A. Hierro

Annealing effects on the crystal structure of GaInNAs quantum wells with large In and N content grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The impact of rapid thermal annealing on the optical emission of GaInNAs/GaAs quantum wells (QWs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy with high In and N content is shown to be highly dependent on the crystal structure of the QWs, as determined by transmission electron microscopy. Due to the presence of higher concentrations of nonradiative recombination centers, the annealing temperature required to obtain maximum photoluminescence emission is higher for the QW with strong structural modulation of the upper interface [at the onset of three-dimensional (3D) growth], intermediate for the two-dimensional (2D) grown QW with compositional fluctuations, and lower for the homogeneous 2D grown QW. Moreover, the transition from homogeneous 2D growth, to 2D growth with compositional fluctuations, and finally 3D growth, leads to progressively deeper carrier localization states below the conduction-band edge. Increasing annealing temperatures gradually shifts the localization states closer to the conduction-band edge, pr...

High responsivity and internal gain mechanisms in Au-ZnMgO Schottky photodiodes

Schottky photodiodes based on Au-ZnMgO/sapphire are demonstrated covering the spectral region from 3.35 to 3.48 eV, with UV/VIS rejection ratios up to ∼105 and responsivities as high as 185 A/W. Both the rejection ratio and the responsivity are shown to be largely enhanced by the presence of an internal gain mechanism, by which the compensated films become highly conductive as a result of illumination. This causes a large increase in the tunnel current through the Schottky barrier, yielding internal gains that are a function of the incident photon flux.

GaAsSb-capped InAs quantum dots: From enlarged quantum dot height to alloy fluctuations

The Sb-induced changes in the optical properties of GaAsSb-capped InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) are shown to be strongly correlated with structural changes. The observed redshift of the photoluminescence emission is shown to follow two different regimes. In the first regime, with Sb concentrations up to approx12%, the emission wavelength shifts up to approx1280 nm with a large enhancement of the luminescence characteristics. A structural analysis at the atomic scale by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy shows that this enhancement arises from a gradual increase in QD height, which improves carrier confinement and reduces the sensitivity of the excitonic band gap to QD size fluctuations within the ensemble. The increased QD height results from the progressive suppression of QD decomposition during the capping process due to the presence of Sb atoms on the growth surface. In the second regime, with Sb concentrations above approx12%, the emission wavelength shifts up to approx1500 nm, but the luminescence characteristics progressively degrade with the Sb content. This degradation at high Sb contents occurs as a result of composition modulation in the capping layer and strain-induced Sb migration to the top of the QDs, together with a transition to a type-II band alignment.

Carrier compensation by deep levels in Zn1−xMgxO/sapphire

A systematic analysis of the deep level spectrum in the lower half of the bandgap of Au–Zn1−xMgxO (0.056<x<0.18) Schottky diodes is presented. Two deep levels are observed at Ev+580 and Ev+280 meV regardless of the bandgap energy with trap concentrations linearly increasing with the Mg content. The Ev+280 meV trap concentration becomes as high as 1.01×1018 cm−3 at 18% Mg, partially compensating the films and causing a decrease from 8.02×1016 to 1.27×1016 cm−3 in the net electron concentration and an increase by three orders of magnitude in the diode series resistance due to electron trapping.

Polarization-sensitive Schottky photodiodes based on a-plane ZnO/ZnMgO multiple quantum-wells

Light polarization-sensitive UV photodetectors (PSPDs) using non-polar a-plane ZnMgO/ZnO multiple quantum wells grown both on sapphire and ZnO substrates have been demonstrated. For the PSPDs grown on sapphire with anisotropic biaxial in-plain strain, the responsivity absorption edge shifts by ΔE ∼ 21 meV between light polarized perpendicular (⊥) and parallel (||) to the c-axis, and the maximum responsivity (R) contrast is (R⊥/R||)max ∼ 6. For the PSPDs grown on ZnO, with strain-free quantum wells, ΔE ∼ 40 meV and (R⊥/R||)max ∼ 5. These light polarization sensitivities have been explained in terms of the excitonic transitions between the conduction and the three valence bands.

Analysis of the modified optical properties and band structure of GaAs1-xSbx-capped InAs/GaAs quantum dots

The origin of the modified optical properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD) capped with a thin GaAs1−xSbx layer is analyzed in terms of the band structure. To do so, the size, shape, and composition of the QDs and capping layer are determined through cross-sectional scanning tunnelling microscopy and used as input parameters in an 8 × 8 k·p model. As the Sb content is increased, there are two competing effects determining carrier confinement and the oscillator strength: the increased QD height and reduced strain on one side and the reduced QD-capping layer valence band offset on the other. Nevertheless, the observed evolution of the photoluminescence (PL) intensity with Sb cannot be explained in terms of the oscillator strength between ground states, which decreases dramatically for Sb > 16%, where the band alignment becomes type II with the hole wavefunction localized outside the QD in the capping layer. Contrary to this behaviour, the PL intensity in the type II QDs is similar (at 15 K) or even larger ...

Independent tuning of electron and hole confinement in InAs/GaAs quantum dots through a thin GaAsSbN capping layer

The possibility of an independent tuning of the electron and hole confinement in InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) by using a thin GaAsSbN capping layer (CL) is studied. By controlling the Sb and N contents in the quaternary alloy, the band structure of the QDs can be broadly tuned and converted from type-II in the valence band (high Sb contents) to type-I and to type-II in the conduction band (high N contents). Nevertheless, the simultaneous presence of Sb and N is found to induce strain and composition inhomogeneities in the CL and to degrade the photoluminescence of the structure.

Growth and in situ annealing conditions for long-wavelength (Ga, In)(N, As)/GaAs lasers

The conjugated effect of growth temperature and in situ thermal annealing on the photoluminescence properties of In0.4Ga0.6As0.985N0.015/GaAs quantum wells (QWs) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy has been investigated. The interplay between growth temperature and annealing effects is such as the optimum growth temperature is not the same for as-grown and annealed samples. By using the combination of a low growth temperature and a high in situ annealing temperature, separate confinement heterostructure laser diodes with a single In0.4Ga0.6As1−xNx (x=0.015–0.021)/GaAs QW have been grown. The broad area devices emit from 1.34 to 1.44 μm at room temperature with a threshold current density of 1500–1755A∕cm2.

High efficient luminescence in type-II GaAsSb-capped InAs quantum dots upon annealing

The photoluminescence efficiency of GaAsSb-capped InAs/GaAs type II quantum dots (QDs) can be greatly enhanced by rapid thermal annealing while preserving long radiative lifetimes which are ∼20 times larger than in standard GaAs-capped InAs/GaAs QDs. Despite the reduced electron-hole wavefunction overlap, the type-II samples are more efficient than the type-I counterparts in terms of luminescence, showing a great potential for device applications. Strain-driven In-Ga intermixing during annealing is found to modify the QD shape and composition, while As-Sb exchange is inhibited, allowing to keep the type-II structure. Sb is only redistributed within the capping layer giving rise to a more homogeneous composition.

Optical properties and microstructure of 2.02-3.30 eV ZnCdO nanowires: Effect of thermal annealing

ZnCdO nanowires with up to 45% Cd are demonstrated showing room temperature photoluminescence (PL) down to 2.02 eV and a radiative efficiency similar to that of ZnO nanowires. Analysis of the microstructure in individual nanowires confirms the presence of a single wurtzite phase even at the highest Cd contents, with a homogeneous distribution of Cd both in the longitudinal and transverse directions. Thermal annealing at 550 °C yields an overall improvement of the PL, which is blue-shifted as a result of the homogeneous decrease of Cd throughout the nanowire, but the single wurtzite structure is fully maintained.