Jingfei Liu

Control of quantum-confined Stark effect in InGaN∕GaN multiple quantum well active region by p-type layer for III-nitride-based visible light emitting diodes

We demonstrate the control of the quantum-confined Stark effect in InGaN∕GaN quantum wells (QWs), grown along the [0001] direction as part of the active region of visible light emitting diodes (LEDs). The effect can be altered by modifying the strain applied to the active region by the hole injection and contact layers. The optical characteristics and electrostatic potentials of the active region of the visible LEDs with different p-type layers are compared. LEDs with p-InGaN on top of the active region show a reduced blueshift in the peak wavelength with increasing injection current and a lower potential difference across the QW than those with p-GaN layers. The electrostatic potentials across the QW have estimated average values of ∼0.8 and ∼1.3MV∕cm for the active region of LEDs of current study with p-InGaN and p-GaN layers, respectively.

Blue light emitting diodes grown on freestanding (11-20) a -plane GaN substrates

Visible blue light emitting diodes have been produced on freestanding nonpolar GaN (11-20) a-plane substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The growth conditions have been optimized for smooth growth morphology of GaN nonpolar homoepitaxial layers without surface features, leading to light emitting diode epitaxial structures that are free of crystalline defects such as threading dislocations and stacking faults. Electroluminescence of light emitting diodes exhibit peak wavelengths of ∼450nm and are independent of current level at low current densities before the heating effects are evidenced.

The effect of InGaN underlayers on the electronic and optical properties of InGaN/GaN quantum wells

The electronic and optical properties of visible InGaN quantum-well (QW) structures grown on In0.03Ga0.97N underlayers have been investigated. A significant improvement of the QW emission is observed as a result of the insertion of the underlayers, which is associated with blueshift in the emission energy, reduced recombination lifetime, increased spatial homogeneity in the QW luminescence, and weaker internal fields inside the QWs. These are explained by partial strain relaxation evidenced by reciprocal space mapping of the X-ray diffraction intensity. Electrostatic potential profiles obtained by electron holography provide evidence for enhanced carrier injection by tunneling from the underlayer into the first QW.

III-nitride heterostructure field-effect transistors grown on semi-insulating GaN substrate without regrowth interface charge

Charge is observed at the regrowth interface for heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) grown on semi-insulating (SI) bulk GaN substrates, even with Fe doping in the regrown buffer layer for reduction of the interface charge. Ultraviolet photoenhanced chemical (PEC) etching is used to treat the surface of SI bulk GaN substrates. Employing optimized etching conditions, a very smooth surface is achieved for the bulk GaN substrate after the etching. The charge at the regrowth interface is eliminated for HFETs grown on etched SI GaN substrates. Secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements show that the Si impurity concentration at the regrowth interface for HFETs grown on etched SI GaN substrates is much lower than that for HFETs grown on unetched SI GaN substrates, which suggests that the charge-containing layer on the SI substrate is removed by PEC etching and that the effects of the reduced charge layer near the regrowth interface can be eliminated by Fe doping for HFETs grown on etched SI substr...

Blazed phononic crystal grating

It is well known that blazed optical diffraction gratings can significantly increase the diffraction efficiency of plane waves for a selected angle of incidence. We show that by combining blazing with a phononic band gap, diffraction efficiency approaching 100% can be achieved for acoustic waves. We obtain experimentally 98% diffraction efficiency with a two-dimensional phononic crystal of rotated steel rods of square cross-section immersed in water. This result opens the way toward the design of efficient phononic crystal gratings.

Air-coupled ultrasonic investigation of stacked cylindrical rods

Measurement of the periodicities of diffraction gratings composed of stacked cylindrical rods is explored using an air-coupled ultrasonic technique. Acoustic Bragg scattering from three periodic structures is investigated by means of a polar scan. Consequently, Bragg angles and corresponding frequencies are obtained from angular spectrograms, using two different data acquisition approaches. According to the principle of Bragg scattering, the periodicities of the three periodic structures, which are equal to the diameter of the cylindrical rods, are determined. In order to evaluate the reliability of the technique and its accuracy, the obtained diameters are compared with those directly measured with a digital caliber. To show the robustness of the technique measurements are done with transducers of different quality.

Ultrasonic geometrical characterization of periodically corrugated surfaces.

Accurate characterization of the characteristic dimensions of a periodically corrugated surface using ultrasonic imaging technique is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The possibility of accurately characterizing the characteristic dimensions is discussed. The condition for accurate characterization and the quantitative relationship between the accuracy and its determining parameters are given. The strategies to avoid diffraction effects instigated by the periodical nature of a corrugated surface are also discussed. Major causes of erroneous measurements are theoretically discussed and experimentally illustrated. A comparison is made between the presented results and the optical measurements, revealing acceptable agreement. This work realistically exposes the capability of the proposed ultrasonic technique to accurately characterize the lateral and vertical characteristic dimensions of corrugated surfaces. Both the general principles developed theoretically as well as the proposed practical techniques may serve as useful guidelines to peers.

Experimental observation of acoustic sub-harmonic diffraction by a grating

A diffraction grating is a spatial filter causing sound waves or optical waves to reflect in directions determined by the frequency of the waves and the period of the grating. The classical grating equation is the governing principle that has successfully described the diffraction phenomena caused by gratings. However, in this work, we show experimental observation of the so-called sub-harmonic diffraction in acoustics that cannot be explained by the classical grating equation. Experiments indicate two physical phenomena causing the effect: internal scattering effects within the corrugation causing a phase shift and nonlinear acoustic effects generating new frequencies. This discovery expands our current understanding of the diffraction phenomenon, and it also makes it possible to better design spatial diffraction spectra, such as a rainbow effect in optics with a more complicated color spectrum than a traditional rainbow. The discovery reveals also a possibly new technique to study nonlinear acoustics by...

Investigation of the origin of acoustic Wood anomaly

In the spectrum of a broadband wave reflected from a periodically corrugated surface, spectral anomalies have been observed earlier and identified as acoustic Wood anomalies. A thorough investigation of the physical origin of the acoustic Wood anomaly is made through an experimental investigation and an examination of the existing theories. The existing explanations of acoustic Wood anomaly are reviewed and evaluated based on the analysis of the experimental results obtained from three types of interfaces: liquid-solid, solid-liquid and solid-air interfaces. In addition, spectral tips are observed and identified as another type of acoustic Wood anomaly. The investigation is based on time-frequency analysis and offers much more insight into this phenomenon than earlier research where only the frequency spectrum was considered.

Excitation of surface waves on one-dimensional solid–fluid phononic crystals and the beam displacement effect

The possibility of surface wave generation by diffraction of pressure waves on deeply corrugated one-dimensional phononic crystal gratings is studied both theoretically and experimentally. Generation of leaky surface waves, indeed, is generally invoked in the explanation of the beam displacement effect that can be observed upon reflection on a shallow grating of an acoustic beam of finite width. True surface waves of the grating, however, have a dispersion that lies below the sound cone in water. They thus cannot satisfy the phase-matching condition for diffraction from plane waves of infinite extent incident from water. Diffraction measurements indicate that deeply corrugated one-dimensional phononic crystal gratings defined in a silicon wafer are very efficient diffraction gratings. They also confirm that all propagating waves detected in water follow the grating law. Numerical simulations however reveal that in the sub-diffraction regime, acoustic energy of a beam of finite extent can be transferred to elastic waves guided at the surface of the grating. Their leakage to the specular direction along the grating surface explains the apparent beam displacement effect.