversion and dopant activation on sol-gel ITO thin films at a laser fluence range of 700-1000 mJ/cm². A minimum resistivity of 5.37 × 10⁻² Ω-cm with a corresponding carrier concentration of 6 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³ is achieved at laser irradiation fluence of 900 mJ/cm². X-ray photoelectron analysis reveals that extremely high tin concentration of 19.4 at.% and above is presented in the laser-cured ITO thin films compared with 8.7 at.% in the 500 °C thermally cured counterpart. These excess tin-ions form complex defects, which contribute no free carriers but act as scattering centers, causing inferior electrical properties of the laser-cured films in comparison with the thermally cured ones.     

Drude's model calculation rule on electrical transport in Sb-doped SnO2 thin films, deposited via sol-gel

The evaluation of free carrier concentration based on Drude's theory can be performed by the use of optical transmittance in the range 800-2000 nm (near infrared) for Sb-doped SnO₂ thin films. In this article, we estimate the free carrier concentration for these films, which are deposited via sol-gel dip-coating. At approximately 900 nm, there is a separation among transmittance curves of doped and undoped samples. The plasma resonance phenomena approach leads to free carrier concentration of about 5×10²⁰ cm⁻³. The increase in the Sb concentration increases the film conductivity; however, the magnitude of measured resistivity is still very high. The only way to combine such a high free carrier concentration with a rather low conductivity is to have a very low mobility. It becomes possible when the crystallite dimensions are taken into account. We obtain grains with 5 nm of average size by estimating the grain size from X-ray diffraction data, and by using line broadening in the diffraction pattern. The low conductivity is due to very intense scattering at the grain boundary, which is created by the presence of a large amount of nanoscopic crystallites. Such a result is in accordance with X-ray photoemission spectroscopy data that pointed to Sb incorporation proportional to the free electron concentration, evaluated according to Drude's model.     

ATLAS simulation of a laser diode for free space optical communication (FSOC) in mid-infrared spectral region

In this paper, simulation studies on an N⁺-InAs_0.61Sb_0.13P_0.26/n⁰-InAs_0.97Sb_0.03/P⁺-InAs_0.61Sb_0.13P_0.26 double heterostructure laser diode suitable for use as a source in a free space optical communication system at 3.7 μm at room temperature has been presented. The device structure has been characterized in terms of energy band diagram, electric field profile, and carrier concentration profile using ATLAS simulation tool from Silvaco. The current-voltage characteristics of the structure have been estimated taking into account the degeneracy effect. The results of simulation have been validated by the reported experimental results.     

The effect of Erbium concentration on the optical spectrum of Erbium-doped fiber laser

We report an experimental observation of the influence of concentration of Er³⁺ ions in an Erbiumdoped silica fiber on the spectral characteristics of an erbium fiber laser. Our basic conclusion is that an increase of erbium concentration in the fiber results in the laser optical spectrum narrowing. We also discuss possible mechanisms responsible for this effect.     

极化诱导实现AlGaN薄膜材料中的超高电子浓度(1020cm-3)掺杂

材料的载流子浓度和迁移率是影响器件性能的关键因素, 变温Hall测试结果证明杂质掺杂AlGaN中的载流子浓度和迁移率随温度 降低而减小.然而极化诱导掺杂的载流子浓度和迁移率不受温度变化的影响.以准绝缘 的GaN体材料作为衬底, 在组分分层渐变的AlGaN中实现的极化诱导掺杂浓度 仅仅在10¹⁷ cm^-3数量级甚至更低. 本研究采用载流子浓度为10¹⁶ cm^-3量级的非有意n型掺杂GaN模板为衬底, 用极化诱导掺杂技术在分子束外延生长的AlGaN薄膜材料中实现了高 达10²⁰ cm^-3 量级的超高电子浓度. 准绝缘的体材GaN半导体作衬底时, 只有表面自由电子作为极化掺杂源, 而非有意掺杂的GaN模板衬底除了提供表面自由电子外,还能为极化电场 提供更多的自由电子"源", 从而实现超高载流子浓度的n型掺杂.     

Extremely fast ambipolar diffusion in n-i-p-i doping superlattices investigated by an all-optical pump-and-probe technique

We report on investigations of the ambipolar diffusion process in n-i-p diodes and n-i-p-i doping superlattices performed by a new all-optical pump-and-probe technique. This new technique allows not only the determination of the ambipolar diffusion coefficient but also the spatially resolved investigation of the stationary distribution of the optically-induced excess carriers. The n-i-p-i doping superlattice exhibited an extremely large ambipolar diffusion coefficient in the range of 10⁴cm²s⁻¹. The ambipolar diffusion coefficient of the n-i-p and n-i-p-i structure was demonstrated not to be a constant but a function of the charge carrier density. This strongly affects the spatial distribution of the excess carriers especially in the large signal regime (density of photo-generated carriers much larger than dark carrier concentration). The spatial distribution of the carriers in the small as well as in the large signal case can be understood theoretically if the real dependence of the ambipolar diffusion coefficient on the carrier density is taken into account.     

Recombination mechanism of photoluminescence in InN epilayers

We report an investigation of the recombination mechanism for photoluminescence (PL) in InN epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition with a wide range of free electron concentrations from 3.5×10¹⁷-5×10¹⁹ cm⁻³. We found that the PL spectra are strongly blueshifted with increasing excitation intensity. For all the samples studied, the exponent of the relationship between the integrated PL intensity and the excitation intensity is very close to unity and independent of the temperature. By assuming Gaussian fluctuations of the random impurity potential, calculation based on the ‘free-to-bound’ recombination model can be used to interpret our results very well and it correctly reproduces the development of the total PL peak shift as a function of carrier concentration. It is concluded that the PL transition mechanism in InN epifilms can be characterized as the recombination of free electrons in the conduction band to nonequilibrium holes in the valence band tail.     

Modification of carrier dynamics in CdSe nanocrystals by excess Cd in deposition bath

Photoexcited carrier dynamics in thin CdSe nanocrystalline films prepared by chemical bath deposition are strongly dependent on the deposition parameters. In this paper, we show how an increase in concentration of CdSO₄ in deposition bath affects the photoexcited carrier dynamics in nanocrystals. We used ultrafast absorption and photoluminescence laser spectroscopy to compare the carrier dynamics in samples prepared with and without increased CdSO₄ concentration. We have found that in the Cd-rich samples the spectral dependences of both photoluminescence and absorption dynamics are considerably less pronounced and the dynamics are slower. The observed effects were explained by the suppression of surface mediated carrier relaxation due to the passivation of individual nanocrystals by cadmium hydroxide and/or by sulphatocomplexes of Cd²⁺.     

Der Einfluß der freien Ladungsträger auf die optischen Konstanten des Bi2Se3 im Wellenlängengebiet von 2 bis 23 μm

The influence of free carriers on the optical constants of Bismuthtriselenide Bi₂Se₃ was investigated in the infrared (2–23 μm). The reflection and transmission ofn-type Bi₂Se₃ single crystals was measured at approximately 30, 80 and 300 °K. Up till now,p-type Bi₂Se₃ is not known. The dependence of the refraction index and the absorption constant on the wavelength was calculated from the results of the measurements. It was found that the optical constants strongly depend on the carrier concentration. The crystals were prepared according the bridgman method. They normally have a carrier concentration of about 10¹⁹ cm^?3, which can be diminished by annealing in Selenium vapour of various pressure up to 10¹⁸ cm^?3. Bismuthtriselenide is a degenerated semiconductor. We obtained for the optical energy band gap by extrapolation the value 0,21 eV. It increases with increasing carrier concentration. This is known as the Burstein-Moss-effect.     

Frequency response measurement of high-speed photodetectors using the spectrum power method in a delay self-heterodyne system

We report on a photoionization scheme for controlled loading of ⁸⁸Sr⁺ ions into a radio-frequency (rf) ion trap. The two-step doubly-resonant process drives the ⁸⁸Sr atom on the 5s^{2 1} S ₀ – 5s5p¹ P ₁ transition at 461 nm using a frequency-doubled diode laser, and then excites the atom to the autoionizing (4d²+5p²) ¹ D ₂ state with 405 nm light from a free-running diode laser. This method of trap loading is quantitatively compared to electron bombardment loading, and shown to reduce the Sr vapour pressure required to load by four orders of magnitude. It also provides more than an order of magnitude reduction in the day-to-day variation of the voltages required to compensate micromotion. We additionally introduce a two-step atomic source consisting of an oven and hotplate, which reduces the number of impurities evaporated towards the trap. This is shown to significantly reduce fluctuations in required micromotion compensation voltages. The demonstrated reduction in flux and increased source purity are expected to improve the reliability of trap operation for precision ion-trap experiments. PACS 32.80.Fb; 32.80.Pj; 39.10.+j     

Defects in pulsed laser and thermal processed ion implanted silicon

The evolution of the nature and concentration of the defects produced by 100 or 300 keV As ions at fluences 1 to 4×10^–12 cm^–2 inn-type, Fz Silicon doped with 10¹⁵ to 10¹⁶ cm^–3 has been studied as function of thermal treatments (in the range 500°–900 °C) and of the energy density (in the range 0.3–0.6 J cm^–2) of a light pulse from a ruby laser (15 ns, 0.69 m). Deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) combined with capacitance — voltage (C-V) measurements were used to get the characteristics (energy level, crosssection for the capture of majority carriers) of the defects and theirs profiles. The difficulties encountered in the analysis of the results, due to the large compensation of free carriers in the implanted region and to the abrupt defect and free carrier profiles, are discussed in detail and the corrections to apply on the C-V characteristics and the DLTS spectra are described. The defects resulting from the two types of treatments are found to be essentially the same. Only, for laser energies higher than 0.5 J cm^–2, the laser treatment appears to introduced new defects (atE0.32 eV) which should result from a quenching process. The fact that a laser energy smaller than the threshold energy for melting and recrystallization is able to anneal, at least partially, the defects produced by the implantation, demonstrates that the annealing process induced by the laser pulse is not a purely thermal process but is enhanced by a mechanism involving ionization.     

Nd: YAG laser annealing of gallium-implanted silicon

A Q-switched Nd: YAG laser with a pulse duration of 20 ns was used to investigate effects of laser annealing in gallium implanted silicon. Rutherford backscattering and Hall-effect measurements were performed to evaluate the annealed layer. Differential Hall-effect measurements were carried out to obtain carrier concentration profiles after annealing. It was found that a maximum sheet carrier concentration of 8×10¹⁵ cm⁻² can be obtained for a gallium implantation of 10¹⁶ cm⁻² by laser annealing with an energy density of more than 1.0 J cm⁻². Although the peak carrier concentration was found to be 8.0×10²⁰ cm⁻³, the annealed layer showed polycrystalline structures even after annealing with an energy density up to 4J cm⁻². The annealing took place in the solid phase in this energy density range.     

Determination of the transport properties in 4H-SiC wafers by Raman scattering measurement

The free carrier density and mobility in n-type 4H-SiC substrates and epilayers were determined by accurately analysing the frequency shift and the full-shape of the longitudinal optic phonon--plasmon coupled (LOPC) modes, and compared with those determined by Hall-effect measurement and that provided by the vendors. The transport properties of thick and thin 4H-SiC epilayers grown in both vertical and horizontal reactors were also studied. The free carrier density ranges between 2×10¹⁸ cm^-3 and 8×10¹⁸ cm^-3 with a carrier mobility of 30--55 cm²/(V·s) for n-type 4H-SiC substrates and 1×10¹⁶--3×10¹⁶ cm^-3 with mobility of 290--490 cm²/(V·s) for both thick and thin 4H-SiC epilayers grown in a horizontal reactor, while thick 4H-SiC epilayers grown in vertical reactor have a slightly higher carrier concentration of around 8.1×10¹⁶ cm^-3 with mobility of 380 cm²/(V·s). It was shown that Raman spectroscopy is a potential technique for determining the transport properties of 4H-SiC wafers with the advantage of being able to probe very small volumes and also being non-destructive. This is especially useful for future mass production of 4H-SiC epi-wafers.     

Carrier concentration dependence of optical Kerr nonlinearity in indium tin oxide films

Optical Kerr nonlinearity (n₂) in n-type indium tin oxide (ITO) films coated on glass substrates has been measured using Z-scans with 200-fs laser pulses at wavelengths ranging from 720 to 780 nm. The magnitudes of the measured nonlinearity in the ITO films were found to be dependent on the carrier concentration with a maximum n₂-value of 4.1×10^-5 cm²/GW at 720-nm wavelength and an electron density of N_d=5.8×10²⁰ cm^-3. The Kerr nonlinearity was also observed to be varied with the laser wavelength. By employing a femtosecond time-resolved optical Kerr effect (OKE) technique, the relaxation time of OKE in the ITO films is determined to be ∼1 ps. These findings suggest that the Kerr nonlinearity in ITO can be tailored by controlling the carrier concentration, which should be highly desirable in optoelectronic devices for ultrafast all-optical switching. PACS 42.65.An; 42.65.Hw; 78.40.Fy     

Electrical properties of DX centers in GaAs and AlGaAs

Abstract

The DX center, the lowest energy state of the donor in AIGaAs with x < 0.22, is responsible for the reduced conductivity as well as the persistent photoconductivity observed in this material at low temperature. Extensive studies of the properties of this deep level in Si-doped AIGaAs are reviewed here. Data are presented showing that the characteristics of the DX center remain essentially unchanged when it is resonant with the conduction band (x < 0.22) and that, independent of other compensation mechanisms, the DX center therefore limits the free carrier concentration in Si-doped GaAs to a maximum of about 2 × 10¹⁹ cm^?3. Recent measurements suggesting that the lattice relaxation involves the motion of the Si atom from the substitutional site toward an interstitial site are also presented. Evidence for the negative U model, that the DX level is the two electron state of the substitutional donor, is discussed.