Charge accumulation layer in Cs,Ba/<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-GaN(0001) ultrathin interfaces: Electronic and photoemission properties

Experimental studies and theoretical calculations of the photoemission from Cs/n-GaN(0001) and Ba/n-GaN(0001) ultrathin interfaces were carried out. The electronic properties of the interfaces were studied in situ using threshold photoemission spectroscopy under vacuum at a residual pressure of P ～ 5 × 10^?11 Torr. A new effect was revealed, namely, photoemission with a high quantum yield under excitation with light in the transparency region of GaN. It was shown that adsorption of Cs or Ba on n-GaN brings about the formation of a quasi-two-dimensional electron channel, i.e., a charge accumulation layer directly near the surface. The dependences of the photoemission spectra and work function on the thickness of Cs and Ba coatings were investigated. It was established that adsorption of Cs and Ba leads to a sharp decrease in the work function by ～1.45 and ～1.95 eV, respectively. The photoemission spectra were calculated, and parameters of the accumulation layer, such as the energy position of the layer below the Fermi level for different Cs and Ba coverages, were determined. It was demonstrated that the energy parameters of the accumulation layer on the n-GaN(0001) surface can be controlled by properly varying the Cs or Ba coverage. The layer thickness was found to reach a maximum for a cesium coverage of ～0.5 monolayer.     

Charge accumulation nanolayer: A 2D electronic channel in Cs/n-InGaN ultrathin interfaces

This paper reports on the formation of a 2D electronic channel, i.e., a charge accumulation layer on the n-InGaN(0001) surface observed under adsorption of submonolayer Cs coatings. It is found that photoemission from the accumulation layer is excited by light in the InGaN transparency region. It is established that the potential well depth and the density of electronic states in the accumulation layer can be controlled by properly varying the Cs coverage. It is shown that the accumulation layer exhibits quantum-well effects. The photoemission matrix element is calculated, and the energy parameters of the accumulation layer are obtained. An oscillatory structure originating from the Fabry-Perot interference is revealed in the spectra of photoemission from the accumulation layer.     

Charge accumulation layers and surface states in ultrathin Cs,Ba/n-GaN(0001) interfaces

It is found that ultrathin cesium and barium coatings radically change the electronic properties of the surface and the near-surface region of epitaxial n-GaN(0001) layers. A charge accumulation layer serving as a quasi-two-dimensional electronic channel is first formed by adsorption on the surface of a semiconductor. It is revealed that photoemission from the accumulation layer is excited by visible light from the transparency region of GaN and is characterized by a high quantum yield. It is found that the photoemission thresholds hν _s and hν _p for s-and p-polarized excitation are equal to each other and correspond to the work function. The lowest work function for Cs,Ba/n-GaN interfaces is observed at Cs or Ba coverages close to 0.5 monolayer. Two bands induced by the local interaction of cesium (barium) adatoms with gallium dangling bonds are detected in the electronic spectrum of surface states of Cs,Ba/n-GaN interfaces. An oscillation structure is observed in spectral dependences of the photoyield. This effect is new for photoemission. A model of the effect is proposed. It is found that electronic and photoemission properties of the interfaces correlate with the structural perfectness of the epitaxial n-GaN(0001) layers.     

Accumulation nanolayer and surface states of ultrathin Cs,Ba/<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-GaN interfaces

It is found that Cs and Ba ultrathin coatings induce formation of a charge accumulation layer (2D electron channel) on the n-GaN(0001) surface. Photoemission of conduction electrons from the accumulation layer under excitation by light in the range of GaN transparency is revealed. It is established that the depth of the potential well of the accumulation layer can be deliberately controlled.     

Oscillations in the threshold photoemission spectra of GaN(0001) with submonolayer Cs coverages

It is found that Cs adsorption on the n-type GaN(0001) surface generates an unusual change in the electronic properties of the surface and the near-surface space-charge layer, which leads to the appearance of photoelectron emission upon excitation in the transparent region of GaN. It is established that the photoemission is due to the formation of quasimetallic states induced by Cs adsorption in the band-bending region near the surface. The behavior of the photoemission threshold upon excitation by s-polarized light is studied as a function of the Cs coverage. It is found that the minimum value of the threshold corresponds to ～1.4 eV at a concentration of Cs atoms of ～4.5×10¹⁴ atom/cm² in the submonolayer coverage. A new effect is revealed, namely, the appearance of oscillations in the spectral curves of threshold photoemission. A model is proposed for photocurrent oscillations that takes into account the formation of quasimetallic states in the near-surface layer of GaN band bending and the occurrence of interference in the GaN slab upon light irradiation in the transparent region.     

Charge accumulation layer on the <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-GaN (0001) surface with ultrathin Ba coatings

The adsorption of Ba on the n-type GaN(0001) surface is studied. It is found that submonolayer Ba coatings induce cardinal changes in the electronic properties of the surface with the formation of a charge accumulation layer in the region of the near-surface band bending. The excitation of the Ba/n-GaN system by light from the region of GaN transparency results in photoemission. The lowest value of the work function corresponds to ～1.90 eV at a Ba coverage of ～0.4 ML. Two surface bands induced by Ba adsorption are found in the surface photoemission spectra.     

Modification of the electronic structure and formation of an accumulation layer in ultrathin Ba/n-GaN and Ba/n-AlGaN interfaces

The electronic structure of the n-GaN(0001) and Al _x Ga_{1 ? x} N(0001) (x = 0.16, 0.42) surfaces and the Ba/n-GaN and Ba/AlGaN interfaces is subjected to in situ photoemission investigations in the submonolayer Ba coverage range. The photoemission spectra of the valence band and the spectra of the surface states and the core 3d level of Ga, the 2p level of Al, and the 4d and 5p levels of Ba are studied during synchrotron excitation in the photon energy range 50–400 eV. A spectrum of the surface states in Al _x Ga_{1 ? x} N (x = 0.16, 0.42) is found. The electronic structure of the surface and the near-surface region is found to undergo substantial changes during the formation of the Ba/n-GaN and Ba/AlGaN interfaces. The effect of narrowing the photoemission spectrum in the valence band region from 10 to 2 eV is detected, and surface eigenstates are suppressed. The Ba adsorption is found to induce the appearance of a new photoemission peak in the bandgap at the Fermi level in the Ba/n-GaN and Ba/n-Al_0.16Ga_0.84N interfaces. The nature of this peak is found to be related to the creation of an accumulation layer due to a change in the near-surface potential and enriching band bending. The energy parameters of the potential well of the accumulation layer are shown to be controlled by the Ba coverage.     

Self-organization of nanostructures on the n-GaN(0001) surface in the Cs and Ba adsorption

A regular self-organized 2D nanostructure of a new type of nanocombs has been created in situ in an ultrahigh vacuum on the n-GaN(0001) surface. The nanostructure is formed as a result of multilayer adsorptions of Cs and Ba. The structure is highly regular in the microrange, arranged in the form of combs 60–70 nm in diameter with a wall height of about 7 nm. It has been revealed that the nanostructure has a quasi-metallic conduction, a low work function of about 1.4 eV, and a high quantum yield of photoemission under light excitation in the GaN transparency region. A self-organization model is proposed, which implies the formation of a surface 2D longperiod incommensurate phase interacting with the superstructure of the Cs⁺ and Ba²⁺ ion clusters with allowance for the polaron compensation on the GaN surface.     

2D degenerate electron gas at Ba/<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-AlGaN and Ba/<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-GaN interfaces

Ba/n-GaN(0001) and Ba/n-AlGaN(0001) interfaces were investigated for the first time by means of ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. The spectra of the photoemission from a valence band along with the spectra of the core levels of Ga 3d, Al 2p, and Ba 4d were studied. The formation of a 2D degenerate electron gas (an accumulated layer on the n-GaN and n-AlGaN surfaces during adsorption of Ba atoms) was revealed.     

Surface states and accumulation nanolayer induced by Ba and Cs adsorption on the n-GaN(0 0 0 1) surface

The Ba and Cs adsorption on the n-GaN(0 0 0 1) surface has been studied in situ by the threshold photoemission spectroscopy using s- and p-polarized light excitation. Two surface bands induced by Ba (Cs) adsorption are revealed in surface photoemission spectra below the Fermi level. The surface-Fermi level position is found to be changed from significantly below the conduction band minimum (CBM) at clean n-GaN surface to high above the CBM at Ba, Cs/n-GaN interfaces, with the transition from depletion to electron accumulation occurring at low coverages. Photoemission from the accumulation nanolayer is found to excite by visible light in the transparency region of GaN. Appearance of an oscillation structure in threshold photoemission spectra of the Ba, Cs/n-GaN interfaces with existing the accumulation layer is found to originate from Fabry–Perot interference in the transparency region of GaN.     

First-principles investigation of the surface structures of Cu(n, n−1, 0) (n=2, 3 and 4) stepped surfaces

Multilayer relaxation at high-index Cu(n, n−1, 0) (n=2, 3 and 4) stepped surfaces was determined by the first-principles pseudopotential plane wave (PPPW) method. For those surfaces that have n and n−1 atom-rows in terrace and subterrace, respectively, the topmost 2n−2 interlayer spacings contract, while the 2n−1st interlayer spacing expands. There is no similar rule found for the relaxations parallel to the surfaces. Compared with the bulk terminated structure, a thin compact layer, which consisted of the topmost 2n−1 atom layers and separated slightly from the underneath atom layers, makes the surface more flat after relaxation. The bond-lengths between the step edge (first layer) atom and its nearest-neighbors do not depend on the surface termination, but only on the local coordination.     

Performance Improvement of GaN Based Schottky Barrier Ultraviolet Photodetector by Adding a Thin A1GaN Window Layer

We propose a new structure of GaN based Schottky barrier ultraviolet photodetector, in which a thin n-type A1GaN window layer is added on the conventional n^--GaN/n^＋-GaN device structure. The performance of the Schottky barrier ultraviolet photodetector is found to be improved by the new structure. The simulation result shows that the new structure can reduce the negative effect of surface states on the performance of Schottky barrier GaN photodetectors, improving the quantum efficiency and decreasing the dark current. The investigations suggest that the new photodetector can exhibit a better responsivity by choosing a suitably high carrier concentration and thin thickness for the A1GaN window layer.     

Energy distributions of photoelectrons emitted from <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-GaN(Cs,O) with effective negative electron affinity

Energy distributions of photoelectrons emitted into vacuum from the valence band and the localized states in the energy gap of p-GaN(Cs, O) with effective negative electron affinity were studied. It is shown that the photothermal electron excitation from the localized states lying below the Fermi level in the energy gap of p-GaN(Cs, O) is the dominant photoemission mechanism at the low-energy photoemission threshold.     

Cs/GaN(0001)吸附体系电子结构和光学性质研究

采用基于第一性原理的密度泛函理论平面波超软赝势方法计算了 1/4ML Cs原子吸附 (2 × 2) GaN(0001) 表面的吸附能、能带结构、电子态密度、电荷布居数、功函数和光学性质. 计算发现, 1/4ML Cs 原子在 GaN(0001) 表面最稳定吸附位为 N 桥位, 吸附后表面仍呈现为金属导电特性, Cs原子吸附GaN(0001)表面后主要与表面 Ga 原子发生作用, Cs6s 态电子向最表面 Ga 原子转移, 引起表面功函数下降. 研究光学性质发现, Cs 原子吸附 GaN(0001) 表面后, 介电函数虚部、吸收谱、反射谱向低能方向移动.     

Two dimensional electron gas in a hybrid GaN/InGaN/ZnO heterostructure with ultrathin InGaN channel layer

We investigated the influence of an ultrathin InGaN channel layer on two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) properties in a newly proposed hybrid GaN/In_xGa_1−xN/ZnO heterostructure using numerical methods. We found that 2DEG carriers were confined at InGaN/ZnO and GaN/InGaN interfaces. Our calculations show that the probability densities of 2DEG carriers at these interfaces are highly influenced by the In mole fraction of the InGaN channel layer. Therefore, 2DEG carrier confinement can be adjustable by using the In mole fraction of the InGaN channel layer. The influence of an ultrathin InGaN channel layer on 2DEG carrier mobility is also discussed. Usage of an ultrathin InGaN channel layer with a low indium mole fraction in these heterostructures can help to reduce the short-channel effects by improvements such as providing 2DEG with higher sheet carrier density which is close to the surface and has better carrier confinement.     

Low-temperature method of cleaning <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-GaN(0001) surfaces for photoemitters with effective negative electron affinity

The changes in the chemical composition, atomic structure, and electronic properties of the p-GaN(0001) surface upon chemical treatment in an HCl-isopropanol solution and vacuum annealing are investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction. It is demonstrated that a considerable part of the surface gallium oxide is removed upon chemical treatment of the GaN surface. Subsequent annealing of the surface under vacuum at temperatures of 400–450°C leads to a decrease in the residual carbon and oxygen contamination to 3–5% of the monolayer. The preparation of a clean p-GaN(0001) surface with a (1×1) structure identical to that of the bulk unit cells is confirmed by the low-energy electron diffraction data. The cesium adsorption on the clean p-GaN surface results in a decrease in the work function by ～2.5 eV and the appearance of an effective negative electron affinity on the surface. The quantum efficiency of the GaN photocathode at a wavelength of 250 nm is equal to 26%.     

全息技术制作二维光子晶体蓝宝石衬底提高发光二极管外量子效率

为了提高GaN基发光二极管(LED)的外量子效率,在蓝宝石衬底制作了二维光子晶体.衬底上的二维光子晶体结构采用激光全息技术和感应耦合等离子体(ICP)干法刻蚀技术制作,然后采用金属氧化物化学气相沉积(MOCVD)技术在图形蓝宝石衬底(PSS)上生长2μm厚的n型GaN层,4层量子阱和200nm厚的p型GaN层,形成LED结构.衬底上制作的二维光子晶体为六角晶格结构,晶格常数为3.8μm,刻蚀深度为800nm.LED器件光强输出测试结果显示,在PSS上制作的LED(PSS-LED)的发光强度普遍高于蓝宝石平 关键词： 全息 发光二极管 图形蓝宝石衬底 外量子效率     

Atomic Rearrangements and Photoemission Processes at a <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-GaN(Cs)–Vacuum Interface

Spontaneous changes in photoemission properties of a р-GaN(Cs)–vacuum interface with effective negative electronic affinity induced by rearrangements of its atomic structure have been studied for the first time. The optimum Сs coating that ensures both the maximum photoelectron escape probability and its stability has been found. A thermodynamic model has been proposed to escape the relation of the photoemission properties of the р-GaN(Cs)–vacuum interface to its free energy and entropy.     

Temperature dependence of the cathodoluminescence spectra of irradiated light-emitting-diode structures with multiple InGaN/GaN quantum wells

The cathodoluminescence spectra of regions of light-emitting structures with multiple InGaN/GaN quantum wells unirradiated and irradiated with an electron beam are investigated in the temperature range from liquid-nitrogen temperature to room temperature. It is shown that a new emission line with an energy of 2.69 eV emerges as a result of irradiation in addition to the initial 2.6 eV line. The intensity of the emission line associated with Mg in p-GaN also increases after irradiation.     

Electronic structure of a Ba/<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-AlGaN(0001) interface and the formation of a degenerate 2D electron gas

The electronic structure of ultrathin Ba/n-AlGaN(0001) interfaces has been investigated in situ in an ultra-high vacuum by the ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy method. The photoemission spectra from the n-AlGaN valence band and the spectra of the core levels Ga 3d, Al 2p, and Ba 4d have been studied under synchrotron excitation with photon energies of 60–400 eV. The modification of the spectra in the process of the formation of the Ba/n-AlGaN interface in the mode of the Ba submonolayer coverages has been revealed. It has been found that a decrease in the intensity in some spectral regions of the valence band is attributed to the interaction of the surface states of the AlGaN substrate with the Ba adatoms. It has been revealed that the interface formation results in the appearance of a new photoemission peak of the quasimetallic character at the Fermi level in the AlGaN bandgap. It has been established that the peak is due to the formation of the degenerate electron gas in the accumulation nanolayer induced by adsorption near the n-AlGaN surface.