Investigation of hot electrons and hot phonons generated within an AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor

We review our recent results obtained on an AlN/GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistor. The temperature of the electrons drifting under a relatively-high electric field is significantly higher than the lattice temperature (i.e., the hot electrons are generated). These hot electrons are produced through the Fröhlich interaction between the drifting electrons and long-lived longitudinal-optical phonons. By fitting electric field vs. electron temperature deduced from the measurements of photoluminescence spectra to a theoretical model, we have deduced the longitudinal-optical-phonon emission time for each electron is to be on the order of 100 fs. We have also measured the decay time constant for LO phonons to be about 4.2 ps. An electric field present in a GaN/AlN heterostructure can bring both the first-order and second-order Raman scattering processes into strong resonances. The resonant Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman scattering results in the increase and decrease of non-equilibrium longitudinal-optical phonon temperatures, respectively. Moreover, the phonon temperature measured from the Raman scattering is increased with an applied electric field at a much higher rate than the lattice temperature due to the presence of field-induced non-equilibrium longitudinal-optical phonons.     

The bound polaron in an electric field in polar semiconductor heterostructures

We have calculated the ionization energy of a bound polaron confined in general step quantum wells (QWs) in the presence of an electric field, in which the coupling of an electron with confined bulk-like LO phonons, half-space LO phonons and interface phonons is considered. In particular, the interaction of the impurity with the various phonon modes is also included in QWs. Results have been obtained as a function of the barrier height, the well width, the electric field intensities and the position coordinates of the impurity in the QWs. Our numerical calculations clearly show that the interaction between the impurity and the phonon field plays an important role in screening the Coulomb interaction. It is shown that the cumulative effect of the electron–phonon coupling and the impurity–phonon coupling can contribute appreciably to the donor ionization energy. Only for a certain range of well widths can we neglect all the polaronic effects.     

强耦合半无限极性晶体中磁极化子的激发能量

采用线性组合算符和幺正变换,利用变分法计算了多原子半无限极性晶体中由电子和光学声子强耦合相互作用所产生的磁极化子的第一激发能量及平均声子数,并通过适当的数值计算图示了它们与磁场的关系。结果表明:在不同的磁场条件下,电子无限接近晶体表面和电子处于晶体深处时,磁极化子的第一激发能量和平均声子数都有所不同。     

极性晶体中强耦合表面磁极化子特性

研究极性晶体中表面磁极化子的特性。采用Huybrechts线性组合算符和幺正变换方法,导出了晶体中强耦合表面磁极化子处于基态的振动频率和有效哈密顿量,讨论了坐标z的两种极限情况,对RbCl晶体进行了数值计算。结果表明:振动频率和平行有效哈密顿量随磁场的增加而增大。     

Polaronic Effects on the Impurity Binding Energy in a Polar Crystal Slab Within an Electric Field

The effects of the interaction between electron and bulk longitudinal optical (LO) phonon and surface optical (SO) phonon on the impurity binding energy of the ground state in a polar crystal slab within an external electric field are derived by using the method of a variational wavefunction. The binding energy of the bound polaron is obtained as a function of the impurity position, the slab thickness and the electric field strength. It is found that the polaronic correction to the impurity binding energy by the SO phonon may be enhanced and that by the LO phonon may be reduced with increasing electric field strength. And the effect of the electron-phonon interaction is quite important in increasing the values of binding energy.     

Excitonic polaron and phonon assisted photoluminescence of ZnO nanowires

The coupling strength of the radiative transition of hexagonal ZnO nanowires to the longitudinal optic (LO) phonon polarization field is deduced from temperature dependent photoluminescence spectra. An excitonic polaron formation is discussed to explain why the interaction of free excitons with LO phonons in ZnO nanowires is much stronger than that of bound excitons with LO phonons. The strong exciton-phonon coupling in ZnO nanowires affects not only the Haung-Ray S factor but also the FXA-1LO phonon energy spacing, which can be explained by the excitonic polaron formation.     

The polaron effect on the binding energy of a shallow donor impurity in quantum-well wires in an electric field

Using a variational technique, the effect of electron-longitudinal optical (LO) phonon interaction on the ground and the first few excited states of a hydrogenic impurity in a semiconductor quantum wire of rectangular cross section under an external electric field is studied theoretically for the impurity atom doped at various positions. The results for the binding energy as well as polaronic correction are obtained as a function of the size of the wire, the applied uniform electric field and the position of the impurity. It is found that the presence of optical phonons changes significantly the values of the impurity binding energies of the system. Taking into account the electron–LO phonon interaction the 1s→2p_y and 1s→2p_z transition energies are calculated as a function of applied electric field for different impurity positions.     

Energy loss rate of two-dimensional electron gas in GaInAs/AlInAs, InSb/AlInSb and GaSb/AlGaAsSb heterostructures

Energy loss rates of two-dimensional electron gas in GaInAs/AlInAs, InSb/AlInSb and GaSb/AlGaAsSb heterostructures are theoretically investigated over a wide range of temperature based on the electron–one-phonon and electron–two-phonon interactions. Calculations are presented for electron acoustic one-phonon interaction via deformation potential and piezoelectric coupling and electron–LO phonon interaction with hot phonon effect. In addition, energy loss rate due to electron-two-zone edge transverse acoustic (TA) phonons is also presented. A very good agreement is obtained between the calculations and experimental data in GaInAs/AlInAs structure with the inclusion of electron–two-zone edge TA phonon interaction. In all these three structures energy loss is dominated by (i) acoustic one-phonon scattering at low temperatures, (ii) two-TA zone edge phonons at intermediate temperatures and (iii) LO phonons at high temperatures. It is observed that, hot phonon effect reduces the energy loss rate considerably in these structures.     

弱耦合多原子半无限晶体中磁极化子的激发能量

近年来国内外对多原子极性晶体中磁极化子性质的研究十分活跃,Zorkani等采用变分法计算了束缚磁极化子的基态能量,Kandemir等采用束缚朗道态讨论了二维大磁极化子的基态和第一激发态能量,国内一些学者采用微扰法和新颖算符法讨论了多原子极性晶体中表面和体磁极化子的性质。采用线性组合算符和幺正变换,研究磁场中多原子半无限极性晶体中电子和光学声子弱耦合相互作用所产生的极化子的第一激发态能量及平均声子数。结果表明:当电子无限接近晶体表面时,磁极化子的基态能量仅为Landau能量;第一激发态能量为Landau基态能量的2倍;平均声子数等于各支与电子耦合的体光学声子数和表面光学声子数之和。而当电子处于晶体深处时,磁极化子的基态能量却为Landau基态能量与各支体光学声子以及表面光学声子分别耦合的能量之和;第一激发态能量仍为Landau基态能量的2倍;平均声子数等于各支与电子耦合的体光学声子数和与所处深度有关的各支体光学声子数之和,而与各支表面光学声子无关。     

Metal‐nanoparticle‐coating‐induced enhancement and weakening of resonant Raman scattering in ZnO: effect of surface electric field

Effects of Ag and Ti nanoparticle coatings on resonant Raman scattering in various ZnO thin films are presented. The longitudinal optical (LO) phonons, irrespective of the ZnO quality, exhibit an enhancement and a weakening by the Ag and Ti nanoparticle coatings, respectively. The enhancement (weakening) is always accompanied by a reduced (an increased) intensity ratio of the second to first‐order LO phonons, which can be associated with changes in the electron‐phonon coupling strength in the probed area of ZnO. Angle‐resolved X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy provides evidence for the bending of the surface energy bands and their changes induced by the metal coatings. The effect of metal nanoparticle coatings on the Raman scattering of ZnO is thus attributed to the changes in the surface electric field. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hot phonon effects in heterolayers

The strength of the hot-phonon effect generated by hot carriers in a two-dimensional heterolayer is estimated, specifically for electrons in GaAs. Both acoustic-mode phonons, at low temperature, and LO phonons are considered. For the former the phonon mean free path is taken to be large compared to the heterolayer thickness. The LO phonons are, however, assumed to decay locally. In both cases the estimates indicate that substantial hot phonon effects are to be expected in realized conditions.     

Polaron effects on the optical absorptions in cylindrical quantum dots with parabolic potential

The optical absorptions considering polaron effects in cylindrical quantum dots (QDs) with an applied electric field are theoretically studied. It is shown that pronounced optical absorptions dependence of the quantum dot parameters can be obtained. Moreover, the theoretical values of the optical absorptions obviously increase when considering the electron–LO–phonon interaction.     

弱耦合多原子半无限晶体中的表面极化子的有效势

本文研究弱耦合多原子半无限晶体中表面极化子的性质。采用线性组合算符和幺正变换导出表面极化子的的有效势。     

The Urbach rule in ZnS crystals

The slope parameters of the exponential absorption edges of 3C cubic, 4H polytypic and 2H hexagonal ZnS crystals were measured as a function of temperature. Their behavior show that different phonons interact with the electron transitions in different temperature ranges, an LA piezoelectric phonon below approximately 100°K and an LO phonon above this temperature up to 300°K. In cubic ZnS the slope parameter was measured up to 750°K and the same LO phonon was found to be involved at these temperatures.     

One phonon-assisted electron Raman scattering in a wurtzite cylindrical quantum well wire

We report the electron resonant Raman scattering (ERRS) process related to the longitudinal optical (LO), interface optical (IO) and quasi-confined (QC) phonons in a cylindrical GaN-AlN quantum well wire (QWW). We present the differential cross-section (DCS) and study the selection rules. Results reveal that the emitted photon frequency decreases with increasing the radius because of the size-selective Raman scattering effect and the built-in electric field. The contribution to the DCS mainly stems from the GaN-type LO (LO1), QC and IO phonons when the wire is thin, but the LO1 and QC phonons are dominant for the thick wire.     

纤锌矿In_(0.19)Ga_(0.81)N/GaN量子阱中光学声子和内建电场对束缚极化子结合能的影响

用改进的Lee-Low-Pines变分方法研究纤锌矿In0.19Ga0.81N/GaN量子阱结构中束缚极化子能量和结合能等问题,给出基态结合能、不同支长波光学声子对能量和结合能的贡献随阱宽和杂质中心位置变化的数值结果.在数值计算中包括了该体系中声子频率的各向异性和内建电场对能量和结合能的影响、以及电子和杂质中心与长波光学声子的相互作用.研究结果表明,In0.19Ga0.81N/GaN量子阱材料中光学声子和内建电场对束缚极化子能量和结合能的贡献很大,它们都引起能量和结合能降低.结合能随着阱宽的增大而单调减小,窄阱中减小的速度快,而宽阱中减小的速度慢.不同支声子对能量和结合能的贡献随着阱宽的变化规律不同.没有内建电场时,窄阱中,定域声子贡献小于界面和半空间声子贡献,而宽阱中,定域声子贡献大于界面和半空间声子贡献.有内建电场时,定域声子贡献变小,而界面和半空间声子贡献变大,声子总贡献也有明显变化.在In0.19Ga0.81N/GaN量子阱中,光学声子对束缚极化子能量和结合能的贡献比GaAs/Al0.19Ga0.81As量子阱中的相应贡献(约3.2—1.8和1.6—0.3 meV)约大一个数量级.阱宽(d=8 nm)不变时,在In0.19Ga0.81N/GaN量子阱中结合能随着杂质中心位置Z0的变大而减小,并减小的速度变快.随着Z0的增大,界面和半空间光学声子对结合能的贡献缓慢减小,而定域光学声子的贡献缓慢增大.     

Magnetic-field effects on exciton–polaron in a CdSe quantum disk

We study theoretically the interaction between excitons and longitudinal optical (LO) phonons in a cylindrical disk-like semiconductor quantum dot under an applied magnetic field. Due to the intensity of the interaction in the strong coupling regime, a composite quasi-particle called exciton–polaron is formed. We focus on the effect of the disk size and an external magnetic field on the exciton–phonon interaction energy and the exciton–polaron modes. The numerical computation for a CdSe quantum disk have shown that the exciton–phonon interaction energy is very significant and is even dominant when the disk height is small, which leads to a large Rabi splitting between the exciton–polaron modes. We investigate also the effect of the temperature on the integrated photoluminescence (PL) intensity, and show that at relatively high temperature the LO phonons have a noticeable effect on it. This physical parameter also shows a great dependence on quantum disk size and on magnetic field.     

声子色散对量子点中弱耦合磁极化子声子平均数的影响

利用线性组合算符和幺正变换相结合的方法,研究了声子色散对抛物量子点中弱耦合磁极化子电子周围光学声子平均数的影响。计及纵光学（ LO）声子色散,在抛物近似下导出了基态能量与量子点有效受限长度、声子色散系数、回旋共振频率以及电子－声子耦合常数之间的关系,电子周围光学声子平均数与声子色散系数以及电子－声子耦合常数的关系。数值计算结果表明在弱耦合情况下抛物量子点中磁极化子的基态能量随声子色散系数的增大而减小;电子周围光学声子平均数随声子色散系数增大而增大,随电子－声子耦合常数的增大而增大。     

声子色散对量子点中弱耦合磁极化子声子平均数的影响

利用线性组合算符和幺正变换相结合的方法,研究了声子色散对抛物量子点中弱耦合磁极化子电子周围光学声子平均数的影响．计及纵光学(LO)声子色散,在抛物近似下导出了基态能量与量子点有效受限长度、声子色散系数、回旋共振频率以及电子-声子耦合常数之间的关系,电子周围光学声子平均数与声子色散系数以及电子-声子耦合常数的关系．数值计算结果表明在弱耦合情况下抛物量子点中磁极化子的基态能量随声子色散系数的增大而减小;电子周围光学声子平均数随声子色散系数增大而增大,随电子-声子耦合常数的增大而增大．     

Energy of a bound polaron in a magnetic field in asymmetric polar semiconductor heterostructures

In this paper, a new modified Hamiltonian of a polaron bound to a donor impurity in asymmetric step quantum wells (QWs) in the presence of an arbitrary magnetic field is given, in which the coupling of an electron with confined bulk-like LO phonons, half-space LO phonons and interface phonon modes is included. Especially, the interaction of the impurity with all possible optical-phonon modes is also considered. The ionization energy of a bound polaron in a magnetic field for asymmetric step QWs are studied by using a modified Lee-Low-Pines (LLP) variational method. The effects of the finite electronic confinement potential and the subband nonparabolicity are also considered. The relative importance of the donor impurity located at the well and the step is analyzed. Our results show the interaction between the impurity and the phonon field in screening the Coulomb interaction has a significant influence on the binding energy of bound polaron. The influence of subband non-parabolicity is appreciable on the bound polaron effects for the narrow well. The binding energy of bound polaron given in this paper are excellent agreement with the experimental measurement.