Surface integral determination of built-in electric fields and analysis of exciton binding energies in nitride-based quantum dots

We present a simple analytical approach to calculate the built-in strain-induced and spontaneous piezoelectric fields in nitride-based quantum dots (QDs) and then apply the method to describe the variation of exciton, biexciton and charged exciton energy with dot size in GaN/AlN QDs. We first present the piezoelectric potential in terms of a surface integral over the QD surface, and confirm that, due to the strong built-in electric field, the electrons are localised near the QD top and the holes are localised in the wetting layer just below the dot. The strong localisation and smaller dielectric constant results in much larger Coulomb interactions in GaN/AlN QDs than in typical InAs/GaAs QDs, with the interaction between two electrons, J_ee, or two holes, J_hh, being about a factor of three larger. The electron–hole recombination energy is always blue shifted in the charged excitons, X⁻ and X⁺, and the biexciton, and the blue shift increases with increasing dot height. We conclude that spectroscopic studies of the excitonic complexes should provide a useful probe of the structural and piezoelectric properties of GaN-based QDs.     

高效InGaN/AlInGaN发光二极管的结构设计及其理论研究

利用Advanced Physical Models of Semiconductor Devices (APSYS)理论对比研究了InGaN/AlInGaN 和 InGaN/GaN多量子阱作为有源层的InGaN基发光二极管的结构和电学特性。与InGaN/GaN 基LED 中GaN作为垒层材料相比,在AlInGaN材料体系中,通过调节AlInGaN中Al和In的组分可以优化器件的性能。当InGaN阱层材料中In组分为8%时,可以实现无应力的In_0.08Ga_0.92N/AlInGaN基 LED。在这种无应力结构中可以进一步降低大功率LED的"效率下降"(Effciency droop)问题。理论模拟结果显示,四元系AlInGaN作为垒层可以进一步减少载流子泄露,增加空穴注入效率,减少极化场对器件性能的影响。在In_0.08Ga_0.92N /AlInGaN量子阱中的载流子浓度、有源层的辐射复合率、电流特性曲线和内量子效率等方面都优于InGaN/GaN基LED。无应变AlInGaN垒层代替传统的GaN垒层后,能够得到高效的发光二极管,并且大电流注入下的"效率滚降"问题得到改善。     

大失配、强极化第三代半导体材料体系生长动力学和载流子调控规律

高质量氮化镓(Ga N)材料是发展第三代半导体光电子与微电子器件的根基。大失配、强极化和非平衡态生长是Ga N基材料及其量子结构的固有特点,对其生长动力学和载流子调控规律的研究具有重要的科学意义与实用价值,受到各国科学界与产业界广泛高度重视。本文对大失配、强极化氮化物半导体材料体系外延生长动力学和载流子调控规律进行了研究,旨在攻克蓝光发光效率限制瓶颈,突破高Al和高In氮化物材料制备难题,实现高发光效率量子阱和高迁移率异质结构,制备多波段、高效率发光器件和高频率、高耐压电子器件,实现颠覆性的技术创新和应用,带动电子材料产业转型升级。     

Recombination processes in structures with GaN/ALN quantum dots

Mechanisms of the generation and the radiative and nonradiative recombination of carriers in structures with GaN quantum dots in the AlN matrix are studied experimentally and theoretically. Absorption, stationary and nonstationary photoluminescence of quantum dots at different temperatures are investigated. It is found that the photoluminescence intensity considerably decreases with the temperature while the photoluminescence kinetics weakly depends on the temperature. The photoluminescence kinetics is shown to be determined by radiative recombination inside quantum dots. A mechanism of nonradiative recombination is proposed, according to which the main reason for the thermal quenching of photoluminescence is nonradiative recombination of charge carriers, generated by optical transitions between quantum dots and wetting layer states.     

加载功率与壳温对AlGaN/GaN高速电子迁移率晶体管器件热阻的影响

结温是制约器件性能和可靠性的关键因素, 通常利用热阻计算器件的工作结温. 然而, 器件的热阻并不是固定值, 它随器件的施加功率、温度环境等工作条件的改变而变化. 针对该问题, 本文以CREE公司生产的高速电子迁移率晶体管(HEMT)器件为研究对象, 利用红外热像测温法与Sentaurus TCAD模拟法相结合, 测量研究了AlGaN/GaN HEMT器件在不同加载功率以及管壳温度下热阻的变化规律. 研究发现: 当器件壳温由80 ℃升高至130 ℃时, 其热阻由5.9 ℃/W变化为6.8 ℃/W, 增大15%, 其热阻与结温呈正反馈效应; 当器件的加载功率从2.8 W增加至14 W时, 其热阻从5.3 ℃/W变化为6.5 ℃/W, 增大22%. 对其热阻变化机理的研究发现: 在不同的管壳温度以及不同的加载功率条件下, 由于材料导热系数的变化导致其热阻随温度与加载功率的变化而变化.     

应变对两层半氢化氮化镓薄膜电磁学性质的调控机理研究

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理模拟计算,研究了在应变作用下两层半氢化氮化镓纳米薄膜的电学和磁学性质.没有表面修饰的两层氮化镓纳米薄膜的原子结构为类石墨结构,并具有间接能隙.然而,当两层氮化镓纳米薄膜的一侧表面镓原子被氢化时,该纳米薄膜却依然保持纤锌矿结构,并且展示出铁磁性半导体特性.在应变作用下,两层半氢化氮化镓纳米薄膜的能隙可进行有效调控,并且它将会由半导体性质可转变为半金属性质或金属性质.这主要是由于应变对表面氮原子的键间交互影响和p-p轨道直接交互影响之间协调作用的结果.该研究成果为实现低维半导体纳米材料的多样化提供了有效的调控手段,为其应用于新型电子纳米器件和自旋电子器件提供重要的理论指导.     

负电子亲和势GaN光电阴极铯吸附机理研究

为了得到铯吸附与阴极电子亲和势变化之间的定量关系,利用NEA光电阴极激活评估实验系统对GaN光电阴极进行了铯激活.根据半导体光电发射理论和双偶极层模型,通过对电子亲和势随铯覆盖度变化的实验结果进行拟合运算,得到电子亲和势与铯覆盖度之间的函数关系式.分析了铯的吸附机理,得到激活过程中铯的吸附过程与GaN材料有效电子亲和势下降之间的关系.实验表明:负电子亲和势GaN光电阴极材料在铯激活时光电流随着铯覆盖度的增加而从本底值增为极大值,激活过程中GaN电子能量分布曲线低动能截止点的位置决定于铯的覆盖度.当铯的覆盖度从0、1/2、2/3到1个单层变化时,低动能截止点依次向左移动,当覆盖度从0增加到1个单层时,低动能截止点向左移动了约3eV的距离.研究表明,低动能截止点左移本质上是由于对电子逸出起促进作用的有效偶极子[GaN(Mg):Cs]数量的增多造成的,有效偶极子数量的增多带来了材料表面真空能级的下降.     

Light Absorption of GaN Nanowire Array Cathode with Alkali Metal Nanoparticle Modified on the Surface

Since the adsorption of alkali metals is necessary for the negative electron affinity (NEA) of the photocathode, light absorption models of GaN nanowire (NW) arrays with alkali metal (Li, Na, K, and Cs) nanoparticles (NPs) modified on the NW surface based on the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method are constructed. The absorption spectra of hemispherical, spherical alkali metal NPs adsorbed on the outer surface of the NW, and spherical alkali metal embedded on the inner surface and center of the NW are studied. When the ratio of NW diameter to period (D/P) is greater than 0.5, the adsorption of alkali metal NPs cannot improve the absorption of GaN NW arrays. Alkali metal decoration can cause the absorption gain of NW arrays and optical loss of NPs, so the diameter and spacing of alkali metal NPs need to be balanced. When Li NPs are embedded in NW, plasmons can enhance the generation of electron-hole pairs, making GaN NWA obtain higher optical absorption and quantum efficiency. Therefore, the method of Li and Cs NPs embedded in GaN NW can provide a reference for the process NEA design, which will contribute to the development of the ultraviolet photocathode with high absorption characteristics.     

Analysis of carrier transport properties in GaN/Al0.3Ga0.7N multiple quantum well nanostructures

Analysis of carrier transport properties in GaN based multiple quantum well nanostructure has been carried out with an applied bias. Effect of an applied bias and aluminium mole composition in the barrier on the scattering rate, capture time and escape rate has been investigated. The scattering rate was found to be decreased with an increase of applied bias voltage and aluminium mole composition. Capture time shows oscillatory nature with variations in mole composition of aluminium under biasing conditions. The escape rate was found to be increasing from 0.01 ps⁻¹ to 0.69 ps⁻¹ with applied bias voltage.     

Improved linearity performance of AlGaN/GaN MISHFET over conventional HFETs: An optimization study for wireless infrastructure applications

In this work an extensive study on the linearity distortion behaviour of AlGaN/GaN MISHFET is performed and compared with those of conventional HFET structures. The contribution of higher order terms in a Taylor series expansion of small signal drain current is considered by evaluating higher order transconductance coefficients. Linearity figures of merit such as input intercept power, intermodulation distortion and other higher order harmonics have been investigated for both the structures. The impact of gate biasing on the linearity is also examined. The influence of critical technology parameters such as gate length, doping density, dopant layer thickness and gate insulator thickness is investigated to optimize the MISHFET structure for better linearity characteristics. Improved linearity performance has been observed for insulated gate structure proving its superiority over conventional HFETs for RF wireless and low noise applications. The results obtained reveal that by careful optimization of technology parameters, a suitably designed MISHFET architecture is more linear than its conventional counterparts.