Konrad Sakowski

Density Functional Theory (DFT) Simulations and Polarization Analysis of the Electric Field in InN/GaN Multiple Quantum Wells (MQWs)

Results of the first ab initio simulations of InN/GaN multiquantum well (MQW) system are presented. The DFT results confirm the presence of the polarization charge at InN/GaN interfaces, i.e. at polar InN/GaN heterostructures. These results show the potential jumps which is related to the presence of dipole layer at these interfaces. An electrostatic polarization analysis shows that the energy minimum condition can be used to obtain the field in InN/GaN system, employing standard polarization parameters. DFT results are in good agreement with polarization data confirming the existence of electric field leading to separation of electron and holes in QWs and emergence of Quantum Confined Stark Effect (QCSE).

Fermi level pinning and the charge transfer contribution to the energy of adsorption at semiconducting surfaces

It is shown that charge transfer, the process analogous to formation of semiconductor p-n junction, contributes significantly to adsorption energy at semiconductor surfaces. For the processes without the charge transfer, such as molecular adsorption of closed shell systems, the adsorption energy is determined by the bonding only. In the case involving charge transfer, such as open shell systems like metal atoms or the dissociating molecules, the energy attains different value for the Fermi level differently pinned. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulation of species adsorption at different surfaces, such as SiC(0001) or GaN(0001) confirms these predictions: the molecular adsorption is independent on the coverage, while the dissociative process adsorption energy varies by several electronvolts.

General aspects of the vapor growth of semiconductor crystals – A study based on DFT simulations of the NH3/NH2 covered GaN(0001) surface in hydrogen ambient

Abstract Vapor growth of semiconductors is analyzed using recently obtained dependence of the adsorption energy on the electron charge transfer between the surface adsorbed species and the bulk [Krukowski et al. J. Appl. Phys. 114 (2013) 063507, Kempisty et al. ArXiv1307.5778 (2013)]. Ab initio calculations were performed to study the physical properties of GaN(0001) surface in ammonia-rich conditions, i.e. covered by mixture of NH3 molecules and NH2 radicals. The Fermi level is pinned at valence band maximum (VBM) and conduction band minimum (CBM) for full coverage by NH3 molecules and NH2 radicals, respectively. For the crossover content of ammonia of about 25% monolayer (ML), the Fermi level is unpinned. It was shown that hydrogen adsorption energy depends on the doping in the bulk for the unpinned Fermi level, i.e. for this coverage. Surface structure thermodynamic and mechanical stability criteria are defined and compared. Mechanical stability of the coverage of such surfaces was checked by determination of the desorption energy of hydrogen molecules. Thermodynamic stability analysis indicates that initially equilibrium hydrogen vapor partial pressure steeply increases with NH3 content to attain the crossover NH3/NH2 coverage, i.e. the unpinned Fermi level condition. For such condition the entire range of experimentally accessible pressures belongs showing that vapor growth of semiconductor crystals occurs predominantly for unpinned Fermi level at the surface, i.e. for flat bands. Accordingly, adsorption energy of most species depends on the doping in the bulk that is based on the possible molecular scenario explaining dependence of the growth and the doping of semiconductor crystals on the doping in the bulk.

Correlation of optical and structural properties of GaN/AlN multi-quantum wells—Ab initio and experimental study

The results of comprehensive theoretical and experimental study of binary GaN/AlN multi-quantum well (MQW) systems oriented along polar c-direction of their wurtzite structure are presented. A series of structures with quantum wells and barriers of various thicknesses were grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy and characterized by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. It was shown that in general the structures of good quality were obtained, with the defect density decreasing with increasing quantum well thickness. The optical transition energies in these structures were investigated comparing experimental measurements with ab initio calculations of the entire GaN/AlN MQW structure depending on the QW widths and strains, allowing for direct determination of the energies of optical transitions and the electric fields in wells/barriers by electric potential double averaging procedure. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements revealed that the emission efficiency as well as the shape o...

Ab initio determination of electron affinity of polar nitride surfaces, clean and under Cs coverage

Ab initio simulations were used to determine electron affinity, work function, and ionization energy of AlN, GaN, and InN polar surfaces. The work function depends weakly on the doping in the bulk for the nitrides due to pinning of Fermi level at all polar surfaces. At the metal surface, it is smaller, equal to 3.87, 4.06, and 2.99 eV for AlN, GaN, and InN, respectively, while at the nitrogen side, it is much higher: 9.14, 9.02, and 8.24 eV. It was shown that the electron affinity and ionization potential do not obey the bandgap rule because of the quantum overlap repulsion of the surface and band states: conduction at the metal, and valence at the nitrogen side. The shift is substantial, even more than 1 eV, which may explain the first measured InN identified bandgap of 1.9 eV and the later much lower value of 0.7 eV. Cesium at both polar GaN surfaces does not create bonding states, nevertheless initially decreases electron affinity by charge transfer to surface states reducing electric dipole layer so t...

Structural and electronic properties of AlN(0001) surface under partial N coverage as determined by ab initio approach

Properties of bare and nitrogen-covered Al-terminated AlN(0001) surface were determined using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. At a low nitrogen coverage, the Fermi level is pinned by Al broken bond states located below conduction band minimum. Adsorption of nitrogen is dissociative with an energy gain of 6.05 eV/molecule at a H3 site creating an overlap with states of three neighboring Al surface atoms. During this adsorption, electrons are transferred from Al broken bond to topmost N adatom states. Accompanying charge transfer depends on the Fermi level. In accordance with electron counting rule (ECR), the DFT results confirm the Fermi level is not pinned at the critical value of nitrogen coverage θN(1) = 1/4 monolayer (ML), but it is shifted from an Al-broken bond state to Npz state. The equilibrium thermodynamic potential of nitrogen in vapor depends drastically on the Fermi level pinning being shifted by about 4 eV for an ECR state at 1/4 ML coverage. For coverage above 1/4 ML, adsorptio...

Ab initio and experimental studies of polarization and polarization related fields in nitrides and nitride structures

Spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization in the nitrides is analyzed. The slab model was designed and proved to be appropriate to obtain the spontaneous polarization in AlN, GaN and InN. The spontaneous polarization and polarization related electric fields in AlN, GaN and InN were determined using DFT slab calculations. The procedure generates single value of spontaneous polarization in the nitrides. It was shown that Berry phase polarization may be applied to determination of spontaneous polarization by appropriate addition of polarization induced electric fields. The electric fields obtained from slab model are consistent with the Berry phase results of Bernardini et al. The obtained spontaneous polarization values are: 8.69*10-3 C/m2, 1.88*10-3 C/m2, and 1.96*10-3 C/m2 for AlN, GaN and InN respectively. The related Berry phase polarization values are 8.69*10-2 C/m2, 1.92*10-2 C/m2, and 2.86*10-2 C/m2, for these three compounds, respectively. The GaN/AlN multiquantum wells (MQWs) were simulated using ...

High pressure and time resolved studies of optical properties of n-type doped GaN/AlN multi-quantum wells: Experimental and theoretical analysis

High-pressure and time-resolved studies of the optical emission from n-type doped GaN/AlN multi-quantum-wells (MQWs) with various well thicknesses are analysed in comparison with ab initio calculations of the electronic (band structure, density of states) and optical (emission energies and their pressure derivatives, oscillator strength) properties. The optical properties of GaN/AlN MQWs are strongly affected by quantum confinement and polarization-induced electric fields. Thus, the photoluminescence (PL) peak energy decreases by over 1 eV with quantum well (QW) thicknesses increasing from 1 to 6 nm. Furthermore, the respective PL decay times increased from about 1 ns up to 10 μs, due to the strong built-in electric field. It was also shown that the band gap pressure coefficients are significantly reduced in MQWs as compared to bulk AlN and GaN crystals. Such coefficients are strongly dependent on the geometric factors such as the thickness of the wells and barriers. The transition energies, their oscilla...

Electric field dynamics in nitride structures containing quaternary alloy (Al, In, Ga)N

Molecular beam epitaxy growth and basic physical properties of quaternary AlInGaN layers, sufficiently thick for construction of electron blocking layers (EBL), embedded in ternary InGaN layers are presented. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement revealed good crystallographic structure and compositional uniformity of the quaternary layers contained in other nitride layers, which are typical for construction of nitride based devices. The AlInGaN layer was epitaxially compatible to InGaN matrix, strained, and no strain related dislocation creation was observed. The strain penetrated for limited depth, below 3 nm, even for relatively high content of indium (7%). For lower indium content (0.6%), the strain was below the detection limit by TEM strain analysis. The structures containing quaternary AlInGaN layers were studied by time dependent photoluminescence (PL) at different temperatures and excitation powers. It was shown that PL spectra contain three peaks: high energy donor bound exciton pea...