A. S. Shcheulin

CdF2:In: A novel material for optically written storage of information

We demonstrate that semiconducting CdF2 crystals doped with indium is an efficient medium for optical storage of information in static and dynamic regimes. A metastable phototransformation of 1018 cm−3 In centers from a localized deep state to a hydrogenlike shallow state leads to a change of the refractive index Δn of about 10−4 for the probe beam at the wavelength of 500 nm. The diffraction efficiency is temperature dependent due to spontaneous decay of the grating caused by thermal recovery of the In impurity from the metastable hydrogenic state to the localized ground state.

DEEP-SHALLOW TRANSFORMATION OF BISTABLE CENTERS IN SEMICONDUCTING CDF2 CRYSTALS

Abstract To study the nature of deep/shallow states of bistable In- and Ga-centers in semiconducting CdF 2 crystals, the quantum yield of the photochemical reaction of deep-shallow transformation and the kinetics of shallow-deep thermotransformation are studied. Both experiments prove the two-electron (negative- U ) nature of the deep state.

Mechanisms of writing and decay of holographic gratings in semiconducting CdF2:Ga

We consider the mechanisms responsible for the photoinduced change in the optical properties of semiconducting CdF2 crystals with metastable Ga impurities forming DX centers. Unlike the case of compound semiconductors with DX centers (GaAlAs:Si, GaAlAs:Te, CdZnTe:Cl), this change is caused not by free electrons but by a redistribution of electrons between deep and shallow localized states. The resulting modification of the refractive index of the crystal allows writing of persistent holographic gratings at temperatures up to 200 K, high for this class of holographic materials. Holographic characteristics of CdF2:Ga crystals such as refractive index change, sensitivity, and grating decay are described.

New class of holographic materials based on semiconductor CdF2 crystals with bistable centers: III. Mechanisms of recording and decay of holographic gratings

The mechanisms of recording and decay of holographic gratings in CdF2 crystals with bistable gallium or indium centers are considered. The analysis of the decay kinetics allows one to determine potentialities and conditions for using these crystals both for static recording of holograms and for holography in real time. This time scale is fairly broad and covers the time range from 1 s to 10 μs or shorter. Energy characteristics of the bistable centers, namely, the binding energies of the deep and shallow levels and heights of the barriers between them, are refined.

A new class of holographic materials based on semiconductor CdF2 crystals with bistable centers. Part II. Growth of optically perfect crystals

The crystal-chemical processes occurring during the growth of cadmium fluoride crystals doped with bistable gallium and indium impurities and during conversion of the crystals to the semiconductor state are considered. It is found that doping with indium does not strongly affect the optical performance of the crystals, while gallium, due to its low solubility in cadmium fluoride, strongly impairs this performance. It is shown that co-doping of the crystals with highly soluble impurities (yttrium, scandium, and gadolinium fluorides) makes it possible to obtain optically perfect gallium-doped crystals.

Dynamic wavefront-conjugating mirror based on CdF2 crystals with bistable in centers

The wavefront reversal upon degenerate four-wave interaction in a CdF2 crystal with bistable In centers is experimentally investigated using a pulsed ruby laser as a pump source. The reflectance and operating speed of the wavefront-conjugating mirror are measured and the quality of the reflected wave, as well as of the compensation of model phase distortions, is estimated. An operating speed of about 15 ns is obtained for such a mirror with a reflectance of up to 2% at room temperature. Compensation of model large-scale distortions yields a gain in the beam divergence of 20 and a quality of compensation of 1.05.

Recording of dynamic information holograms in a CdF2:In crystal

It is shown that CdF2:In crystals can be used to record amplitude-phase information holograms in real time. The diffraction efficiency of these holograms is several percent, but they are characterized by a much higher sensitivity in comparison with phase holograms recorded in the transparency region of the crystal. A model experiment on pattern recognition is performed.

Dynamic reflection holograms in CdF2 crystals with bistable centers

The diffraction efficiency and the recording and relaxation times of dynamic reflection holograms, recorded in CdF2 crystals with bistable centers are studied experimentally in the temperature range 20–100°C. In the model experiments which measured the quality of the wave reflected from the hologram, the dynamic wavefront distortions are demonstrated to be efficiently compensated using a holographic corrector based on these crystals. CdF2 crystals with bistable centers are likely to be useful in solving problems of correction of laser light wavefront and image correction in observation telescopes with nonideal primary mirrors.

p+-Si-n-CdF2 heterojunctions

Boron diffusion and the vapor-phase deposition of silicon layers are used to prepare ultrashallow p+-n junctions and p+-Si-n-CdF2 heterostructures on an n-CdF2 crystal surface. Forward portions of the I–V characteristics of the p+-n junctions and p+-Si-n-CdF2 heterojunctions reveal the CdF2 band gap (7.8 eV), as well as allow the identification of the valence-band structure of cadmium fluoride crystals. Under conditions in which forward bias is applied to the p+-Si-n-CdF2 heterojunctions, electroluminescence spectra are measured for the first time in the visible spectral region.

Donor compensation in the depletion layer of CdF2 crystals with a Schottky barrier

RF response and capacitance-voltage and current-voltage characteristics of n-type semiconductor crystals CdF2:In, CdF2:Ga, and CdF2:Y with a Schottky barrier were studied. Specific features of these characteristics are accounted for based on the assumption that the charge transport from the metal to the depletion layer is due to the formation of Cd0 excitations in the contact layer, which occurs because of the supply of electron pairs from the metal (Au). These excitations compensate donors in the space-charge region of ∼1 µm thickness, adjacent to the contact.