Energy and effective mass of a polaron in asymmetric semiconductor quantum well structures

In this paper, the correct electron extended states wave functions and the density of states in asymmetric single quantum wells (QWs) are given for the first time, we put right mistakes from some previous papers of some other authors. Within the framework of the secondorder perturbation theory, the ground-state polaron binding energy and effective mass correction in asymmetric single QWs are studied including the full energy specturm, i.e., the discrete energy levels in the well and the continuum energy spectrum above the barrier, and all possible optical-phonon modes. The effects of the finite electronic confinement potential and the subband nonparabolicity are considered. The relative importance of the different phonon modes is investigated. Our results show that the polaron energy and effective mass are sensitive to the asymmetry of the structure and have a close relation to the interface phonon dispersion. When well width and one side barrier height of asymmetric QWs are fixed and identical with those of symmetric QW, the polaron binding energy and effective mass in asymmetric QWs are always less than those in symmetric QW. It is necessary to include the continuum energy spectrum as intermediate states in the study of polaron effects in QWs in order to obtain the correct results. The subband non-parabolicity has little influence on the polaron effects. The polaron energies given in this paper are excellent agreement with our variational results.     

缓冲层对量子阱二能级系统中电子子带间跃迁光吸收的影响

由于ZnO缓冲层对纤锌矿ZnO/Mg_xZn_(1-x)O有限深单量子阱结构左垒的限制作用,导致阱和右垒的尺寸、Mg组分值等因素将影响系统中形成二能级.本文考虑内建电场、导带弯曲及材料掺杂对实际异质结势的影响,利用有限差分法数值求解Schr?dinger方程,获得电子的本征能级和波函数,探讨ZnO缓冲层对此类量子阱形成二能级系统的尺寸效应及三元混晶效应的影响;利用费米黄金法则探讨缓冲层、左垒、阱及右垒宽度和三元混晶效应对此类量子阱电子子带间跃迁光吸收的影响.计算结果显示:对于加入ZnO缓冲层的ZnO/Mg_xZn_(1-x)O有限深单量子阱二能级系统,左垒宽度临界值会随着阱宽和Mg组分值的增大而逐渐减小,随着右垒宽度和缓冲层厚度的增大而逐渐增大;量子阱中电子子带间跃迁光吸收峰会随着左垒、右垒尺寸以及Mg组分的增大发生蓝移,随着阱宽增大而发生红移.本文所得结果可为改善异质结器件的光电性能提供理论指导.     

Confinement-enhanced dots-in-a-well QDIPs with operating temperature over 200 K

LWIR InAs/Al_0.3Ga_0.7As/In_0.15Ga_0.85As confinement-enhanced DWELL (CE-DWELL) QDIPs with operation temperatures higher than 200 K are reported. A thin Al_0.3Ga_0.7As barrier layer was inserted above the InAs QDs to improve the confinement of QD states in the In_0.15Ga_0.85As DWELL structure and the device performance. The better confinement of the electronic states increases the oscillator strength of the infrared absorption. The higher excited state energy also improves the escape probability of the photoelectrons. Compared with the conventional DWELL QDIPs, the quantum efficiency increases for more than 20 times and the detectivity is an order of magnitude higher at 77 K. With better device parameters of CE-DWELL, it is possible to achieve high quantum efficiency, high operating temperature and long wavelength detection at the same time.     

Electronic structure of asymmetric vertically coupled InAs/GaAs quantum dots

In this paper, the electronic structure of an asymmetric self-assembled vertically coupled quantum dots heterostructure has been investigated. The structure consists of two ellipsoidal quantum dot (QDs) caps made with InAs embedded in a wetting layer InAs and surrounded by GaAs. Using the strain dependent k·p theory, the energy of the two lowest states of a single electron/hole which is confined within the coupled QD structure has been calculated. As a result, it can be estimated the energy gap for different geometry parameters and for tuning the external magnetic field. The numerical results show that the energy gap is very sensitive to the size asymmetry of the structure and to the small separation distance of the dots but less sensitive to the existence of an external magnetic field and large interdot distance.     

Donor impurity states in direct-gap SiGe quantum well: Applied electric field and quantum size effects

Within the framework of the effective-mass approximation and variational procedure, competition effects between applied electric field and quantum size on donor impurity states in the direct-gap Ge/SiGe quantum well (QW) have been investigated theoretically. Numerical results show that the applied electric field (quantum size) dominates electron and impurity states in direct-gap Ge/SiGe QW with large (small) well width. Moreover, the competition effects also induce that the donor binding energies show obviously different behaviors with respect to electric field in the QW with different well widths. In particular, when the impurity is located at left boundary of the QW, the donor binding energy is insensitive to the variation of well width when well width is large for any electric field case.     

Donor Binding Energy in GaAs/Ga1-x AlxAs Quantum Well: the Laser Field and Temperature Effects

Based on the effective-mass approximation theory and variational method, the laser field and temperature effects on the ground-state donor binding energy in the GaAs/Ga_1-xAl_xAs quantum well (QW) are investigated. Numerical results show that the donor binding energy depends on the impurity position, laser parameter, temperature, Al composition, and well width. The donor binding energy is decreased when the laser field and temperature are increased in the QW for any impurity position and QW parameter case. Moreover, the laser field has an obvious influence on the donor binding energy of impurity located at the vicinity of the QW center. In addition, our results also show that the donor binding energy decreases (or increases) as the well width (or Al composition x) increases in the QW.     

Donor Binding Energy in GaAs/Ga_(1-x) Al_xAs Quantum Well:the Laser Field and Temperature Effects

Based on the effective-mass approximation theory and variational method, the laser field and temperature effects on the ground-state donor binding energy in the GaAs/Ga1-xAlx As quantum well (QW) are investigated. Numerical results show that the donor binding energy depends on the impurity position, laser parameter, temperature, Al composition, and well width. The donor binding energy is decreased when the laser field and temperature are increased in the QW for any impurity position and QW parameter case. Moreover, the laser field has an obvious influence on the donor binding energy of impurity located at the vicinity of the QW center. In addition, our results also show that the donor binding energy decreases (or increases) as the well width (or Al composition x) increases in the QW.     

Intraband photoresponse of SiGe quantum dot/quantum well multilayers

In this contribution we study the intravalence band photoexcitation of holes from self-assembled Ge quantum dots (QDs) in Si followed by spatial carrier transfer into SiGe quantum well (QW) channels located close to the Ge dot layers. The structures show maximum response in the important wavelength range 3–5 μm. The influence of the SiGe hole channel on photo- and dark current is studied depending on temperature and the spatial separation of QWs and dot layers. Introduction of the SiGe channel in the active region of the structure increases the photoresponsivity by up to about two orders of magnitude to values of 90 mA/W at T=20 K. The highest response values are obtained for structures with small layer separation (10 nm) that enable efficient transfer of photoexcited holes from QD to QW layers. The results indicate that Si/Ge QD structures with lateral photodetection promise very sensitive large area mid-infrared photodetectors with integrated readout microelectronics in Si technology.     

Demonstration of 640 × 512 pixels long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) quantum dot infrared photodetector (QDIP) imaging focal plane array

We have exploited the artificial atom-like properties of epitaxially grown self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) for the development of high operating temperature long wavelength infrared (LWIR) focal plane arrays (FPAs). QD infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) are expected to outperform quantum well infrared detectors (QWIPs) and are expected to offer significant advantages over II–VI material based FPAs. We have used molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technology to grow multi-layer LWIR dot-in-a-well (DWELL) structures based on the InAs/InGaAs/GaAs material system. This hybrid quantum dot/quantum well device offers additional control in wavelength tuning via control of dot-size and/or quantum well sizes. DWELL QDIPs were also experimentally shown to absorb both 45° and normally incident light. Thus we have employed a reflection grating structure to further enhance the quantum efficiency. The most recent devices exhibit peak responsivity out to 8.1 μm. Peak detectivity of the 8.1 μm devices has reached 1 × 10¹⁰ Jones at 77 K. Furthermore, we have fabricated the first long-wavelength 640 × 512 pixels QDIP imaging FPA. This QDIP FPA has produced excellent infrared imagery with noise equivalent temperature difference of 40 mK at 60 K operating temperature.     

Donor impurity states in zinc-blende GaN/AlGaN quantum well: Quantum confinement and laser-dressed effects

Within the framework of effective-mass approximation, the effects of a laser field on the ground-state donor binding energy in zinc-blende (ZB) GaN/AlGaN quantum well (QW) have been investigated variationally. Numerical results show that the donor binding energy is highly dependent on QW structure parameters and Al composition in ZB GaN/AlGaN QW. The laser field effects are more noticeable on the donor binding energy of an impurity localized inside the QW with small well width and low Al composition. However, for the impurity located in the vicinity of the well edge of the QW, the donor binding energy is insensible to the variation of Al composition, well width and laser field intensity in ZB GaN/AlGaN QW. In particular, the competition effects between laser field and quantum confinement on impurity states have also been investigated in this paper.     

Finite barrier width effects on exciton states and optical properties in wurtzite InGaN/GaN quantum well

Exciton states and optical properties in wurtzite (WZ) InGaN/GaN quantum well (QW) are investigated theoretically, considering finite barrier width and built-in electric field effects. Numerical results show that when the barrier width increases, the ground-state exciton binding energy, the interband transition energy and the integrated absorption probability increase first and then they are insensitive to the variation of the barrier width. For any barrier width, the ground-state exciton binding energy and the integrated absorption probability have a maximum when the well width is 1 nm; moreover, the integrated absorption probability goes to zero when the well width is larger than 6 nm. In addition, the competition effects between the built-in electric field and quantum confinement are also investigated in the WZ InGaN/GaN QW.     

Polaronic effects in asymmetric quantum wire: An all-coupling variational approach

An all-coupling variational calculation based on Lee-Low-Pines-Huybrechts (LLPH) theory is performed to study the ground state and the first excited state in an asymmetric polar semiconductor quantum wire that is valid for the entire range of the electron-phonon coupling constant and arbitrary confinement length. It is shown that the polaronic effects are very important and size dependent, if the effective width of the wire is reduced below a certain length scale. It is also shown that asymmetry in a quantum wire can be used as an extra parameter to increase the stability of the polaron. Finally the theory is applied to a realistic CdS quantum wire.     

Vibration Spectra of Quasi-confined Optical Phonon Modes in an Asymmetric Wurtzite AlxGa1-xN/GaN/AlyGa1-yN Quantum Well

Based on the dielectric continuum model and Loudon's uniaxial crystal model,the properties of the quasiconfined (QC) optical phonon dispersions and the electron-QC phonons coupling functions in an asymmetric wurtzite quantum well (QW) are deduced via the method of electrostatic potential expanding.The present theoretical scheme can naturally reduce to the results in symmetric wurtzite QW once a set of symmetric structural parameters are chosen.Numerical calculations on an asymmetric A1N/GaN/Al0.15Ga0.85N wurtzite QW are performed.A detailed comparison with the symmetric wurtzite QW was also performed.The results show that the structural asymmetry of wurtzite QW changes greatly the dispersion frequencies and the electrostatic potential distributions of the QC optical phonon modes.     

Linear and nonlinear intersubband optical absorptions in an asymmetric rectangular quantum well

The linear and nonlinear intersubband optical absorptions in Al_xlGa_1-xlAs/GaAs/Al_xr Ga_1-xrAs asymmetric rectangular quantum well are studied within the framework of the density matrix formalism. We have calculated the electron energy levels and the envelope wave functions using the effective mass approach. In addition, we have obtained an expression for saturation intensity. It is shown that the parameters such as asymmetry and width of potential well not only shift the peak positions in absorption spectrum but also considerably modify their height. These results suggest that the absorption process can be easily controlled by the structure parameters of an asymmetric rectangular quantum well. Also, the incident optical intensity has a great effect on the total absorption spectrum. We have seen that the absorption peak is reduced by half when the optical intensity is approximately 0.8 MW/cm² for well width L=90 ? and β=0.5. Moreover, it is seen that the saturation intensity is quite sensitive to the structure parameters of an asymmetric rectangular quantum well. Thus, the results presented here can be useful for electro-optical modulators and photodetectors in the infrared region.     

Photoconductivity of composites based on CdSe quantum dots and low-band-gap polymers

Photoconductivity of thin layers prepared by spin coating of blends of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and a low-band-gap polymer PCDTBT or PTB7 has been studied. It has been found that photocurrent in the composites containing QDs of 10-nm in size is significantly higher than in those of containing 5-nm QDs. Analysis of the results showed that the photoresponse of the thin layers is mainly determined by the relative positions of the frontier energy levels of the materials used, organic semiconductors and QDs. Therefore, the ability to tune the relative positions of these levels by varying the QD size is of special importance, thus allowing the optimization of photodetectors and photovoltaic cells.     

Magneto-optical study of nonmagnetic quantum dots coupled to a magnetic semiconductor quantum well

We have investigated a series of double-layer structures consisting of a layer of self-assembled non-magnetic CdSe quantum dots (QDs) separated by a thin ZnSe barrier from a ZnCdMnSe diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMSs) quantum well (QW). In the series, the thickness of the ZnSe barrier ranged between 12 and 40 nm. We observe two clearly defined photoluminescence (PL) peaks in all samples, corresponding to the CdSe QDs and the ZnCdMnSe QW, respectively. The PL intensity of the QW peak is observed to decrease systematically relative to the QD peak as the thickness of the ZnSe barrier decreases, indicating a corresponding increase in carrier tunneling from the QW to the QDs. Furthermore, polarization-selective PL measurements reveal that the degree of polarization of the PL emitted by the CdSe QDs increases with decreasing thickness of the ZnSe barriers. The observed behavior is discussed in terms of anti-parallel spin interaction between carriers localized in the non-magnetic QDs and in the magnetic QWs.     

Electric field effect on the donor impurity states in zinc-blende symmetric InGaN/GaN coupled quantum dots

Based on the effective-mass approximation, the donor binding energy in a cylindrical zinc-blende (ZB) symmetric InGaN/GaN coupled quantum dots (QDs) is investigated variationally in the presence of an applied electric field. Numerical results show that the ground-state donor binding energy is highly dependent on the impurity positions, coupled QDs structure parameters and applied electric field. The applied electric field induces an asymmetric distribution of the donor binding energy with respect to the center of the coupled QDs. When the impurity is located at the center of the right dot, the donor binding energy has a maximum value with increasing the dot height. Moreover, the donor binding energy is the largest and insensitive to the large applied electric field (F?400 kV/cm) when the impurity is located at the center of the right dot in ZB symmetric In_0.1Ga_0.9N/GaN coupled QDs. In addition, if the impurity is located inside the right dot, the donor binding energy is insensitive to large middle barrier width (Lmb?2.5 nm) of ZB symmetric In_0.1Ga_0.9N/GaN coupled QDs.     

不同厚度CdSe阱层的表面上自组织CdSe量子点的发光性质

利用变温和变激发功率分别研究了不同厚度CdSe阱层的自组织CdSe量子点的发光。稳态变温光谱表明:低温下CdSe量子阱有很强的发光,高温猝灭,而其表面上的量子点发光可持续到室温,原因归结于量子点的三维量子尺寸限制效应;变激发功率光谱表明:量子点激子发光是典型的自由激子发光,且在功率增加时。宽阱层表面上的CdSe量子点有明显的带填充效应。通过比较不同CdSe阱层厚度的样品的发光,发现其表面上量子点的发光差异较大,这可以归结为阱层厚度不同导致应变弛豫的程度不同,直接决定了所形成量子点的大小与空间分布^[1]。     

Influence of nanomechanical force on the electronic structure of InAs/GaAs quantum dots

We show nanomechanical force is useful to dynamically control the optical response of self-assembled quantum dots, giving a method to shift electron and heavy hole levels, interval of electron and heavy hole energy levels, and the emission wavelength of quantum dots (QDs). The strain, the electron energy levels, and heavy hole energy levels of InAs/GaAs(001) quantum dots with vertical nanomechanical force are investigated. Both the lattice mismatch and nanomechanical force are considered at the same time. The results show that the hydrostatic and the biaxial strains inside the QDs subjected to nanomechanical force vary with nanomechanical force. That gives the control for tailoring band gaps and optical response. Moreover, due to strain-modified energy, the band edge is also influenced by nanomechanical force. The nanomechanical force is shown to influence the band edge. As is well known, the band offset affects the electronic structure, which shows that the nanomechanical force is proven to be useful to tailor the emission wavelength of QDs. Our research helps to better understand how the nanomechanical force can be used to dynamically control the optics of quantum dots.     

两端叠层结构的中长波量子阱红外探测器

采用分子束外延技术生长了两个叠层结构的双色量子阱红外探测器结构,并经过光刻和湿法刻蚀制作成两端结构的量子阱红外探测器单元器件. 通过改变量子阱势垒高度,势阱宽度,掺杂浓度,重复周期数等器件参数,可以使总电压在两个叠层之间产生适当的分布,从而使器件表现出不同的电压响应特点. 光电流谱测量显示,器件1随着外加偏置电压可实现对于中波大气红外窗口(3—5 μm)和长波大气红外窗口(8—12 μm)红外响应的切换,器件2在不同的偏置电压下可以对这两个波段同时做出响应. 本文探讨了两端叠层结构量子阱红外探测器的工作原 关键词： 电压调制 同时响应 量子阱红外探测器 双波段