Time-resolved photoluminescence of delta-doped AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures

The photoluminescence (PL) at low temperature of three delta-doped AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures is investigated under continuous and pulsed excitations. The PL under continuous excitations allows the identification of the trapping centres and probes the carrier's transfer to the GaAs channel. The time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) inquires about carrier dynamics and gives radiative lifetimes of different levels. The DX level shows two time constants of the intensity decay relating the splitting of the valence band under impurity strains which reduce the crystal symmetry. The two time constants evolve with temperature and exhibit an increase near T=50 K.     

p-type ohmic contacts to AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures

Ohmic contacts to p-AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures have larger resistivities compared to n-type structures because holes are heavier than electrons and the heterointerface barrier for high mobility structures is thicker. This work shows that diffusion of Zn during an alloy process of a Au/Zn/Au metallization establishes high acceptor concentrations throughout the heterostructure resulting in a thin metal-semiconductor barrier and probably a degradation of the heterointerface barrier by disordering, while the heterostructure outside the contact region remains unchanged. Contact resistivities down to 3.5ωmm at 25K could thus be achieved.     

Smith Purcell effect in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures

We report a new experimental technique to study the form of the hot electron distribution function in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. A weak periodic surface potential induces Smith-Purcell-FIR-radiation of the electric field driven hot electrons in the 2-dimensional electron gas directly reflecting their velocity distribution. The FIR- radiation is detected by a magnetic field tuned InSb-detector. In samples with very low electron concentration and high mobility the emission spectra show a significant shift to higher energies and develop a steep high energy slope with increasing electric field when we use the geometry with grating vector q directed parallel to the electric field (q ∥ E). In the geometry q ⊥ E smooth decays are observed at lower energies. Comparison of the results with theory gives experimental evidence of a non-equilibrium shape of the distribution caused by the onset of LO-Phonon emission. In addition, the hot electron mean free path of the heated distribution is derived by investigating the experimental emission spectra as a function of the grating period length. The influence of a limited hot electron mean free path on the spectral width is described in terms of a Fourier-analysis of the interaction potential. In drift direction a mean free path of λ = 200 nm is obtained, whereas the mean free path is smaller in the direction perpendicular to the drift direction.     

InAs/GaAs和InAs/InxGa1-xAs/GaAs纳米线异质结构的生长研究

利用金辅助金属有机化学气相沉淀法(MOCVD)在GaAs(111)B衬底上分别制备了InAs/GaAs和InAs/In _{x Ga1-xAs/GaAs(0≤x≤1)纳米线异质结构.实验结果显示,直接生长在GaAs纳米线上的InAs纳米线生长方向杂乱或者沿着GaAs纳米线侧壁向衬底方向生长,生长的含有In x Ga1-xAs组分渐变缓冲段的InAs/In x Ga1-x关键词： 纳米线异质结构 xGa1-xAs')" href="#">InxGa1-xAs 组分渐变缓冲层 金属有机化学气相沉淀法}     

Origin of current instability in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures

We propose a mechanism to explain the electric instability often observed in modulation-doped heterostructures GaAs/AlGaAs when current is passed along the heterostructure layers. The instability is caused by hot electron transport in AlGaAs layer that is not only heavily doped, but also strongly compensated due to the presence of DX-centers. This layer contains a large-scale random potential of significant magnitude, which strongly affects electron transport. The heating of electrons in the percolation cluster net and electron transfer from the cluster into the random potential wells result in the appearance of latent negative differential conductivity causing the current instability. When the instability gives rise to the formation of a high electric field domain, one of the domain walls blocks the current flow through the two-dimensional electron gas. Experimental results supporting this mechanism are given.     

Ordering effects in InGaP/GaAs and InGaAsP/GaAs heterostructures grown by LP-MOVPE

Summary The cationic ordering in InGaP epilayers grown by low-pressure vapour phase epitaxy on GaAs substrates has been investigated by X-ray diffraction. The effects of both the substrate miscut and the doping with Si and Zn have been studied. It has been found that ordering effects occur inside relatively small domains on (1–11) and (−111) planes; however, by increasing the miscut angle the domains of the first kind tend to increase their dimensions, while the second ones tend to disappear. Moreover, doping with impurities substituting cations is seen to destroy the order. Photoluminescence anomalies have been revealed and correlated to the size and ordering degree of the ordered domain.     

亚单层InGaAs量子点-量子阱异质结构的时间分辨光致发光谱

测定了亚单层InGaAs/GaAs量子点-量子阱异质结构在5K下的时间分辨光致发光谱.亚单层量 子点的辐射寿命在500 ps 至 800 ps之间，随量子点尺寸的增大而增大，与量子点中激子的 较小的横向限制能以及激子从小量子点向大量子点的隧穿转移有关.光致发光上升时间强烈 依赖于激发强度密度.在弱激发强度密度下，上升时间为 35 ps，纵光学声子发射为主要的 载流子俘获机理.在强激发强度密度下，上升时间随激发强度密度的增加而减小，俄歇过程 为主要的载流子俘获机理.该结果对理解亚单层量子点器件的工作特性非常有用. 关键词： 亚单层 量子点-量子阱 时间分辨光致发光谱     

X-ray double-crystal rocking curves in GaAlAs/GaAs heterostructures

Summary X-ray double-crystal rocking curves of Ga_1−x Al _x As/GaAs heterostructures have been calculated using a dynamical diffraction model for the general case of Bragg reflection geometry. Different experimental configurations have been considered and the possibility of studying both slightly mismatched and relatively thin layers has been investigated. Experimental rocking curves have been measured using the CuKα ₁ radiation, the 004 symmetric reflection and a perfect crystal as the monochromator. An excellent agreement between calculated and experimental rocking curves has been found and this demonstrates the reliability of both the experimental procedure and the theoretical approach.     

Photoluminescence studies of GaAs/GaAlAs multiple quantum well heterostructures

The photoluminescence excited by He:Ne and Nd:YAG lasers of GaAs/Ga_0.75Al_0.25As multiple quantum well heterostructures grown by MBE was measured as a function of temperature from 4.2 K up to room temperature and for different pumping powers at constant temperature. The excitonic transitions associated with carriers confined in the quantum wells as well as other transitions associated with impurities either already present in the substrates or introduced into the samples during growth are identified in the spectra and fully characterized. From Arrhenius plots of the photoluminescence peak integrated intensities versus inverse temperature, activation energies are estimated for acceptor defects in the samples as well as for quantum well related excitonic transitions. Photoluminescence polarization experiments demonstrate a dramatic manifestation of the selection rules governing heavy hole and light hole optical transitions in quantum wells.     

Growth and characterization of GaAs/InxGa1-xAs/GaAs axial nanowire heterostructures with symmetrical heterointerfaces

We report on the Au-assisted vapour-liquid-solid （VLS） growth of GaAs/InxGal xAs/GaAs （0.2 ≤ x ≤1） axial double-heterostructure nanowires on GaAs （ 111 ） B substrates via the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition （MOCVD） technique. The influence of the indium （In） content in an Au particle on the morphology of nanowires is investigated systematically. A short period of pre-introduced In precursor before the growth of InxGal xAs segment, coupled with a group III precursor interruption, is conducive to obtaining symmetrical heterointerfaces as well as the desired In/Ga ratio in the InxGa1-xAs section. The nanowire morphology, such as kinking and tapering, are thought to be related to the In composition in the catalyst alloy as well as the VLS growth mechanism.     

Ultrasmall nanoscale devices fabricated from compensating-layer GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures

Nanoscale devices are fabricated from modulation-doped GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures, where the two-dimensional electron system is initially depleted. Upon removing the p-type capping layer that compensates for the n-type supply layer, the electron system is induced. Arbitrarily shaped areal, line, and dot elements, i.e. the nanostructures and 2D leads, are simultaneously fabricated by patterning a thin resist layer with an atomic force microscope and subsequent selective wet etching. In this way a single-electron transistor (SET) with a 60 nm diameter island, a 60 nm wide electron waveguide (EWG), and an Aharonov–Bohm (AB) loop of 110 nm average diameter are prepared. Measurements at T=1.5 K reveal Coulomb-blockade, quantized conductance and AB-oscillations for the SET, EWG, and AB loop, respectively. Finally, an EWG is demonstrated in split-gate geometry where the compensating layer is used as split gate.     

Antiphase disorder in GaAs/Ge heterostructures for solar cells

Antiphase disorder in metal organic vapour phase epitaxy grown GaAs/(100)Ge heterostructures has been studied both in as-grown materials and in GaAs solar cells by chemical etching, transmission electron microscopy, and cathodoluminescence. All the samples are single domains at the surface due to the self-annihilation of antiphase domains whose size decreases as the misorientation angle increases. Completely antiphase domain-free epitaxy has been achieved for substrate miscuts greater than 3 degrees off towards [111]. A reversal in sublattice location has been found in the GaAs layers varying the misorientation angle and the growth temperature. A model to explain this result has been proposed based on the role of surface steps in the nucleation process. Strong interaction between antiphase boundaries and misfit dislocations has been found in all the heterostructures. In solar cells antiphase domains have been observed in high densities in the initial layer of GaAs deposited on Ge. The successful realisation of high efficiency solar cells is due to the overgrowth of these domains by single phase material over most of the wafer area.     

Simulation of the indium profile in InGaAs/GaAs quantum-size heterostructures

A new approach to describe phenomena attendant on the growth of thin InGaAs epitaxial layers by hydride MOCVD in terms of which the boundary gas layer is considered as quasi-liquid is suggested. A numerical model for simulating the concentration profiles of the components in quantum-well heterostructures is developed. It is based on the assumption that a state close to thermodynamic equilibrium exists near the interface. The concentration profiles are simulated by jointly solving equations that describe heterogeneous equilibria and material balance at the interface. The indium profiles in InGaAs/GaAs quantum-size heterostructures are simulated at various parameters of the epitaxy process, such as temperature, initial component ratio in the gas phase, and boundary layer thickness. The results obtained agree well with the available experimental data.