Properties of Hg implanted Hg1−x Cd x Te infrared detectors

Experimental performance parameters of Hg implanted Hg_1?x Cd _x Te photovoltaic detectors are analyzed. At 77K, for 8–14 μm band, a comparison is made between performances and theoretical ultimate diffusion limits in low frequency direct detection. Experimental features are well-explained by a model based on the Auger band-to-band process for carrier recombination. Peak detectivities exceeding 10¹¹ cm Hz^1/2W^?1, external quantum efficiencies as high as 90%, and zero-bias resistance-area products better than 1 Ω·cm² have been achieved in devices with 12 μm cutoff wavelengths. In the 3–5 μm band performances are far from the diffusion limit. Notwithstanding, at 77K zero-bias resistance-area products are better than 10⁴Ω·cm² and detectivities of the order of 10¹² cm Hz^1/2W^?1 were observed at 5 μm. Predominant generation-recombination contribution are present at room temperature in 1–1.3 μm photodiodes whose detectivities, primarily limited by the Johnson noise, at 1.3 μm are higher than 10¹¹ cm Hz^1/2W^?1 at 300 K. The high frequency response of the photodiodes is also discussed. Response times as low as 0.5 ns are reached despite some limitations arising from the implanted layer sheet resistance.     

Variations of the band gap of Hg1 ? x Cd x Te solid solutions in response to a magnetic field

The optical transmission spectra of Hg_{1 ? x} Cd _x Te epitaxial layers with a magnetization gradient have been investigated experimentally. The magnetization gradient has been artificially created by the opposite arrangement of the poles of the magnets. The possibility of transforming the shape of the spectral dependences of the optical transmission of the HgCdTe films after their exposure to a magnetic field has been demonstrated. Assumptions about the mechanism underlying this phenomenon have been made.     

Factors determining the morphology of Cd x Hg1−x Te films in the course of molecular beam epitaxy

Using atomic force microscopy, the dependence of the micromorphology of CdHgTe(301) films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on growth conditions and micromorphology of the buffer CdTe layer is studied. Transmission and high-resolution electron microscopy were used to reveal the interrelation between the micromorphology and microstructure of CdHgTe(301) films. It is found that the roughness of the surface of buffer CdTe layers is inherited during growth of CdHgTe films and initiates the capture of excess tellurium by macrosteps under non-optimal growth conditions, thereby leading to nucleation of growing-in macrodefects. In CdHgTe(301) films grown at the elevated temperature, a periodic wave-like profile and associated lateral modulation of the composition in the [1?03] direction normal to the direction of profile lines [010] are observed. According to the model suggested in the study, formation of a wave-like profile and lateral modulations of the composition are caused by the character of distribution of stresses in the CdHgTe(301) film at the stage of pseudomorphic growth on the buffer CdTe layer.     

Optical homogeneity analysis of Hg1−xCdxTe epitaxial layers: How to circumvent the influence of impurity absorption bands?

Optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopies are standard tools for analysis of HgHg_1−xCd_xTe epitaxial layers in terms of homogeneity of the mole-fraction (x). For technological relevant layer thicknesses of ∼10 μm, both techniques may show dissimilar results, in particular if doped layers are investigated. This is due to defect levels, which impact to the results obtained by both techniques in different ways. We systematically investigate this behavior by analyzing two sets of HgCdTe layers, one set intrinsically doped by Hg-vacancies, the other extrinsically doped by arsenic (As). A model is outlined and applied to the experimental results, which consistently explains even non-monotonous temperature-shifts of the spectra. Eventually, guidelines for optical homogeneity tests are given. While transmission measurements are most reliable, when carried out at low temperature, where the defect level are frozen out, photoluminescence provides best results at ambient temperature, where band-states are increasingly populated. Both approaches help to reveal intrinsic material properties.     

On the nature of a lattice vibrational mode at a frequency of 135 cm−1 in Hg1 − x Cd x Te alloys

The vibrational spectrum of a cadmium impurity atom in the HgTe crystal has been calculated using the microscopic theory of lattice dynamics in the approximation of a low impurity concentration. Within this theory, the behavior of the local and quasi-local modes induced upon substitution of the lighter Cd atom for the Hg atom in the region of the zero or very low one-phonon density of states in the HgTe crystal has been considered. It has been found that, apart from the local mode at a frequency of 155 cm^?1, the calculated vibrational spectra exhibit a weak (but clearly pronounced) feature at a frequency of 134 cm^?1, which coincides with the experimentally observed vibrational mode (the “minicluster” mode) at a frequency of 135 cm^?1 in the Hg_{1 ? x} Cd _x Te (x = 0.2–0.3) alloys at 80 K.     

EXAFS Studies of the Local Structure Around Zn in Cd1−x Zn x Te

X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been used to obtain information on the local structure around Zn atoms in CdTe. The Zn–Te distance is 5% smaller than the Cd–Te bond-length in the bulk, but slightly larger than in pure ZnTe. A similar effect is predicted by FLAPW calculations. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optical investigation of the vertical diffusion of manganese in planar structures based on CdTe and Cd1 − x Mg x Te with ultrathin MnTe layers

The emission spectra of planar structures based on CdTe and Cd_{1 ? x} Mg _x Te containing periodically built-in MnTe layers with a nominal thickness of one monolayer have been investigated. The luminescence spectra and luminescence excitation spectra of manganese ions and excitons, as well as the dependences of the spectra on the temperature and magnetic field strength, are used to determine the actual distribution of manganese ions. The full width at half-maximum of the profile describing the change in the concentration of manganese in the growth direction of the structures is estimated to be 7–8 monolayers.     

Laser radiation of Cd x Zn1−x S semiconductor targets of the gas diode

The experimental results on the study of radiation of Cd _x Zn_1?x S semiconductor targets (STs) of the gas diode (GD) for the pressure variation from 10^?1 Torr to the atmospheric pressure are presented. Pulses 0.5–1 ns long with an amplitude to 200 kV were applied to the GD cathode. Laser radiation (509 nm) was generated in the ST under a beam of accelerated runaway electrons to a pressure of 2.5 Torr. At atmospheric pressure, generation in the ST was observed in discharge channels when the streamer moved from one ST surface to another. In this case, as the electric fields strength increased, radiation sequentially arose at three spectral lines, 509, 480, and 469 nm. Possible causes of the observed phenomena are considered.     

Probing of local electron states in Pb1 − x Sn x Te(In) narrow-gap semiconductors by laser terahertz radiation

Local electron states in indium-doped lead telluride-based solid solutions exhibit a number of features which separate them from the diversity of impurity states in semiconductors. These features are most pronounced in terahertz photoconductivity. The results of the corresponding experiments performed during the last years and supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research are reviewed.     

Magnetotransmission of unpolarized infrared radiation in Hg1 − x Cd x Cr2Se4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) single crystals studied using the voigt geometry

The features characterizing the behavior of magnetotransmission in Hg_{1 ? x} Cd _x Cr₂Se₄ single crystals are studied using natural light in the infrared spectral range. The relation between the changes in the magneto-optical properties and in the electron band structure is found. It is shown that the most significant changes in the magnetotransmission spectrum and the band structure occur within the 0.1 < x < 0.25 range.     

Infrared pulsed gas laser studies of combined resonance and cyclotron-phonon resonance in Hg1−xCdxTe

Combined resonance and cyclotron-phonon resonance have been observed for the first time in Hg_1−xCd_xTe (x = 0.203) using a far infrared pulsed gas laser. The results are in good agreement with the transition energies calculated from the theory of Bowers and Yafet with the following band parameters: E_G = 0.064 ± 0.003 eV, E_p = 18.5 ± 1 eV, and the zero field g-value is −172.     

Vibrational spectroscopy of the Ga1−x AlxP epitaxial layers grown on GaP(111) substrate by the liquid-phase epitaxial technique

The paper reports the results of measurements of the lattice IR reflection and Raman scattering spectra for the Ga_1?x Al_xP (x=0–0.8) films grown on the GaP(111) substrate by the liquid-phase epitaxy technique. The dispersion analysis of the experimental spectra has demonstrated that, for the studied system of the Ga_1?x Al_xP alloy, the vibrational spectra of the alloys with different compositions exhibit three modes of the Ga-P vibrations and one mode of the Al-P vibrations. The frequencies of modes only slightly depend on the composition x of the Ga_1?x Al_xP alloy, but the composition considerably affects the oscillator strengths of these modes.     

Temperature Dependences of the Product of the Differential Resistance by the Area in MIS-Structures Based on Cd x Hg1–x Te Grown by Molecularbeam Epitaxy on Alternative Si and GaAs Substrates

Russian Physics Journal - In a temperature range of 9–200 K, temperature dependences of the differential resistance of space-charge region in the strong inversion mode are experimentally...     

Mechanism of charge transfer in injection photodiodes based on the In-n +-CdS-n-CdS x Te1 − x -p-Zn x Cd1 − x Te-Mo structure

Photosensitive In-n ⁺-CdS-n-CdS _x Te_{1 ? x} -p-Zn _x Cd_{1 ? x} Te-Mo film structures based on II–VI semiconductors and operating in the wavelength range λ = 0.490–0.855 μm have been fabricated. These structures in the forward current direction at high bias voltages operate as injection photodiodes and exhibit a high integrated sensitivity S _int ≈ 700 A/lm (14500 A/W) at room temperature. It has been found that, in the fabricated structures at low illuminance levels and low forward bias voltages (0.05–0.50 V), the diffusion and drift fluxes of nonequilibrium charge carriers are directed toward each other. This effect leads to the sign reversal of the photocurrent, which makes it possible on the basis of these structures to create selective photodetectors with injection properties. In the reverse direction of the photocurrent, these structures also operate in the mode of internal amplification of the primary photocurrent, but the integrated sensitivity in this mode is considerably less than that in the forward current direction.     

Specific features of the properties of Hg-Te lattice vibrations in Cd1 − y Hg y Te alloys enriched with CdTe

In alloys (solid solutions) Cd_{1 ? y} Hg _y Te enriched with CdTe, the properties of Hg-Te lattice vibrations are determined by a single-well lattice potential for the Hg atom located at the center of the anion tetrahedron. The HgTe-enriched alloys retain the anomalous properties of Hg-Te lattice vibrations, which are determined by a double-well lattice potential for the Hg atom located in the off-center position at low temperatures; a shallower well of the potential for the Hg atom located at the center of the anion tetrahedron is filled upon thermal activation. The polarizability of the ion pair in the TO mode of Hg-Te lattice vibrations with the Hg atom located at the center of the anion tetrahedron for the CdTe-enriched alloys considerably exceeds the polarizability of the pair with the off-center Hg atom for the HgTe-enriched alloys.     

High performance p−n junctions in the LPE MnxCdyHg1−x−y Te layers

The electric properties of n⁺−p Mn_xCd_yHg,_1−x−yTe photodiodes with a cut-off wavelength of λ_co ∼ 3.3–3.8 μm at 77 K have been studied. The p−n junctions were created using ion implantation of boron into the p-type LPE epitaxial layers. Zero bias resistance-area product at T = 85 K is equal to 1.7 × 10⁷ Ω ·. cm² for the best sample (λ_co = 3.8 μm). For the material under study, this surpasses the values which have been reported up until now for a given spectral region, and is comparable with those of the best Cd_xHg_1−xTe diodes with similar energy gap values. Mechanisms of current flow through the p−n junctions at 77 < T < 200 K without and under background illumination are discussed.     

Dual-wavelength stimulated emission from a double-layer Cd x Hg1 − x Te structure at wavelengths of 2 and 3 μm

Dual-wavelength stimulated emission from a double-layer Cd _x Hg_{1 ? x} Te heterostructure optically pumped by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser at temperatures T = 77–150 K is reported. The emission spectral lines have been observed at wavelengths λ₁ ～ 2 μm and λ₂ ～ 3 μm. Emission spectra recorded at different temperatures are presented.