A. N. Cartwright

Polymer nanocomposite photovoltaics utilizing CdSe nanocrystals capped with a thermally cleavable solubilizing ligand

We demonstrate a relative improvement in power conversion efficiency of polymer nanocomposite photovoltaic cells consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) functionalized CdSe nanocrystals. Thermal deprotection processing of the tert-buthoxycarbonyl moiety in the carbamate ligand surrounding the surface of CdSe nanocrystal significantly shortened the length of the ligand between nanocrystals and between the nanocrystal and the polymer matrix. The resulting device performance was investigated as a function of the composition ratio of P3HT/CdSe and the heating temperature. This simple and straightforward ligand deprotection strategy resulted in a significant increase in current density due to improvement of charge transport between the constituent materials.

Robust magnetic polarons in type-II (Zn,Mn)Te/ZnSe magnetic quantum dots

We present a magneto-optical study of magnetic polarons in type-II Zn,Mn Te quantum dots. The polarons are formed due to the exchange coupling between the spins of the holes and those of the Mn ions, both of which are localized in the dots. In our photoluminescence studies, the magnetic polarons are detected at temperatures up to 150 K, with a formation energy of 40 meV. The emission from these dots exhibits an unusually small Zeeman shift with applied magnetic field 2 meV at 8 T and at the same time a very large circular polarization. We attribute this apparently contradictory behavior by a low and weakly temperaturedependent magnetic susceptibility due to antiferromagnetic coupling of the Mn spins.

Ultrafast differential transmission spectroscopy of excitonic transitions in InGaN'GaN multiple quantum wells

Room-temperature carrier dynamics in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells are studied by employing ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy. Specifically, the observed differential spectral signatures are characteristic of changes in the absorption coefficient through both a reduction of the quantum-confined Stark shift due to the photoinduced in-well field screening (low carrier densities) and excitonic absorption quenching (high carrier densities). The comparison of the differential absorption spectra at different injected carrier densities allows us to separate field screening from excitonic bleaching. The estimated in-well field at the transition point between field screening and excitonic bleaching is consistent with the theoretical value of the piezoelectric field in the strained InGaN well.

Time-resolved magnetophotoluminescence studies of magnetic polaron dynamics in type-II quantum dots

We used continuous wave photoluminescence (cw-PL) and time resolved photoluminescence (TR-PL) spectroscopy to compare the properties of magnetic polarons (MP) in two related spatially indirect II-VI epitaxially grown quantum dot systems. In the ZnTe/(Zn,Mn)Se system the holes are confined in the non-magnetic ZnTe quantum dots (QDs), and the electrons reside in the magnetic (Zn,Mn)Se matrix. On the other hand, in the (Zn,Mn)Te/ZnSe system, the holes are confined in the magnetic (Zn,Mn)Te QDs, while the electrons remain in the surrounding non-magnetic ZnSe matrix. The magnetic polaron formation energies in both systems were measured from the temporal red-shift of the band-edge emission. The magnetic polaron exhibits distinct characteristics depending on the location of the Mn ions. In the ZnTe/(Zn,Mn)Se system the magnetic polaron shows conventional behavior with decreasing with increasing temperature T and increasing magnetic field B. In contrast, in the (Zn,Mn)Te/ZnSe system has unconventional dependence on temperature T and magnetic field B; is weakly dependent on T as well as on B. We discuss a possible origin for such a striking difference in the MP properties in two closely related QD systems.

Excitonic field screening and bleaching in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells

Photoinduced carrier dynamics in a sequence of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) are studied by employing steady state and ultrafast spectroscopy at room temperature. Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measured short carrier lifetimes of , 140 ps at room temperature. Steady state differential transmission was used to measure the in-well field screening due to the photoinjected carriers. The observed offset in emission energy from excitonic screening energies is consistent with the emission of carriers through localized states slightly below the excitonic resonance energy. Furthermore, time-resolved differential transmission with amplified pulses, where significant carrier densities can be optically generated, provides evidence of both excitonic bleaching and field screening in these InGaN quantum wells (QWs). The comparison of the time-resolved differential absorption spectra at various carrier densities allows us to identify different carrier recombination dynamics in the InGaN well and to separate the field screening from the bleaching effects. Finally, the extreme prolongation of the carrier recombination lifetime up to , 4 ms suggests the spatial separation between electrons and holes under the large in-well fields. q 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular Beam Epitaxial Growth of AlN/GaN Multiple Quantum Wells

AlN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) were grown on sapphire substrates by plasmaassisted molecular beam epitaxy. Growth temperature, III/V ratio, growth rate, and other growth parameters were optimized for the buffer layer and the MQWs, separately. The growth of AlN buffer was kept as Al-rich as possible while the formation of Al droplets was avoided. A GaN buffer layer was also tried but proved to be inferior to AlN buffer probably due to its larger surface roughness, higher dislocation density, and larger lattice mismatch with the AlN barrier layers in the MQWs. Very flat surfaces with a RMS roughness of 0.7nm were observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) on the samples with both AlN buffer layer and 20 MQWs deposited under the optimized growth conditions. Abrupt interfaces and excellent periodicities of the MQWs were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and reflectivity measurements with MQWs’ satellite peaks clearly visible up to the 10th order. Room-temperature intense ultraviolet (UV) photoluminescence (PL) emission with wavelength in the range of 320-350nm was also observed from the MQWs with well width ranging from 1.0 to 1.5nm. These MQW structures can potentially be used for UV light emitters and quantum cascade lasers.

Conventional versus unconventional magnetic polarons: ZnMnTe/ZnSe and ZnTe/ZnMnSe quantum dots

We used time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy to compare the properties of magnetic polarons in two related, spatially indirect, II-VI epitaxially grown quantum dot systems. In sample A (ZnMnTe/ZnSe), the photoexcited holes are confined in the magnetic ZnMnTe quantum dots (QDs), while the electrons remain in the surrounding non-magnetic ZnSe matrix. In sample B (ZnTe/ZnMnSe) on the other hand, the holes are confined in the non-magnetic ZnTe QDs and the electrons move in the magnetic ZnMnSe matrix. The magnetic polaron formation energies, EMP , in these samples were measured from the temporal red-shift of the excitonic emission peak. The magnetic polarons in the two samples exhibit distinct characteristics. In sample A, the magnetic polaron is strongly bound with EMP=35 meV. Furthermore, EMP has unconventionally weak dependence of on both temperature T and magnetic field Bappl . In contrast, magnetic polarons in sample B show conventional characteristics with EMP decreasing with increasing temperature and increasing external magnetic field. We attribute the difference in magnetic polaron properties between the two types of QDs to the difference in the location of the Mn ions in the respective structures.

Binding Characteristics of Surface Ligands on PbSe QDs and Impact on Electrical Conductivity

We report the binding and conductivity characteristics of PbSe nanocrystal quantum dots which have different ligands on the surface. The PbSe nanocrystal quantum dots were surface functionalized using chemical treatment. The results of post-treatment analysis show that the PbSe surface can be successfully functionalized with various ligands based on thiol- and amine-molecules (e.g., oleic acid, dodecanethiol and butylamine). Conductivity measurements performed using a metal-semiconductor-metal structure indicate that there is an increase of conductivity as the length of the ligand connecting the quantum dots is reduced.

Femtosecond pump and probe spectroscopy of optical nonlinearities in an InGaN/GaN heterostructure

The magnitudes and evolutions of two photoinduced absorption nonlinearities, absorption bleaching and field screening, were compared and investigated by employing electroabsorption and femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy in a biased InGaN/GaN p-i-n double heterostructure. Steady state electroabsorption measurements indicate the field induced absorption coefficient changes in this structure are caused by the Franz-Keldysh effect. The temporal resolution of the absorption bleaching spectra suggests that the photoinduced carriers rapidly relaxed to the InGaN band edge within several picoseconds. As the applied reverse bias field was increased, the transition of the differential absorption spectral signature from the signature for absorption bleaching to the signature for field screening was observed. The magnitude of the change in absorption due to photoinduced carrier screening of the applied field is quantified and compared to absorption bleaching.

Influence of growth temperature on emission efficiency of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells

A comparative study, using time-resolved and CW photoluminescence spectroscopy, of MOVPE grown InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells deposited on HVPE GaN/Sapphire at different growth temperatures was undertaken. It was found that the PL linewidth increased and the peak emission energy decreased as the growth temperature was reduced. Moreover, the sample grown at an intermediate growth temperature exhibited total integrated luminescence intensity much greater than the samples grown at higher or lower growth temperatures. A phenomenological carrier recombination dynamics model based on the competition of quantum well-like radative recombination, spatially localized radiative recombination in potential minima and non-radiative recombination through defects is presented to provide an explanation of the observed emission dynamics and efficiency. In this model, the emission efficiency is determined by the relative area of defects and the number density of localized states in the potential minima, both of which are influenced by the growth temperature. Furthermore, the photon energy dependent lifetimes are well fitted with this model by assuming a Gaussian shape localized states distribution. The localized potential minima are consistent with nanoscale indium rich regions due to indium aggregation.