A broadband photon drag detector for pulsed, high-power radiation detection

A broadband detector based on the photon drag effect in semiconductors has been used for radiation detection from 600 m to 1 cm wavelengths. The measured responsivity of the detector at the longer wavelengths is 3 V/W.     

Intraband photoconductivity in variable-gap semiconductors produced by photon drag of charge carriers

The special features resulting from the photon drag of intraband photoconductivity carriers in variable-gap semiconductors with intrinsic type conductivity and a forbidden-gap width which varies linearly with distance are considered theoretically. An analysis is made of the dependence of the photoconductivity on the gradient of the forbidden-gap width for different surface recombination rates and sample thicknesses. It is shown that a spatial inhomogeneity of the band structure in semiconductors enables their photoconductivity to be substantially increased, especially in the case of thick samples.Institute of Applied Physics at the Ivan Franko State University, L'vov. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 9, pp. 48–52, September, 1993.     

UP-conversion of terahertz radiation induced by photon drag effect

An all-optical approach to convert terahertz radiation (THz, wavelength λ₁) into infrared (IR, peak wavelength λ₂) is presented. We show that this up-conversion process is due to the photon drag effect induced by the THz radiation in intrinsic narrow-gap semiconductors followed by spatial redistribution of current carriers and band-to-band radiative recombination. The process results in non-selective high-speed (ns range rise/fall times) IR imaging of positive (conventional luminescence) and/or negative (negative luminescence) contrasts. Estimates made for an InSb pixelless converter at 300 K and moderate THz intensity (kW/cm²) show that this up-conversion process (with λ₁/λ₂>10²) can be observed with a conventional thermal imaging camera.     

The generation of free carriers in CdTe by radiation

This paper presents the results of the quantum efficiency measurement of CdTe over the photon energy range 1·5–4·5 eV obtained from the photovoltaic effect on special photodiodes. There are two kinks observable in the increase of the quantum efficiency which can be explained on the basis of the band structure of CdTe. The first is due to electron, the second due to hole ionization.I wish to thank Prof. E.Klier and Doc. R.Kuel, CSc. for their valuable discussions and Ing. P.Polívka, CSc. for the preparation of CdTe single crystals.     

The quantum size effect in thin antimony films

Thin antimony films have been epitaxially deposited at 350K onto cleavage surfaces of mica at different residual gas pressures between 10^?5 and 10^?9 torr, and their resistivity ? measured as a function of film thicknessd≦500Å at temperaturesT=110K andT=300K. The ?(d) characteristics of films deposited at residual gas pressures of about 10^?6 torr with condensation rates of about 1Å/s showed generally decreasing slopes as film thicknesses increased, but irregularities in detail. The ?(d) characteristics of films deposited at 10^?8 torr with the same condensation rate decreasing with increasingd, too, show no such irregularities but very small regular variations of ?(d) with constant oscillation length Δd between the maxima, and decreasing amplitudes with increasingd. These variations are better recognizable in a modified ?(d) graph. We tend to interprete these variations by the quantum size effect as we found oscillation lengths and amplitudes compatibel with theory.

     

The quantum size effect in thin antimony films

Thin antimony films have been epitaxially deposited at 350K onto cleavage surfaces of mica at different residual gas pressures between 10⁻⁵ and 10⁻⁹ torr, and their resistivity ∂ measured as a function of film thicknessd≦500? at temperaturesT=110K andT=300K. The ∂(d) characteristics of films deposited at residual gas pressures of about 10⁻⁶ torr with condensation rates of about 1?/s showed generally decreasing slopes as film thicknesses increased, but irregularities in detail. The ∂(d) characteristics of films deposited at 10⁻⁸ torr with the same condensation rate decreasing with increasingd, too, show no such irregularities but very small regular variations of ∂(d) with constant oscillation length Δd between the maxima, and decreasing amplitudes with increasingd. These variations are better recognizable in a modified ∂(d) graph. We tend to interprete these variations by the quantum size effect as we found oscillation lengths and amplitudes compatibel with theory.     

Multiphonon hopping of carriers in CuO thin films

We have performed a detailed study of the electrical conduction process in CuO thin films deposited by the sol-gel dip coating technique in a temperature range 280-420 K. The electrical conduction is analyzed within the framework of various hopping conduction models. Multiphonon hopping conduction mechanism is found to dominate the electrical transport in the entire temperature region. Our results are consistent with this model of hopping conduction mechanisms with weak carrier-lattice coupling.     

Infrared free electron laser measurement of the photon drag effect in P-silicon

We report the use of FELIX (free electron laser for infrared experiments) to study photon drag in p-silicon over the wavelength range 25–80m. Previous spot measurements using a pulsed water vapour laser had indicated high response at 28 and 33m associated with transitions within the valence band. These earlier results have been confirmed and the main futures of the extended photon drag spectrum are also explainable by reference to the valence band structure. A practical outcome of the experiment is the design of a subnanosecond response time detector to observe the 1GHz frequency micropulse output from FELIX.     

Simulation of irradiation of thin layers of biological matter by low-energy photon radiation

Passage of 1–400 keV photons through thin layers (0.001–1.0 mm) of biological matter was simulated. Monte Carlo simulation was performed using the GEANT4.9 software package. The energy dependences of the absorbed dose and number of ionizing events and the number of ionizing events per unit absorbed dose were obtained. It was shown that the dependences in many respects are determined by the thickness of layers. Assuming that equal numbers of ionizing events in the layer cause equal biological effects, energy dependences of relative biological effectiveness of photons in the energy range studied have been estimated.     

Structural and optical properties of thermally evaporated antimony telluride thin films

Antimony telluride thin films were prepared on the well-cleaned glass substrates under a pressure of 10 – 5 torr by thermal evaporation method. The thicknesses of the films were measured using Multiple Beam Interferometer (MBI) technique. The structure of the sample was analyzed by X-ray diffraction technique. The film attains crystalline structure as the temperature of the substrate is increased to 373 K. The d spacing and the lattice parameters of the sample were calculated. Optical behavior of the film samples with the various thicknesses was analyzed by obtaining their transmittance spectra in the wavelength range of 400 – 800 nm. The transmittance is found to decrease with increase in film thickness and also it falls steeply with decreasing wavelength. The optical constants were estimated and the results are discussed. The optical band gap energy decreases with increase in the film thickness. The optical transition in these films is found to be indirect and allowed. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Ionic Devices, Anna University, Chennai, India, Nov. 28–30, 2003.     

Influence of radiation on thin ZnS-Tb films

Changes in thin zinc-sulfide films under the action of the γ-radiation of Co⁶⁰ are studied by investigating electroluminescence spectra of terbium embedded in these films as a luminescent probe. It is shown that changes in the relation of the intensities of bands, a decrease in their halfwidth and the background component, and simplification of the spectrum are observed in a short-wave region of the Tb radiation spectrum that corresponds to⁵D₃→⁷F_j transitions. The same modification of the radiation spectrum is characteristic of ZnS films whose crystalline structure is ordered in the course of thermal annealing at a temperature of 350°C. Based on the analysis of the data obtained it is inferred that irradiating the ZnS films with small radiation doses of 10⁴–10⁵ rad leads to the ordering of their crystalline structure due to the elimination of one of the types of structural defects. Institute of Physics of Semiconductors, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 45, Nauka Ave., Kiev-28, 252650. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 338–341, May–June, 1997.     

Some optical properties of amorphous and crystalline antimony trisulphide thin films

The change in optical properties accompanying the amorphous crystalline transition has been studied for antimony trisulphide thin films. The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant are found to be much lower for amorphous films at lower photon energies, possibly because of a large number of defect states which would mostly disturb the top of the valence band and the conduction band comprised, respectively, of chalcogen lone pair and antibonding states. The crystalline material shows some structure in the imaginary part of the dielectric constant that corresponds to interband transitions, and apparently the direct band edge is at 1.88 eV. In the edge region the power law absorption has been observed in the amorphous material from which the extrapolated optical gap has been found to be 1.7 eV.     

采用Si薄膜的光子计数成像系统性能的研究

在陶瓷基底上利用电子束蒸镀方法制备了Si薄膜,用作感应读出方式光子计数成像系统的电荷感应层,并研究了薄膜的结构特征和表面形态.X射线衍射(XRD)测试和场发射扫描电子显微镜(FESEM)图像表明,沉积的Si薄膜为无定形态,由于陶瓷晶界的存在,薄膜较粗糙.搭建了相应的实验系统,对比了采用不同厚度Si薄膜时系统的空间分辨率、计数率、脉冲高度分布曲线等,发现薄膜的厚度对探测器的计数率影响较大.此外,实验还对比了采用相同电阻值的Si薄膜和常用的Ge薄膜时系统的性能.研究表明,采用Si薄膜时系统的畸变较小、计数率高     

High-energy ion induced physical and surface modifications in antimony sulphide thin films

Sb₂S₃ thin films prepared by electrodeposition on indium tin oxide coated glass substrate were irradiated with 150 MeV Ni¹¹⁺ ions for various fluence in the range of 10¹¹–10¹³ ions/cm². The modifications in the structure, surface morphology and optical properties have been studied as a function of ion fluence. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates a shift in the (2 4 0) peak position towards lower diffraction angle and a decrease in grain size with increase in ion fluence. Presence of microcracks due to irradiation induced grain splitting effect has been observed from the SEM micrograph at higher ion fluence. The optical absorbance spectrum revealed a shift in the fundamental absorption edge and the band gap energy increased from a value of 1.63 eV for as-deposited films to 1.80 eV for the films irradiated with 10¹³ ions/cm².     

Structural and optoelectronic properties of antimony tin sulphide thin films deposited by thermal evaporation techniques

Thin films of SnSb₂S₄ have been prepared on glass substrate by using thermal evaporation techniques. The films were annealed in argon gas at low pressure in sealed glass ampoules at 85 °C, 150 °C, 275 °C and 325 °C. XRD of the films reveal that the low temperature annealed films are poly crystalline while the as deposited films and high annealed films are in amorphous states. There is no adequate variation in the photoconductivity response of the amorphous and crystalline phases. The transmittance of the films is low and having no transmittance below 740 nm. The band gap calculated by ellipsometry technique is in the range of 1.82–3.1 eV. The films have n-type conductivity but the film annealed at 325 °C show p-type conductivity.     

Metal-insulator transition in SrTiO(3-x) thin films induced by frozen-out carriers

We report optical, electrical and magnetotransport properties of oxygen deficient SrTiO(3) (SrTiO(3-x)) thin films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition technique. The oxygen vacancies (O(vac)) in the thin film are expected to be uniform. By comparing its electrical properties to those of bulk SrTiO(3-x), it was found that O(vac) in bulk SrTiO(3-x) is far from uniform over the whole material. The metal-insulator transition (MIT) observed in the SrTiO(3-x) film was found to be induced by the carrier freeze-out effect. The low temperature frozen state can be reexcited by Joule heating, electric and intriguingly magnetic field.     

Thickness effect on the structural and optical constants of stibnite thin films prepared by sulfidation annealing of antimony films

This paper deals with some physical properties of antimony sulphide Sb₂S₃ thin films obtained by an annealing process in sulphur vapors at 300 °C of Sb thermal evaporated thin films deposited on glass substrate. The crystal structure and surface morphology were investigated by both XRD and AFM techniques. This structural study shows that Sb₂S₃ thin films were well crystallized in orthorhombic structure and some parameters such as the lattice parameter, crystallite size, microstrain and degree of preferred orientation have been reported and correlated with the effect of crystallite size. On the other hand, the refractive index and the extinction coefficient were discussed in terms of the Forouhi–Bloomer model. The optical band gap was found to range from 1.75 to 2.23 eV. Finally, the analysis of the optical parameters extracted from the Urbach–Martienssen and Forouhi–Bloomer models lead to some explanations of the correlations between the structural properties in terms of the crystallite size and optical ones.