Keun Yong Ban

Use of a GaAsSb buffer layer for the formation of small, uniform, and dense InAs quantum dots

InAs quantum dots grown on GaAsSb buffer layers with varying Sb content have been studied. Atomic force microscopy results show that the dot size is reduced as the Sb content increases with a concomitant increase in number density. Analysis of the size distribution indicates that the spread of dot sizes narrows with increasing Sb content. This is confirmed by photoluminescence measurements showing a significant narrowing of the dot emission peak for a GaAs0.77Sb0.23 buffer compared to a GaAs buffer. The results are attributed to the strained buffer reducing interactions between dots and the Sb acting as a surfactant.

Impact of stress relaxation in GaAsSb cladding layers on quantum dot creation in InAs/GaAsSb structures grown on GaAs (001)

We describe InAs quantum dot creation in InAs/GaAsSb barrier structures grown on GaAs (001) wafers by molecular beam epitaxy. The structures consist of 20-nm-thick GaAsSb barrier layers with Sb content of 8%, 13%, 15%, 16%, and 37% enclosing 2 monolayers of self-assembled InAs quantum dots. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction results indicate the onset of relaxation of the GaAsSb layers at around 15% Sb content with intersected 60° dislocation semi-loops, and edge segments created within the volume of the epitaxial structures. 38% relaxation of initial elastic stress is seen for 37% Sb content, accompanied by the creation of a dense net of dislocations. The degradation of In surface migration by these dislocation trenches is so severe that quantum dot formation is completely suppressed. The results highlight the importance of understanding defect formation during stress relaxation for quantum dot structures particularly those with larger numbers of InAs quantum-dot layers, such as those proposed for realizing an intermediate band material.

Controllability of the subband occupation of InAs quantum dots on a delta-doped GaAsSb barrier

Optical properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in GaAsSb barriers with delta-doping levels equivalent to 0, 2, 4, and 6 electrons per dot (e/dot) are studied using time-integrated photoluminescence (PL). When the PL excitation power is increased the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the 4 and 6 e/dot samples is found to increase at a much greater rate than the FWHMs for the 0 and 2 e/dot samples. PL spectra of the 4 e/dot sample show a high energy peak attributed to emission from the first excited states of the QDs, a result deduced to be due to preoccupation of states by electrons supplied by the delta-doping plane. When temperature dependent PL results are fitted using an Arrhenius function, the thermal activation energies for the 4 and 6 e/dot samples are similar and greater than the thermal activation energies for the 0 and 2 e/dot samples (which are similar to each other). This increased thermal activation energy is attributed to the enhanced Coulombic interaction in the InAs QD area by th...

Observation of band alignment transition in InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots by photoluminescence

The band alignment of InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in GaAsSb barriers with various Sb compositions is investigated by photoluminescence (PL) measurements. InAs/GaAsSb samples with 13% and 15% Sb compositions show distinct differences in emission spectra as the PL excitation power increases. Whilst no discernible shift is seen for the 13% sample, a blue-shift of PL spectra following a 1/3 exponent of the excitation power is observed for the 15% sample suggesting a transition from a type I to type II band alignment. Time-resolved PL data show a significant increase in carrier lifetime as the Sb composition increases between 13% and 15% implying that the transformation from a type I to type II band alignment occurs between 13% and 15% Sb compositions. These results taken together lead to the conclusion that a zero valence band offset (VBO) can be achieved for the InAs/GaAsSb system in the vicinity of 14% Sb composition.

Multi-stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dots grown with different growth modes for quantum dot solar cells

We have studied the material properties and device performance of InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs) made using three different QD growth modes: Stranski-Krastanov (S-K), quasi-monolayer (QML), and sub-monolayer (SML) growth modes. All QDSCs show an extended external quantum efficiency (EQE) at near infrared wavelengths of 950–1070 nm from the QD absorption. Compared to the S-K and SML QDSCs, the QML QDSC with a higher strain exhibits a poor EQE response in the wavelength region of 300–880 nm due to increased non-radiative recombination. The conversion efficiency of the S-K and SML QDSCs exceeds that of the reference cell (13.4%) without QDs due to an enhanced photocurrent (>16% increase) produced by the silicon doped QD stacks. However, as expected from the EQE of the QML QDSC, the increase of strain-induced crystalline defects greatly degrades the photocurrent and open-circuit voltage, leading to the lowest conversion efficiency (8.9%).

Effect of spacer layer thickness on structural and optical properties of multi-stack InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots

The structural and optical properties of ten-stack InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots (QDs) with different spacer layer thicknesses (ds = 2, 5, 10, and 15 nm) are reported. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the strain relaxation of the GaAsSb spacers increases linearly from 0% to 67% with larger ds due to higher elastic stress between the spacer and GaAs matrix. In addition, the dislocation density in the spacers with ds = 10 nm is lowest as a result of reduced residual strain. The photoluminescence peak energy from the QDs does not change monotonically with increasing ds due to the competing effects of decreased compressive strain and weak electronic coupling of stacked QD layers. The QD structure with ds = 10 nm is demonstrated to have improved luminescence properties and higher carrier thermal stability.

Material and device characteristics of InAs/GaAsSb sub-monolayer quantum dot solar cells

We have studied the material and photovoltaic characteristics of InAs/GaAsSb sub-monolayer quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs) with different Sb contents of 0%, 5%, 15%, and 20%. All QDSCs exhibit an extended external quantum efficiency (EQE) response in the wavelength range of 960–1000 nm that corresponds to sub-bandgap photon absorption. As Sb content increases from 5% to 20%, the cutoff wavelength in the EQE extends towards longer wavelength whilst the EQE in the wavelength region of 300–880 nm is lowered due to increased defect density. Compared to the QDSC (Sb 0%), an Sb incorporation of 5% enhances the short-circuit current density from 20.65 to 22.15 mA/cm2 induced by Sb surfactant effect. Since the open-circuit voltage and fill factor of the QDSC (Sb 5%) are comparable to those of the QDSC (Sb 0%), an enhancement in solar cell efficiency (10.5%) of the QDSC (Sb 5%) is observed. Further increasing Sb content to 15% and 20% results in the degradation of solar cell performance due to increased nonradiati...

Room temperature capacitance-voltage profile and photoluminescence for delta doped InGaAs single quantum well

Room temperature capacitance-voltage (C-V) profile and photoluminescence (PL) studies of δ-doped single InGaAs quantum well samples are reported. The purpose was to obtain the confined carrier occupancy in the conduction band offset and observe any relevant phenomena. The results show that the peak intensity of the C-V profiles was almost linearly proportional to sheet carrier concentration and the full width at half maximum of the C-V profiles became narrower with increasing doping level in the barrier layer. This is interpreted as being due to improved confinement of electrons as a result of band bending induced by the δ-doping layer. This explanation was further supported by PL data that show the transition corresponding to the dominant peak changed with different δ-doping levels and that all of the transitions were redshifted. Finally, theoretical calculations of the band structure based on a four band k⋅p method are presented to explain the observed results.

Stranski–Krastanov InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots coupled with sub-monolayer quantum dot stacks as a promising absorber for intermediate band solar cells

The optical properties of the Stranski–Krastanov (S–K) grown InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots (QDs) coupled to sub-monolayer (SML) InAs QD stacks are investigated using photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The PL emission peak of the S–K QDs shifts to shorter wavelengths with increasing the number of SML stacks (NSML) due to the increasing strain fields from the SML QDs. The PL peak energy is linearly increased with increasing the cube root of excitation power, with a different ratio of the absorption coefficient to radiative recombination rate for all the QD samples. The total carrier lifetime for the S–K QDs is increased with increasing NSML, most probably caused by the increase in the ground-state transition energy of the S–K QDs. The nonmonotonic behavior of the thermal activation energy of electrons in the S–K QDs is observed due to the NSML-dependent variation of the strain and Coulombic interaction within the QDs.

Determination of a Sb composition in InAs/GaAsSb for negligible valence band offset

InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in GaAsSb barriers with various Sb compositions was investigated by photoluminescence (PL). The peak position of 8% and 13% Sb sample does not shift while that of 15% Sb sample was blue-shifted with increasing the excitation power. In addition, time-resolved PL (TRPL) data also show that 15% Sb sample has a much longer PL decay time compared to that of 8% and 13% Sb sample, implying that the transformation from type I to II occurs between 13% and 15% Sb composition. It is noted that the improvement of QD uniformity was achieved by an increase of a Sb composition in the GaAsSb barrier due to a Sb surfactant effect.