Alpha particle detector with planar double Schottky contacts directly fabricated on semi-insulating GaN:Fe template

Alpha particle radiation detectors with planar double Schottky contacts (DSC) are directly fabricated on 5-μm-thick epitaxial semi-insulating (SI) GaN:Fe film with resistivity higher than 1×10⁸Ω·cm. Under 10 V bias, the detector exhibits a low dark current of less than 5.0×10^-11 A at room-temperature, which increases at higher temperatures. Linear behavior in the semi-log reverse current-voltage plot suggests that Poole-Frenkel emission is the dominant carrier leakage mechanism at high bias. Distinct double-peak characteristics are observed in the energy spectrum of alpha particles regardless of bias voltage. The energy resolution of the SI-GaN based detector is determined to be ～ 8.6% at the deposited energy of 1.209 MeV with a charge collection efficiency of ～ 81.7%. At a higher temperature of 90 ℃, the measured full width at half maximum (FWHM) rises to 235 keV with no shift of energy peak position, which proves that the GaN detector has potential to work stably in high temperature environment. This study provides a possible route to fabricate the low cost GaN-based alpha particle detector with reasonable performance.     

Modulated 3D light absorption profile in GaN nanorod arrays

The depth dependent UV-light absorption profile of GaN nanorods with different lattice arrays and filling factors was studied using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods. By comparing to the results from Lambert-Beer's law with Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory, we identified the quantitative contribution from nano-scattering effect on the light absorption in the nanorod arrays. The FDTD study of graphical 3D profile of light absorption and electric field intensity was parallelly conducted to investigate the origin of the nano-scattering. We found that the coupled electric field in the gap regions led to the larger absorption cross-section of the nanorod arrays, which is attributed to the distorted depth profile of the light absorption.     

Uniformity analysis of temperature distribution in an industrial MOCVD reactor

Three‐dimensional models, coupling fluid flow and heat transfer, have been adopted to analyze influences of the process parameters on the temperature uniformity in an industrial MOCVD reactor. Important factors, such as the inlet gas flow, the susceptor rotation, the heater power, the distance between the heat shield and the susceptor (d₁), as well as the distance between the heater and the susceptor (d₂), have been investigated carefully. The system heating condition is characterized by temperature uniformity denoted as the standard deviation of temperature, and by thermal efficiency expressed as a combination parameter of the dissipated energy. The results reveal that decrease of the gas flow and the rotation rate, as well as increase of the distance d₁, could monotonically enhance the temperature uniformity. The results also show that decrease of the above three parameters could improve the thermal efficiency. Furthermore, increase of the distance d₂ enhances the temperature uniformity, and reduces the thermal efficiency slightly. The influences of the parameters on the uniformity vary at the different locations of the susceptor as divided into Zone A, Zone B and Zone C. The conclusions help the growth engineer optimize the system design and process conditions of the reactor.     

高温高压固态复分解反应法生长氮化镓的应变性质研究

本文采用高温高压下固态复分解反应法生长氮化镓.用X射线衍射仪、扫描电子显微镜、激光拉曼光谱仪对其进行分析,结果表明生成了六角纤锌矿结构的氮化镓晶体.该样品在宏观上受到了张应力的作用,退火后,宏观的应变状态由张应变向压应变转变;晶体微观应力减小,晶粒尺寸变大,晶体质量变好.     

Intersubband transitions in Al0.82In0.18N/GaN single quantum well

The influence of the width of a lattice-matched Al_0.82In_0.18N/GaN single quantum well (SQW) on the absorption coefficients and wavelength of the intersubband transition (ISBT) has been investigated by solving the Schrödinger and Poisson equations self-consistently. The wavelength of 1—2 ISBT increases with L, the thickness of the single quantum well, ranging from 2.88 μm to 3.59 μm. The absorption coefficients of 1—2 ISBT increase with L at first and then decrease with L, with a maximum when L is equal to 2.6 nm. The wavelength of 1—3 ISBT decreases with L at first and then increases with L, with a minimum when L is equal to 4 nm, ranging from approximately 2.03 μm to near 2.11 μm. The absorption coefficients of 1—3 ISBT decrease with L. The results indicate that mid-infrared can be realized by the Al_0.82In_0.18N/GaN SQW. In addition, the wavelength and absorption coefficients of ISBT can be adjusted by changing the width of the SQW.     

Improved device performance in nonpolar a ‐plane GaN LEDs using a Ni/Al/Ni/Au n‐type ohmic contact

The authors report upon the increased light‐output power (P_out) via a reduction in the forward voltage (V_f) for nonpolar a ‐plane GaN LEDs using Ni/Al/Ni/Au n‐type ohmic contacts. The specific contact resistivity of the Ni/Al/Ni/Au contact is found to be as low as 5.6 × 10^–5 whereas that of a typical Ti/Al/Ni/Au contact is 6.8 × 10^–4 Ω cm², after annealing at 700 °C. The X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that the upward surface band bending is less pronounced for the Ni/Al contact compared to the Ti/Al contact, leading to a decrease in the effective Schottky barrier height (SBH). The V_f of the nonpolar LEDs decreases by 10% and P_out increases by 15% when the Ni/Al/Ni/Au scheme is used instead of the typical Ti/Al/Ni/Au metal scheme. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A general solution to the Schrödinger–Poisson equation for a charged hard wall: Application to potential profile of an AlN/GaN barrier structure

A general, system-independent, formulation of the parabolic Schrödinger–Poisson equation is presented for a charged hard wall in the limit of complete screening by the ground state. It is solved numerically using iteration and asymptotic boundary conditions. The solution gives a simple relation between the band bending and sheet charge density at an interface. Approximative analytical expressions for the potential profile and wave function are developed based on properties of the exact solution. Specific tests of the validity of the assumptions leading to the general solution are made. The assumption of complete screening by the ground state is found be a limitation; however, the general solution provides a fair approximate account of the potential profile when the bulk is doped. The general solution is further used in a simple model for the potential profile of an AlN/GaN barrier structure. The result compares well with the solution of the full Schrödinger–Poisson equation.     

Theoretical study of indirect excitons’ lifetime in coupled AlGaN/GaN quantum wells in the presence of an electrostatic trap

The lifetime of electrostatically trapped indirect excitons in a field-effect structure based on coupled AlGaN/GaN quantum wells has been theoretically studied. Within the plane of a double quantum well, indirect excitons are trapped between the surfaces of the AlGaN/GaN heterostructures and a semitransparent metallic top gate. The trapping mechanism has been assumed to be a combination of the quantum confined Stark effect and local field enhancement. In order to study the trapped exciton lifetime, the binding energy of indirect excitons in coupled quantum wells is calculated by finite difference method in the presence of an electric field. Thus, the lifetime of trapped excitons is computed as a function of well width, AlGaN barrier width, the position of double quantum well in the device and applied voltage.     

氮化镓基发光二极管结构中粗化 p型氮化镓层的新型生长方法

提出了一种新型p型氮化镓粗化外延生长方法,这种生长方法的本质特征是利用低温生长的p型氮化镓作为粗化层的"晶籽"层,然后在这一层的基础上高温快速生长p型氮化镓,使粗化程度得到放大. 经实际制作尺寸为12 mil×10 mil的蓝光发光二极管器件并进行验证测试,与未进行p型氮化镓粗化的结果相比,通过这种方法粗化的发光二极管光通量可提升45%;结果同时表明,该方法有效解决了低温生长p型氮化镓带来的漏电流大,及预通镁源带来的前置电压高的问题. 关键词： 粗化 氮化镓 p型氮化镓 发光二极管     

闪锌矿GaN弹性性质、电子结构和光学性质外压力效应的理论研究

采用基于密度泛函理论(DFT)的第一性原理平面波赝势方法,结合广义梯度近似(GGA)下的RPBE和局域密度近似(LDA)的CA-PZ交换-关联泛函对闪锌矿结构的GaN在高压的性质进行了系统研究. 计算结果表明:弹性常数、体模量、杨氏模量和能隙都具有明显的外压力效应,计算结果与实验值和理论值很好的符合. 同时利用计算的能带结构和态密度系统分析了GaN的介电函数、折射率、反射率、吸收系数和能量损失函数等光学性质及其外压力效应. 分析结果为GaN的设计与应用提供了理论依据. 关键词： 第一性原理计算 电子结构 光学性质 闪锌矿GaN