Nano-laser on silicon quantum dots

A new conception of nano-laser is proposed in which depending on the size of nano-clusters (silicon quantum dots (QD)), the pumping level of laser can be tuned by the quantum confinement (QC) effect, and the population inversion can be formed between the valence band and the localized states in gap produced from the surface bonds of nano-clusters. Here we report the experimental demonstration of nano-laser on silicon quantum dots fabricated by nanosecond pulse laser. The peaks of stimulated emission are observed at 605 nm and 693 nm. Through the micro-cavity of nano-laser, a full width at half maximum of the peak at 693 nm can reach to 0.5 nm. The theoretical model and the experimental results indicate that it is a necessary condition for setting up nano-laser that the smaller size of QD (d < 3 nm) can make the localized states into band gap. The emission energy of nano-laser will be limited in the range of 1.7-2.3 eV generally due to the position of the localized states in gap, which is in good agreement between the experiments and the theory.     

Photoactivation of silicon quantum dots

We show that free-standing silicon quantum dots (QDs) can be photoactivated by blue or UV optical irradiation. The luminescence intensity increases by an order of magnitude for irradiation times of several minutes under moderate optical power. The cut-off energy for photoactivation is between 2.1 and 2.4 eV, not very different from the activation energy for hydrogen dissociation from bulk silicon surfaces. We propose the mechanism for this effect is associated with silicon-hydride bond breaking and the subsequent oxidation of dangling bonds. This phenomenon could be used to “write” luminescent quantum dots into pre-determined arrays.     

Numerical modeling of silicon quantum dots

We have developed a numerical approach to calculate the confining potential and charge profiles in silicon quantum dots. We use a 3D generalization of the strongly implicit procedure for the Poisson equation. The efficient difference approximation, proposed by Scharfetter and Gummel, was extended to 3D for the continuity equation. To reduce the computation time and storage requirements, an adaptive non-uniform mesh was adopted.     

Mid-infrared luminescence from coupled quantum dots and wells

Coupled nanostructures have been developed in the InAs/InSb/GaSb materials system in order to extend the emission wavelength further into the infrared, beyond 2 μm. The samples studied consist of a single narrow InAs quantum well grown below a layer of InSb quantum dots in a GaSb matrix, in which the coupling has been altered by changing the thickness of a GaSb spacer layer. The overall transition energy of the combined dot–well system is generally reduced with respect to the dots and well only but the dependence on spacer thickness is more complex than that expected from a simple envelope function model.     

Transport in split-gate silicon quantum dots

We report on the transport properties of novel Si quantum dot structures with controllable electron number through both top and side gates. Quantum dots were fabricated by a split-gate technique within a standard MOSFET process. Four-terminal dc electrical measurements were performed at 4.2 K in a liquid helium cryostat. Strong oscillations in the conductance through the dot are observed as a function of both the top gate bias and of the plunger bias. An overall monotonic and quasi-periodic movement of the peak conductance is observed which is believed to be associated with the bare level structure of the electronic states in the dot coupled with the Coulomb charging energy. Crossing behavior is observed as well, suggestive of either many-body effects or symmetry breaking of the dot states by the applied bias.     

硅量子点的形状及其弯曲表面效应

硅量子点的弯曲表面引起系统的对称性破缺, 致使某些表面键合在能带的带隙中形成局域电子态.计算结果表明:硅量子点的表面曲率不同形成的表面键合结合能和电子态分布明显不同. 例如, Si–O–Si桥键在曲率较大的表面键合能够在带隙中形成局域能级, 而在硅量子点曲率较小的近平台表面上键合不会形成任何局域态, 但此时的键合结合能较低. 用弯曲表面效应(CS)可以解释较小硅量子点的光致荧光光谱的红移现象. CS效应揭示了纳米物理中又一奇妙的特性. 实验证实, CS效应在带隙中形成的局域能级可以激活硅量子点发光. 关键词： 硅量子点 弯曲表面效应 表面键合 局域能级     

多孔硅量子点中的电子局域态

经过激光辐照和高温退火加工能够生成多孔硅样品,在650—780 nm处检测到很强的光致荧光（PL）峰,并且有明显的钉扎和增强效应.实验表明,这种PL发光的强度与样品受辐照和退火的时间短密切相关.通过第一性原理模拟计算发现,样品表面用SiO 双键和Si—O—Si桥键钝化,能隙中会出现电子局域态.激光辐照和高温退火的时间长短决定了样品表面SiO双键和Si—O—Si桥键的密度,而该密度正是影响多孔硅量子点中电子局域态生成的关键. 关键词： 多孔硅量子点 硅氧钝化键 电子局域态     

Electronic states and shapes of silicon quantum dots

A curviform surface breaks the symmetrical shape of silicon quantum dots on which some bonds can produce localized electronic states in the bandgap. The calculation results show that the bonding energy and electronic states of silicon quantum dots are different on various curved surfaces, for example, a Si-O-Si bridge bond on curved surface provides localized levels in bandgap and its bonding energy is shallower than that on the facet. The red-shifting ofthe photoluminescence spectrum on smaller silicon quantum dots can be explained by the curved surface effect. Experiments demonstrate that silicon quantum dots are activated for emission due to the localized levels provided by the curved surface effect.     

Electron and hole spectra of silicon quantum dots

In the framework of perturbation theory, the first several one-particle energies and wave functions for electrons and holes (six for each) in spherical silicon quantum dots are obtained in the envelope function approximation (kp method). It is shown that the model of an isotropic dispersion relation with the mean reciprocal effective mass is applicable for the ground state of holes in the valence band. Anisotropy of the dispersion relation, which takes place for bulk semiconductors, becomes significant for the electron ground state in the conduction band as well as for all excited (both electron and hole) states.     

Activation of silicon quantum dots for emission

The emission of silicon quantum dots is weak when their surface is passivated well. Oxygen or nitrogen on the surface of silicon quantum dots can break the passivation to form localized electronic states in the band gap to generate active centers where stronger emission occurs. From this point of view, we can build up radiative matter for emission. Emissions of various wavelengths can be obtained by controlling the surface bonds of silicon quantum dots. Our experimental results demonstrate that annealing is important in the treatment of the activation, and stimulated emissions at about 600 and 700 nm take place on active silicon quantum dots.     

Long-wavelength luminescence from GaSb quantum dots grown on GaAs substrates

Self-assembled GaSb quantum dots (QDs) with a photoluminescence wavelength longer than 1.3 μm were successfully grown by suppressing the replacement of As and Sb on the surface of the GaSb QDs. This result means that GaSb can thus join InAs or GaInAs as a suitable material for QD lasers for optical communications.     

Single-electron quantum dots in silicon MOS structures

We present experimental results for two types of quantum dots, which are embedded within a silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor structure. Evidence is found for single-electron charging at low temperature, and for an asymmetric shape of the dot. First results of simulations of these dots are presented. Received: 14 April 2000 / Accepted: 17 April 2000 / Published online: 6 September 2000     

Coherent control of thermalized luminescence in semiconductor quantum dots

A theoretical study of the time-integrated signal of thermalized luminescence excited by a pair of phase-locked light pulses shows that the idea of coherent control should be efficient for measuring the total dephasing rates of high-energy excitonic transitions. This approach can be used for studying both the homogeneously and inhomogeneously broadened systems, which is highly important in studies of the semiconductor quantum dots. It is found that the method of coherent control makes it possible not only to obtain information about the relaxation constants but also to make conclusions about the statistical properties of frequency distributions of the excitonic transitions responsible for broadening the optical spectra.     

Modeling the formation kinetics of wedge-shaped germanium quantum dots on silicon

A mathematical model for calculating the dependences of the parameters of self-organized germanium quantum dots (QDs) on silicon on the conditions of growth in molecular beam epitaxy is described. The energies of formation for pyramidal and wedge-shaped islands in the Ge/Si(001) system are calculated with allowance for the contributions from surface energy and elastic stress relaxation, and the drop in the energy of attraction between atoms and the substrate.     

Narrow luminescence linewidth of a silicon quantum dot

Single-dot luminescence spectroscopy was used to study the emission linewidth of individual silicon nanocrystals from low temperatures up to room temperature. The results show a continuous line narrowing towards lower temperatures with a linewidth as sharp as 2 meV at 35 K. This value, clearly below the thermal broadening at this temperature, proves the atomiclike emission from silicon quantum dots subject to quantum confinement. The low temperature measurements further reveal a approximately 6 meV replica, whose origin is discussed. In addition, an approximately 60 meV TO-phonon replica was detected, which is only present in a fraction of the dots.     

Signature of Kondo effect in silicon quantum dots

We report observation of the Kondo effect in the Coulomb blockade oscillations of an impurity quantum dot (IQD). This IQD is formed in the channel of a 100 nm gate length Silicon MOSFET. The quantitative analysis of the anomalous temperature and voltage dependence for the drain-source current over a series of Coulomb blockade oscillations is performed. It strongly supports the Kondo explanation for the conductance behavior at very low temperature in this standard microelectronics device. Received 13 November 2001 and Received in final form 18 February 2002     

Room temperature luminescence in CuI/AgI quantum dots

Room temperature luminescence in a CuI/AgI glass system is investigated by irradiating the system at 410 nm (3.02 eV). The spectrum peaks at 635 nm (1.95 eV) and 700 nm (1.77 eV), while the intensity is significantly enhanced (centered at 635 nm) by increasing the amount of AgI. We propose a model based on an increase in the AgI:Cu⁺ species at higher AgI concentration at which the red emission is attributed to the radiative recombination from carriers trapped at the donor sites (e.g., interstitial silver ions) and the acceptor sites (e.g., a vacancy-compensated divalent cation). The PL efficiency is also estimated by comparison with a standard rhodamine B solution.