Optical characterization of Cr3+ centers in LiNbO3

Low-temperature luminescence spectra of stoichiometric Cr:LiNbO₃, congruent Cr:LiNbO₃ and congruent Cr,Mg:LiNbO₃ were studied. Dominant low-field and minor high-crystal-field optical centers are the Cr³⁺ impurity ions that preferentially occupy Li⁺ sites (Cr_Li) in the Cr:LiNbO₃ crystals. Low-field centers related to Cr³⁺ substitution of Nb⁵⁺ (Cr_Nb) occur in addition to Cr_Li in co-doped Cr,Mg:LiNbO₃ samples. Application of high hydrostatic pressure leads to the transformation of dominant Cr³⁺ centers from low- to high-field type due to strong pressure-induced blue shift of the ⁴ T ₂ state, resulting in its crossing with the ² E state of Cr³⁺. This level-crossing effect was observed for the dominant Cr³⁺ _Li and Cr³⁺ _Nb centers at pressures that correlate well with estimations based on the ⁴ T ₂-² Eenergy gap (230 cm^-1 and 1160 cm^-1) and on the rate of their pressure-induced change (14.35 and 11.4 cm^-1/kbar, respectively). We also studied inhomogeneous broadeningof the ² E?⁴ A ₂transitions at ambient pressure for the minor high-field “defect” Cr³⁺ _Li centers in congruent LiNbO₃. A fine structure in the spectral response of these centers was observed. The obtained results are discussed on the basis of a microscopic hierarchic model for perturbed Cr³⁺ ions in the LiNbO₃ lattice. Received: 25 June 2001 / Published online: 2 November 2001     

Optical characterization of doped and undoped GaAs at 300 K

Infrared reflectance spectroscopy was employed for the optical characterization of undoped GaAs, as well as for GaAs doped with Si, Zn and Cr. Dielectric constants, refractive indices and extinction coefficients were determined using the classical two oscillator model.     

EL2 deep level in sub-bandgap surface photovoltage spectra in GaAs bulk crystals

Experimentally observed surface-photovoltage-method (SPV) spectra in the subbandgap energy range are presented for a real (100)GaAs surface, treated with preepitaxial procedures. Conductive, n-type GaAs and semi-insulating GaAs are studied. It is shown that SPV spectra are formed as a result of the simultaneous action of both surface states and deep bulk levels. The spectral shape of the surface-state photoionization cross-section is qualitatively determined. The influence of the deep bulk levels on the SPV spectra is explained, and the photoionization cross-section for both Cr and EL2 levels is qualitatively determined.     

A model of Cr in GaAs

We have developed a model of Cr in GaAs which is consistent with a large body of experimental data. It relies or recent spectroscopic models and on our interpretation of redistribution and electrical data, all of which indicate the existence of Cr complexes. The existence of rapidly diffusing interstitial Cr donors is assumed and justified. The model offers a unified picture of the effects of implantation on the Cr profile. It contains mechanisms for compensation and redistribution, which offer an explanation of the semi-insulating properties of Cr doped GaAs and of the two apparently incompatible classes of diffusion and anneal data. The redistribution depends on how the Cr was incorporated and on the vacancy concentration profiles. A study of representatives of the two classes of redistribution data allows us to estimate a lower limit of interstitial Cr diffusion constant and of the vacancy diffusion lengths in GaAs.     

Role of disorder in Mn:GaAs, Cr:GaAs, and Cr:GaN

We present calculations of magnetic exchange interactions and critical temperature T(c) in Ga1-xMnxAs, Ga1-xCrxAs, and Ga1-xCrxN. The local spin-density approximation is combined with a linear-response technique to map the magnetic energy onto a Heisenberg Hamiltonion, but no significant further approximations are made. We show the following: (i) configurational disorder results in large dispersions in the pairwise exchange interactions; (ii) the disorder strongly reduces T(c); (iii) clustering in the magnetic atoms, whose tendency is predicted from total-energy considerations, further reduces T(c), while ordering the dopants on a lattice increases it. With all the factors taken into account, T(c) is reasonably predicted by the local spin-density approximation in Mn:GaAs without the need to invoke compensation by donor impurities.     

Electrical characterization of deep levels in n-type GaAs after hydrogen plasma treatment

Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and Laplace-DLTS (L-DLTS) have been used to investigate defects in an n-type GaAs before and after exposure to a dc hydrogen plasma (hydrogenation). DLTS revealed the presence of three prominent electron traps in the material in the temperature range 20-300 K. However, L-DLTS with its higher resolution enabled the splitting of two narrowly spaced emission rates. Consequently four electron traps at, E_C—0.33 eV, E_C—0.36 eV, E_C—0.38 eV and E_C—0.56 eV were observed in the control sample. Following hydrogenation, all these traps were passivated with a new complex (presumably the M3), emerging at E_C—0.58 eV. Isochronal annealing of the passivated material between 50 and 300 °C, revealed the emergence of a secondary defect, not previously observed, at E_C—0.37 eV. Finally, the effect of hydrogen passivation is completely reversed upon annealing at 300 °C, as all the defects originally observed in the reference sample were recovered.     

Optical properties of GaAs

The optical absorption coefficient and complex dielectric response function of pure GaAs is measured at ambient temperature in the range of 100–20000cm^–1 using two different techniques. The results reported here are in agreement with results reported in other published work. In order to improve the efficiency of the GaAs to be used as a solar cell, we propose, on the basis of emperical formula and data available in the literature, the amount of dopping, appropriate to increasing the efficiency of GaAs as a solar cell.     

Photoluminescence from deep centers in GaAs

Sharp line structure attributable to phonon assisted radiative emission has been observed in the 6 K photoluminescence spectra from deep centers in bulk samples of chromium doped GaAs. Two luminescence bands at 0.56 and 0.8 eV have been observed and both bands exhibit evidence of phonon assisted radiative recombination. An exploration of these luminescence bands in terms of excited state to ground state transitions of Cr³⁺ and Cr²⁺ ions is proposed.     

Incorporation of deep centres in VPE GaAs

The incorporation of deep levels in high purity vapour phase epitaxy (VPE) GaAs is studied as a function of the crystal growth conditions. Two deep levels, at 0.4 eV and 0.75 eV above the valence band, are investigated using photocapacitance. It is shown that their concentrations are always equal and vary together as a function of the AsCl₃ mole fractionX. Two regimes are observed, respectively, characterized by different variations of the total deep level concentrationN _T:N _TαX for lowX, andN _TαX⁻² for highX. In this last range,N _T andN _D are found to vary similarly. This work has been supported by the DRME.     

Optical parametric oscillation in quasi-phase-matched GaAs

We demonstrate an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on GaAs. The OPO utilizes an all-epitaxially-grown orientation-patterned GaAs crystal that is 0.5 mm thick, 5 mm wide, and 11 mm long, with a domain reversal period of 61.2 microm. Tuning either the near-IR pump wavelength between 1.8 and 2 microm or the temperature of the GaAs crystal allows the mid-IR output to be tuned between 2.28 and 9.14 microm, which is limited only by the spectral range of the OPO mirrors. The pump threshold of the singly resonant OPO is 16 microJ for the 6-ns pump pulses, and the photon conversion slope efficiency reaches 54%. We also show experimentally the possibility of pump-polarization-independent frequency conversion in GaAs.     

An investigation of metal/GaAs(100) interfaces by deep level transient spectroscopy

In this work we investigate the ability of DLTS to detect the presence of interface states at metal/GaAs(100) (n-type) interfaces where the semiconductor surface has been prepared by two different procedures. A correlation is observed between the magnitude of the ideality parameter determined from the current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of the diode and presence in the DLTS spectrum of a feature attributable to interface states. Schottky diodes have been fabricated with both gold and iron contacts which exhibit near ideal behaviour (n<1.1). No interface states were detected by DLTS on either of these diodes. However, diodes fabricated on oxidised GaAs surfaces, with higher idealities (1.5 <n < 2), exhibit additional electron trap levels in the DLTS spectrum. For the case of iron, a deep level of activation energy 0.55 eV is observed in the conventional reverse bias pulse sequence mode of DLTS operation. In addition, for both gold and iron diodes, a spectral feature which can be attributed to a broad distribution of interface states within the deplation region is observed during a forward bias pulse sequence.     

Optical determination of carrier mobility in GaAs

We analyze the radiative recombination of free electrons to acceptor-bond holes in GaAs at helium temperatures and obtain the energy distribution of conduction-band electrons in applied weak electric fields. We are able to determine electron temperatures, drift momenta, and mobilities as functions of field. Direct experimental proof is given for mobility enhancement through screening by a free-carrier plasma.     

Optical characterization of InGaAsN/GaAsN/GaAs quantum wells with InGaP cladding layers

Optical properties of InGaAsN/GaAs and InGaAsN/GaAsN/GaAs quantum well structures with InGaP cladding layers were studied by photoreflectance at various temperatures. The excitonic interband transitions of the InGaAsN/GaAsN/GaAs QW systems were observed in the spectral range above hν=E_g(InGaAsN). The confinement potential of the system with strain compensating GaAsN barriers became one step broader, thus more quantum states and larger optical transition rate were observed. A matrix transfer algorithm was used to calculate the subband energies numerically. Band gap energies, effective masses were adopted from the band anti-crossing model with band-offset values adjusted to obtain the subband energies to best fit the observed optical transition features. A spectral feature below and near the GaAs band gap energy from GaAs barriers is enhanced by the GaAs/InGaP interface space charge accumulation induced internal field.     

Measurements on the Dember effect in the relaxation semiconductors GaAs: O and GaAs: Cr

Significant photo-emf's allowed the detection of deep impurity levels. The simplicity of the method suggests its application for other relaxation-type semiconductors.     

Outdiffusion of deep electron traps in epitaxial GaAs

The annealing by outdiffusion of the “A-center” in GaAs (a deep electron trap, sometimes attributed to oxygen) has been studied quantitatively, and the diffusion coefficient determined as a function of temperature between 600 and 750 centigrade. Work supported in part by the Direction Générale de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (D.G.R.S.T.)     

Optical constants of single crystal GaAs

The optical constants of single crystal GaAs were determined in the range 0.6 to 4.2 eV, using Tomlin’s method and are compared in the light of the earlier results obtained using the Kramers-Krönig analysis method.     

p型GaAs的远红外波段光学特性

砷化镓(GaAs)是太赫兹波段半导体异质结构激光器的重要材料之一,为了获得p型GaAs材料在远红外波段的光学特性,采用气态源分子束外延(GSMBE)技术在半绝缘GaAs(100)衬底上生长了掺Be的p型GaAs薄膜材料,其载流子浓度从1.54×1015~1.85×1019cm-3。用远红外变换傅里叶光谱仪测量了其远红外反射光谱,并对反射光谱进行了理论模拟和分析,计算得出了不同空穴浓度的p型GaAs在远红外波段的折射率、消光系数和吸收系数。发现在这一波段消光系数和吸收系数均随着载流子浓度的增加而增大,吸收系数最大值可达到4.0×104cm-1。