C. W. Teng

Optical and structural properties of epitaxial MgxZn1−xO alloys

The optical and structural properties of high-quality single-crystal epitaxial MgZnO films deposited by pulsed-laser deposition were studied. In films with up to ∼36 at. % Mg incorporation, we have observed intense ultraviolet band edge photoluminescence at room temperature and 77 K. The highly efficient photoluminescence is indicative of the excitonic nature of the material. Transmission spectroscopy was used to show that the excitonic structure of the alloys was clearly visible at room temperature. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy/ion channeling were used to verify the epitaxial single-crystal quality of the films and characterize the defect content. Post-deposition annealing in oxygen was found to reduce the number of defects and to improve the optical properties of the films. These results indicate that MgZnO alloys have potential applications in a variety of optoelectronic devices.

Refractive indices and absorption coefficients of MgxZn1−xO alloys

Indices of refraction for MgxZn1−xO epitaxial films grown by pulsed-laser deposition on sapphire substrates with x up to 0.36 were determined in the range of wavelength 457–968 nm by analysis of optical transmission spectra and prism-coupled waveguide measurements. The dispersion follows the first-order Sellmeier dispersion equation. Absorption coefficients, exciton energy gaps, and binding energies of MgxZn1−xO alloys were determined by transmission spectroscopy. The excitonic absorption features were clearly visible at room temperature despite alloy broadening. These results provide important information for the design and modeling of ZnO/MgZnO heterostructure optoelectronic devices.

Optical and structural studies of Ge nanocrystals embedded in AlN matrix fabricated by pulsed laser deposition

We have fabricated Ge nanostructures buried in a matrix of AlN grown on Si(111) by pulsed laser deposition at the substrate temperature of 500 °C. The characterization of these structures was performed using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopy. The HRTEM results show that the Ge islands are single crystal with a pyramidal shape. The average size of Ge islands was determined to be ∼15 nm, which could be varied by controlling laser deposition and substrate parameters. The Raman spectrum showed a peak of the Ge–Ge vibrational mode downward shifted up to 295 cm−1 which is caused by quantum confinement of phonons in the Ge dots. The photoluminescence of the Ge dots (size ∼15 nm) was blueshifted by ∼0.266 eV from the bulk Ge value of 0.73 eV at 77 K, resulting in a distinct peak at ∼1.0 eV. The transmission measurements carried out on different samples having Ge dot sizes of 7, 8, and 13 nm deposited on sapphire substrate showed the above band edge...

Optical characterization of wide band gap amorphous semiconductors (a-Si:C:H): Effect of hydrogen dilution

The effect of hydrogen dilution on the optical properties of a wide band gap amorphous semiconductor (a-Si:C:H) was investigated. The samples were prepared by glow discharge decomposition of tetramethylsilane and were characterized primarily by optical techniques: spectroscopic ellipsometry, Raman scattering, infrared absorption, spectrophotometry, and UV photoluminescence. The deposition rate decreased with hydrogen dilution, while the silicon to carbon ratio remained constant with the addition of hydrogen. The optical band gap of this material increased as the hydrogen flow rate increased. Infrared absorption studies show that the concentration of hydrogen which is bonded to carbon decreases systematically upon hydrogen dilution. Hydrogen dilution appears to reduce the size and concentration of sp2 bonded carbon clusters, possibly caused by the etching of sp2 clusters by atomic hydrogen. The result was also supported by the shift of the Raman G peak position to a lower wave number region. Room temperatu...

Quantum confinement of E1 and E2 transitions in Ge quantum dots embedded in an Al2O3 or an AlN matrix

Alternating layers of Ge quantum dots embedded in either Al2O3 or AlN matrices were deposited on sapphire substrates by pulsed-laser deposition. The characteristics of the dots are shown to be independent of the surrounding matrix. The dots size (73, 130, 160, and 260 A±5%) was controlled by the laser energy density and deposition time, and was characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The dots were single crystalline with no apparent GeOx interfacial layers. Transmission spectroscopy at room temperature and 77 K was used to probe the above-band-edge absorption of the Ge nanodots. The spectral positions of both E1/E1+Δ1 and E2 transitions were found to shift to higher energy in the absorption spectra with decreasing nanodot sizes. This indicates that strong quantum-confinement effect permits the optical properties of Ge dots to be modified in a controlled manner.

Growth of ZnO/MgZnO Superlattice on Sapphire

The optical and structural properties of ZnO/ MgZnO superlattices were investigated by transmission electron microscope, transmission measurement and photoluminescence. The uncoupled wells ranged in thickness from ∼30 A to 75 A. Modulation of the Mg content was observed in Z-contrast TEM indicating the alloy composition was periodic. The density of stacking faults in the superlattice was extremely high, however the photoluminescence in the narrowest well case was blue shifted, and substantially brighter than comparable bulk layers of ZnO and MgZnO indicating that the emission was enhanced. Excitonic features were observed in the optical absorption spectra and also revealed that diffusion of Mg from the barrier layers into the well was occurring.

Photoluminescence and electrical characteristics of the two-dimensional electron gas in Si delta-doped GaN layers

We have studied the electrical and photoluminescence (PL) properties of a Si delta-doped GaN layer grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The Hall mobility and electron sheet concentration are 726 cm2/V s and 1.9×1012 cm−2, respectively, at 2 K. A PL peak located at 78 meV below the band gap of GaN is observed at 77 K. This PL peak is attributed to the radiative recombination between electrons in the two-dimensional quantum states and photoexcited holes in GaN, which is consistent with simulation results using a one-dimensional Poisson and Schrodinger equation solver. The peak disappears at temperatures higher than 77 K and is not observed in uniformly doped GaN layers.

Wavelength-dependent Raman scattering of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbon with red, green, and blue light excitation

This study presents results of wavelength-dependent Raman scattering from amorphous silicon carbon (a-Si:C:H). The a-Si:C:H films were produced by radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Prior results with amorphous carbon indicate that laser excitation selectively probes clusters with differing sizes. Our measurements with a-Si:C:H indicate that when using red (632.8 nm), green (514.5 nm), and blue (488.0 nm) excitation, the Raman D and G peaks shift to higher wave numbers as the excitation energy increases. The higher frequency is associated with smaller clusters that are preferentially excited with higher photon energy. It appears that photoluminescence occurs due to radiative recombination from intracluster transitions in Si-alloyed sp 2 -bonded carbon clusters

Size Effect in Germanium Nanostructures Fabricated by Pulsed Laser Deposition

We have fabricated Ge nanostructures buried in AlN and Al 2 O 3 matrices grown on Si(111) and sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition. Our approach involved three-dimensional island growth of low band-gap material followed by a layer of wide band-gap material. The nanodots were uniformly distributed in between alternating layers of AlN or Al 2 O 3 . It was observed that these nanodots exhibit crystalline structure when grown at 300-500 °C. The average size of Ge islands was determined to be ∼5-15 nm, which could be varied by controlling laser deposition and substrate parameters. The Raman spectrum showed a peak of the Ge-Ge vibrational mode downward shifted upto 295 cm − which is caused by quantum confinement of phonons in the Ge-dots. The photoluminescence of the Ge dots (size ∼15nm) was blue shifted by ∼0.266 eV from the bulk Ge value of 0.73 eV at 77 K, resulting in a distinct peak at ∼1.0 eV. The spectral positions of both E 1 and E 2 transitions in the absorption spectra at room temperature and 77K shift toward higher energy as the Ge dot size decreases. The interpretation of these behaviors in terms of quantum confinement is discussed in this work, and the importance of pulsed laser deposition in fabricating novel nanostructures is emphasized

Quantum Confinement of Above-Band-Gap Transitions in Ge Quantum Dots

A number of research efforts have been focused on self-assembled germanium quantum dots in which indirect optical transitions take place across the band gap. However, many questions regarding the confined electronic state transitions of Ge quantum dots still remain unanswered. In the present report, we have deposited ten alternating layers of crystalline Ge quantum dots embedded in an Al 2 O 3 or an AIN matrix on sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The average dot sizes (73 A to 260 A) were controlled by the laser energy density, deposition time and substrate temperature. The spectral positions of both the E 1 and the E 2 transitions in the absorption spectra at room temperature and 77 K shift toward higher energy (ΔE 1 =1.19 eV, ΔE 2 =0.57 eV) as the Ge dot size decreases (73 A). Structural analysis using transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy and the interpretation of optical absorption measurements in terms of quantum confinement of carriers in both transitions are presented.