Narrow band gap group III-nitride alloys

Recent results on the properties of narrow gap group III-nitrides and their alloys are reviewed. It is shown that InN with the energy gap of 0.7 eV exhibits classical characteristics of a narrow gap semiconductor with strongly nonparabolic conduction band and an energy dependent electron effective mass. With the new discovery, the direct band gaps of the group III-nitride alloys span an extremely wide energy range from near infrared in InN to deep ultraviolet in AlN offering possibilities for new device applications of these materials. We also discuss properties of dilute group III-N–V alloys in which incorporation of a small amount of nitrogen results in a dramatic band gap reduction. All the unusual properties of the alloys are well described by a band anticrossing model that considers an interaction between localized nitrogen states and the extended states of the conduction band.     

Diluted II-VI oxide semiconductors with multiple band gaps

We report the realization of a new mult-band-gap semiconductor. Zn(1-y)Mn(y)OxTe1-x alloys have been synthesized using the combination of oxygen ion implantation and pulsed laser melting. Incorporation of small quantities of isovalent oxygen leads to the formation of a narrow, oxygen-derived band of extended states located within the band gap of the Zn(1-y)Mn(y)Te host. When only 1.3% of Te atoms are replaced with oxygen in a Zn0.88Mn0.12Te crystal the resulting band structure consists of two direct band gaps with interband transitions at approximately 1.77 and 2.7 eV. This remarkable modification of the band structure is well described by the band anticrossing model. With multiple band gaps that fall within the solar energy spectrum, Zn(1-y)Mn(y)OxTe1-x is a material perfectly satisfying the conditions for single-junction photovoltaics with the potential for power conversion efficiencies surpassing 50%.     

Three-dimensional confinement in the conduction band structure of InP

Strong quantum confinement in InP is observed to significantly reduce the separation between the direct and indirect conduction band states. The effects of three-dimensional confinement are investigated by tailoring the initial separation between conduction band states using quantum dots (QDs) of different sizes and hydrostatic pressure. Analyses of the QD emission spectra show that the X(1c) states are lowest in energy at pressures of approximately 6 GPa, much lower than in the bulk. The transition to the X(1c) states can be explained by either a sequence of gamma-L and L-X crossings, or by the crossover between strongly coupled gamma and X states.     

Electronic band structure and x-ray spectra of boron nitride polytypes

The electronic band structures of boron nitride crystal modifications of the graphite (h-BN), wurtzite (w-BN), and sphalerite (c-BN) types are calculated using the local coherent potential method in the cluster muffin-tin approximation within the framework of the multiple scattering theory. The specific features of the electronic band structure of 2H, 4H, and 3C boron nitride polytypes are compared with those of experimental x-ray photoelectron, x-ray emission, and K x-ray absorption spectra of boron and nitrogen. The features of the experimental x-ray spectra of boron nitride in different crystal modifications are interpreted. It is demonstrated that the short-wavelength peak revealed in the total densities of states (TDOS) in the boron nitride polytypes under consideration can be assigned to the so-called outer collective band formed by 2p electrons of boron and nitrogen atoms. The inference is made that the decrease observed in the band gap when changing over from wurtzite and sphalerite to hexagonal boron nitride is associated with the change in the coordination number of the components, which, in turn, leads to a change in the energy location of the conduction band bottom in the crystal.     

石墨烯能带中的重叠矩阵效应:Tight-Binding方法在模拟中的研究

采用紧束缚方法计算了石墨烯的价带(π)和导带(π*),考虑了非正交基矢下重叠矩阵效应,重叠积分参量s越小,导带越靠近费米面,而价带越远离费米面.在重叠积分参量s≤0.1时,基本保持了原子在实际空间中重叠所引起的能带的改变,太大(s=0.4)则会导致物理上失效.计算了石墨烯的能态密度,在费米面ε=0处(对应Dirac点)的能态密度为零,并且在Dirac点附近呈线性变化.     

Nonexistence of localized band tail states in substitutional semiconductor alloys and some other disordered systems

A recent theory of semiconducting glasses seems to imply a substantial density of localized band tail states in substitutional semiconductor alloys, such as Sie or GaAsP, and also in homogenous strain-free amorphous Si and Ge. Experimental evidence against the existence of such states in these non-glassy disordered materials is overwhelming. The paradox is resolved by noting that if the material is in thermodynamic equilibrium, the disorder of the atomic potentials will not result in disorder of the valence or conduction band energy levels.     

Strain-induced changes in the band gap of doped carbon nanotubes

The results of a theoretical research into the band gap of strained doped carbon nanotubes of two structural modifications of the “armchair” and “zigzag” types are described. The electronic states in the doped nanotubes are considered in terms of the periodic Anderson model. Nitrogen and boron atoms are selected as donor and acceptor substitutional defects, respectively. The dependences of the band gap of the carbon nanotubes on impurity concentration and compressive and tensile strain are studied.     

Investigation of valence band structures in Cu-Pd alloys

With the use of a HP 5950 A spectrometer X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) of valence band were obtained for Cu-Pd alloys and the density of electron states was calculated by the coherent potential method. It is found that d-resonance states of Pd are present in the alloys containing a high percentage of copper but there are no apparant d-resonance states of Cu in the alloys containing a high percentage of palladium.     

Stability and band offsets between Si and LaAlO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The replacement of traditional SiO₂ with high-k oxides allows the physical thickness of the gate dielectric to be thinner without the tunneling problem in Si-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors. LaAlO₃ appears to be a promising high-k material for use in future ultra large scale integrated devices. In the present paper, the electronic properties of Si/LaAlO₃ (001) heterojunctions are investigated by first-principles calculations. We studied the initial adsorption of Si atoms on the LaAlO₃ (001) surface, and found that Si atoms preferentially adsorb on top of oxygen atoms at higher coverage. The surface phase diagrams indicate that Si atoms may substitute oxygen atoms at the LaO-terminated surface. The band offsets, electronic density of states, and atomic charges are analyzed for the various Si/LaAlO₃ heterojunctions. Our results suggest that the Si/AlO₂ interface is suitable for the design of metal oxide semiconductor devices because the valence and conduction band offsets are both larger than 1 eV.     

The role that conduction band tail states play in determining the optical response of hydrogenated amorphous silicon

We aim to explore the role that conduction band tail states play in shaping the optical response of hydrogenated amorphous silicon. We do so within the framework of an empirical model for the valence band and conduction band density of states functions, one that considers valence band band, valence band tail, conduction band band, and conduction band tail states. We examine the sensitivity of the joint density of states function to variations in the conduction band tail breadth, all other parameters being held fixed at their nominal hydrogenated amorphous silicon values. We find that when the conduction band tail is narrower than the valence band tail, its role in shaping the corresponding spectral dependence of the joint density of states function is relatively minor. This justifies the use of a simplified empirical model for the density of states functions that neglects the presence of the conduction band tail states in the characterization of the optical response of this material. Experimental data corresponding to hydrogenated amorphous silicon, demonstrating that the conduction band tail breadth is always less than the valence band tail breadth for this material, is then presented. Finally, fundamental reasons for the observed asymmetry in the band tail breadths are reviewed.     

A hybrid functional first-principles study on the band structure of non-strained Ge_(1-x)Sn_x alloys

Using hybrid-functional first-principles calculation combined with the supercell method and band unfolding technique we investigate the band structure of non-strained Ge_(1-x)Sn_x alloys with various Sn concentrations. The calculations show that at the Sn concentration of ～ 3.1 mol% the Ge Sn alloy presents a direct band gap. The variation of the band structure are ascribed to the weaker electro-negativity of Sn atoms and a slight charge transfer from Sn atoms to Ge atoms.     

Electronic structures and energy band properties of Be- and S-doped wurtzite ZnO

The energy band properties, density of states, and band alignment of the BexZn1-xO1-ySy alloy （Be- and S-doped wurtzite ZnO） are investigated by the first-principles method. BexZn1-xO1-ySy alloy is a direct band gap semiconductor, the valence band maximum （VBM） and the conduction band minimum （CBM） of BexZn1-xO1-ySy are dominated by S 3p and Zn 4s states, respectively. The band gap and lattice constant of BexZn1-xO1-ySy alloy can be modulated by changing the doped content values x and y. With the increase in Be content value x in the BexZnl-xOl-ySy alloy, the band gap increases and the lattice constant reduces, but the situation is just the opposite when increasing the S content value y in the BexZn1-xO1-ySy alloy. Because the lattice constant of Be0.375Zn0.625O0.75S0.25 alloy is well matched with that of ZnO and its energy gap is large compared with that of ZnO, so the Be0.375Zn0.625O0.75S0.25 alloy is suitable for serving as the blocking material for a high-quality ZnO-based device.     

Photoemission study of the electronic and chemical structure of amorphous CuxY100-x films

Valence band and core level photoelectron spectra are reported for clean Cu_xY_100-x amorphous thin films grown in situ by sputtering of targets with different stoichiometry. The density of occupied states of these amorphous metallic alloys is shown not to be a simple linear superposition of the constituent densities of states. Experimental evidence shows overlap of Cu and Y d bands with significant electron transfer from Y to Cu atoms which induce large bonding shifts, narrowing and intensity modifications of the valence band. The same conclusion is reached from the Cu core level shift and asymmetry. An estimation of the effective Coulomb interaction on Cu sites from Auger results is attempted.     

Satellite band in the rovibrational spectrum of CO2 in helium droplets

Pulsed infrared (nu approximately 2350 cm(-1)) laser excitation spectra of CO2 molecules embedded in helium droplets are reported. The spectra exhibit a sharp R(0) rovibrational line accompanied by a weak broader (deltanu approximately 10 cm(-1)) satellite band, which is shifted by 14 cm(-1) towards higher frequencies. We assign this satellite band to a simultaneous rovibrational excitation of a molecule and its helium solvation shell. The results are rationalized within a model, which includes coupling of the rotational states of a molecule and a ring of He atoms.     

Sizable band gap in organometallic topological insulator

Based on first principle calculation when Ceperley–Alder and Perdew–Burke–Ernzerh type exchange-correlation energy functional were adopted to LSDA and GGA calculation, electronic properties of organometallic honeycomb lattice as a two-dimensional topological insulator was calculated. In the presence of spin–orbit interaction bulk band gap of organometallic lattice with heavy metals such as Au, Hg, Pt and Tl atoms were investigated. Our results show that the organometallic topological insulator which is made of Mercury atom shows the wide bulk band gap of about ∼120 meV. Moreover, by fitting the conduction and valence bands to the band-structure which are produced by Density Functional Theory, spin–orbit interaction parameters were extracted. Based on calculated parameters, gapless edge states within bulk insulating gap are indeed found for finite width strip of two-dimensional organometallic topological insulators.     

Low-temperature hopping conduction over the upper Hubbard band in p-GaAs/AlGaAs multilayered structures

The low-temperature 2D variable range hopping conduction over the states of the upper Hubbard band is investigated in detail for the first time in multilayered Be-doped p-type GaAs/AlGaAs structures with quantum wells of 15-nm width. This situation was realized by doping the layer in the well and a barrier layer close to the well for the upper Hubbard band (A ⁺ centers) in the equilibrium state filled with holes. The conduction was of the Mott hopping type in the entire temperature range (4?0.4 K). The positive and negative magnetoresistance branches as well as of non-Ohmic hopping conduction at low temperature are analyzed. The density of states and the localization radius, the scattering amplitude, and the number of scatterers in the upper Hubbard band are estimated. It is found that the interference pattern of phenomena associated with hopping conduction over the A ⁺ band is qualitatively similar to the corresponding pattern for an ordinary impurity band, but the tunnel scattering is relatively weak.     

扶手椅型碳化硅纳米管电子结构和光学性质的研究

本文基于密度泛函理论研究了扶手椅型碳化硅纳米管(SiCNT)的电子结构、成键机制以及其光学性质。研究结果表明:当碳和硅的原子比为1∶1时,SiCNT的结构最为稳定,并且表现出诸多的优良性质。通过分析计算结果我们发现,SiCNT是间接带隙材料,并且管子的带隙随着直径的增加而增加。从SiCNT的轨道图谱中我们看到碳和硅原子之间属于sp2杂化,同时硅原子周围的电子密度明显要低于碳原子周围的电子密度。对能态密度的计算我们得知碳原子和硅原子分别主导价带和导带。与其它纳米管(BN)有所不同,SiCNT的光学性质更接近于各向同性材料。     

铁电体SrBi2Nb2O2电子能带结构的第一性原理研究

采用第一性原理的方法计算了SrBi₂Nb_2O.9（SBN）的顺电相、铁电相的电子结构.顺电相是间接带隙, 铁电相是直接带隙，它们的大小分别为1.57和2.23 eV.顺电相和铁电相的价带顶均主要来自于O₂p态的贡献.而顺电相和铁电相的导带底则分别来自Nb₄d态和Bi₆p态的贡献.计算表明SBN铁电相的低的漏电流与Bi 6p轨道有关.由顺电相到铁电相时，Nb₄d和O_{2 关键词： 顺电相 铁电相 态密度 电子能带结构}     

Free electronic states of UO2: Analysis of x-ray absorption by total multiple scattering

The experimentally observed x-ray absorption spectrum of oxygen in UO₂ is analyzed theoretically. The experimental absorption spectrum of oxygen is shown to agree well with details of the density of free p states of oxygen in the conduction band. It is found that a minimum cluster of atoms surrounding an absorbing oxygen ion required to reproduce all the details of the fine structure of the density of states at the bottom of the conduction band is of the order of 40 atoms. An analysis of the densities of the electronic states reveals the existence of hybridization of free p states of oxygen with s states of uranium in the conduction band of UO₂, as well as the exclusion of p states of oxygen by d states of uranium beyond the confines of the energy interval where they are localized. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1385–1388 (August 1999)