Photoluminescence enhancement in double Ge/Si quantum dot structures

The luminescence properties of double Ge/Si quantum dot structures are studied at liquid helium temperature depending on the Si spacer thickness d in QD molecules. A seven-fold increase in the integrated photoluminescence intensity is obtained for the structures with optimal thickness d = 2 nm. This enhancement is explained by increasing the overlap integral of electron and hole wavefunctions. Two main factors promote this increasing. The first one is that the electrons are localized at the QD base edges and their wavefunctions are the linear combinations of the states of in-plane Δ valleys, which are perpendicular in k-space to the growth direction [001]. This results in the increasing probability of electron penetration into Ge barriers. The second factor is the arrangement of Ge nanoclusters in closely spaced QD groups. The strong tunnel coupling of QDs within these groups increases the probability of hole finding at the QD base edge, that also promotes the increase in the radiative recombination probability.     

Defect formation in thin films of the semiconductor compound Cu(In,Ga)Se2 when bombarded by protons

We have used low-temperature (4.2–78 K) photoluminescence to study defect formation processes in Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ films when bombarded by protons with energy 380 keV. We have observed formation of luminescence centers with deep levels at ∼410 meV and 470 meV. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 6, pp. 828–830, November–December, 2006.     

Photoluminescence of CuInS<Subscript>2</Subscript> single crystals grown by traveling heater and chemical vapor transport methods

Photoluminescence of CuInS₂ single crystals grown by both the traveling heater method (THM) and chemical vapor transport (CVT) has been investigated at 4.2, 78, and 300 K. Intense emission in the near-band-edge region caused by free and bound excitons has been detected for both types of crystals. Taking into account the energy position of the luminescence line of the ground (n = 1) and first excited (n = 2) states, the binding energy for free A excitons has been estimated to be about 19.7 and 18.5 meV for CuInS₂ grown by CVT and THM, respectively. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 76, No. 2, pp. 232–236, March–April, 2009.     

Intense blue luminescence of anodic aluminum oxide

The luminescence spectra of aluminum oxide with an ordered system of through pores have been studied. The diameter and density of pores were ≈ 50 nm and 1.2 × 10¹⁰ cm^?2, respectively. Amorphous aluminum oxide formed by anodization of aluminum foil in an oxalic acid electrolyte shows intense luminescence in the blue spectral region. Processing of spectra with the use of an oxalic acid approximation by Gaussian curves gives three bands peaking at ～ 382 (3.2 eV), 461 (2.7 eV), and 500 nm (2.5 eV), which correspond to different types of defects. The bands at 382 and 461 nm can be assigned to optical transitions involving F⁺ and F centers (vacancies of oxygen with one or two electrons), respectively. The lower-energy band near 500 nm can be presumably assigned to luminescence from F⁺⁺ centers (vacancy of oxygen without an electron). Analysis of the luminescence excitation spectra has revealed an inhomogeneous character of the distribution of the corresponding luminescence centers in the Al₂O₃ matrix.     

Optical properties of thallium indium disulfide (TlInS2) single crystals

Transmission, photoluminescence, and reflectance spectra of TlInS2 single crystals grown by the Bridgman–Stockbarger method were measured at 4.2 K near the fundamental absorption edge. Narrow lines at ~2.5535 and ~2.5694 eV were observed in the transmission spectrum and assigned to ground and excited free-exciton states, respectively. The free-exciton binding energy and band-gap energy Eg were found to be ~21.2 meV and ~2.5747 eV, respectively. A recombination mechanism was proposed for the TlInS2 near-band-edge and deep luminescence.