M. Gallart

High internal electric field in a graded-width InGaN/GaN quantum well: Accurate determination by time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy

Time-resolvedphotoluminescence (PL), at T=8 K, is used to study a graded-width InGaN/GaN quantum well. Across the sample, the well width continuously varies from ∼5.5 to 2.0 nm corresponding to PL peak energies varying between 2.0 and 2.9 eV and to PL decay rates covering four orders of magnitude. The plot of decay times versus PL energies is very well fitted by a calculation of the electron–hole recombination probability versus well width. The only fitting parameter is the electric field in the well, which we find equal to 2.45±0.25 MV/cm, in excellent agreement with experimental Stokes shifts for this type of samples.

Single photon emission from site-controlled pyramidal quantum dots

We demonstrate that a single photoexcited InGaAs semiconductor quantum dot (QD) grown by organo-metallic chemical vapor deposition on prepatterned substrates emits one photon at a time, with no uncontrolled background photon emission, making it an excellent single photon emitter. Moreover, our fabrication technique offers complete site control and small inhomogeneous broadening of QD arrays, which is essential for the practical implementation of QDs in efficient solid-state single photon emitting devices.

All-optical trion generation in single-walled carbon nanotubes.

We present evidence of all-optical trion generation and emission in pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Luminescence spectra, recorded on individual SWCNTs over a large cw excitation intensity range, show trion emission peaks redshifted with respect to the bright exciton peak. Clear chirality dependence is observed for 22 separate SWCNT species, allowing for determination of electron-hole exchange interaction and trion binding energy contributions. Luminescence data together with ultrafast pump-probe experiments on chirality-sorted bulk samples suggest that exciton-exciton annihilation processes generate dissociated carriers that allow for trion creation upon a subsequent photon absorption event.

Structural and photoluminescence properties of ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel process

The present study focuses on the structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films fabricated by sol-gel process and spin coated onto Si (100) and quartz substrates. The ZnO films have a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a grain size of about 50 nm. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements reveal the presence of Zn2+ and of zinc hydroxyl groups at the film. Optical properties were studied by photoluminescence (PL) and absorption spectroscopy at low and room temperatures. The absorption spectrum is dominated by a sharp excitonic peak at room and low temperatures. At room temperature, PL observations show two transitions: one near the absorption edge in the ultraviolet (UV) region and the second centered at 640 nm, characteristic of the deep electronic levels in the bandgap. The spectrum at 6 K is dominated by donor bound exciton lines and donor-acceptor pair transitions. LO-phonon replica and two-electron satellite transitions are also observed. These optical characteristics are a signature of g...

Biexciton, single carrier, and trion generation dynamics in single-walled carbon nanotubes

We present a study of free carrier photo-generation and multi-carrier bound states, such as biexcitons and trions (ionized excitons), in semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes. Pump-and-probe measurements performed with fs pulses reveal the effects of strong Coulomb interactions between carriers on their dynamics. Biexciton formation by optical transition from exciton population results in an induced absorption line (binding energy 130 meV). Exciton-exciton annihilation process is shown to evolve at high densities towards an Auger process that can expel carriers from nanotubes. The remaining carriers give rise to an induced absorption due to trion formation (binding energy 190 meV). These features show the dynamics of exciton and free carriers populations.

Luminescence of free-standing versus matrix-embedded oxide-passivated silicon nanocrystals: The role of matrix-induced strain

We collect a large number of experimental data from various sources to demonstrate that free-standing (FS) oxide-passivated silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) exhibit considerably blueshifted emission, by 200 meV on average, compared to those prepared as matrix-embedded (ME) ones of the same size. This is suggested to arise from compressive strain, exerted on the nanocrystals by their matrix, which plays an important role in the light-emission process; this strain has been neglected up to now as opposed to the impact of quantum confinement or surface passivation. Our conclusion is also supported by the comparison of low-temperature behavior of photoluminescence of matrix-embedded and free-standing silicon nanocrystals.

Optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel process

The present study focused on ZnO thin films fabricated by sol-gel process and spin coated onto Si (100) and quartz substrates. ZnO thin films have a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a grain diameter about 50nm. Optical properties were determined by photoluminescence (PL) and absorption spectroscopy. The absorption spectrum is dominated by a sharp excitonic peak at room and low temperatures. At room temperature, two transitions were observed by PL. One near to the prohibited energy band in ultraviolet (UV) region and the other centered at 640nm, characteristic of the electronic defects in the band-gap. The spectrum at 6K is dominated by donor-bound exciton lines and donor-acceptor pair transition. LO-phonon replica and two-electron satellite transitions are also observed. These optical characteristics are a signature of high-quality thin films.

Effects of GaAlN barriers and of dimensionality on optical recombination processes in InGaN quantum wells and quantum boxes

We compare several InGaN-based low-dimensional systems, by time-resolved photoluminescence (PL), versus temperature (8<T<280 K). We investigate the influence of growing or not an AlGaN barrier on top of the active layer. We address the differences between quantum wells and quantum boxes 5–10 nm in diameter and 2 nm in height. Our results are consistent with carrier localization on potential fluctuations with spatial extension much smaller than the size of the quantum boxes. Growing an AlGaN barrier reduces the carrier mobility between fluctuations, thus maintaining an effective PL dominated by localized carriers up to room temperature.

Correlation of structural properties with energy transfer of Eu-doped ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel process and magnetron reactive sputtering.

We investigated the structural and optical properties of Eu-doped ZnO thin films made by sol-gel technique and magnetron reactive sputtering on Si (100) substrate. The films elaborated by sol-gel process are polycrystalline while the films made by sputtering show a strongly textured growth along the c-axis. X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscopy analysis show that all samples are free of spurious phases. The presence of Eu(2+) and Eu(3+) into the ZnO matrix has been confirmed by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. This means that a small fraction of Europium substitutes Zn(2+) as Eu(2+) into the ZnO matrix; the rest of Eu being in the trivalent state. This is probably due to the formation of Eu(2)O(3) oxide at the surface of ZnO particles. This is at the origin of the strong photoluminescence band observed at 2 eV, which is characteristic of the (5)D(0)-->(7)F(2) Eu(3+) transition. In addition the photoluminescence excitonic spectra showed efficient energy transfer from the ZnO matrix to the Eu(3+) ion, which is qualitatively similar for both films although the sputtered films have a better structural quality compared to the sol-gel process grown films.

Optical properties of GaN epilayers and GaN/AlGaN quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaN(0001) single crystal substrate

GaN epilayers and GaN/AlGaN quantum wells (QWs) were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaN(0001) single crystal substrates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to assess the crystal quality of the homoepitaxial layers. A dislocation density of less than 105 cm−2 is deduced from TEM imaging. Low temperature (1.8 K) photoluminescence (PL) of homoepitaxial GaN reveals PL linewidths as low as 0.3 meV for bound excitons. The PL integrated intensity variation between 10 and 300 K is compared to that observed on a typical heteroepitaxial GaN/Al2O3 layer. A 2 nm thick GaN/Al0.1Ga0.9N QW has been studied by time-resolved and continuous wave PL. The decay time is close to a purely radiative decay, as expected for a low defect density. Finally, the built-in polarization field measured in a homoepitaxial QW is shown to be comparable to that measured on heteroepitaxial QWs grown either on sapphire or silicon substrates.