M. Kamińska

Magnetic and optical properties of GaMnN magnetic semiconductor

Microcrystalline Ga1−xMnxN samples with Mn content up to x=0.005 were grown by an ammonothermal method and were studied using various techniques. X-ray diffraction showed characteristic diffraction lines for hexagonal GaN phase mixed with a small contribution (<5%) from the Mn3N2 phase. Raman spectra exhibited characteristic peaks of pure GaN and modes that could be associated with Mn-induced lattice disorder. Electron spin resonance and magnetization measurements were consistent with the dominant Mn2+(d5) configuration of spin S=5/2 which is responsible for the observed paramagnetic behavior of the GaMnN material.

Paramagnetism and antiferromagnetic d–d coupling in GaMnN magnetic semiconductor

The magnetization of Ga1−xMnxN (x<0.1) crystals was measured as a function of the magnetic field and temperature. Paramagnetic behavior typical of spin S=5/2 expected for Mn2+ (d5) magnetic centers was observed in the temperature range of 2 K<T<300 K. On the other hand, antiferromagnetic coupling between Mn ions was clearly visible. The nearest neighbor (NN) coupling constant JNN/kB=−1.9 K was estimated from the temperature dependence of the magnetization.

Possible origin of ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)N

Ferromagnetic behavior of GaN doped with Mn (Ga1−zMnzN) grown by the ammonothermal and chemical transport methods is discussed in terms of a second phase (ferromagnetic one) produced during the growth process. The reference manganese nitride samples grown by the same method as (Ga,Mn)N reveal room-temperature ferromagnetic behavior, depending on the growth details. Different MnxNy phases are suggested to be responsible for ferromagnetic behavior of (Ga,Mn)N.

Picosecond carrier lifetime in GaAs implanted with high doses of As ions: An alternative material to low‐temperature GaAs for optoelectronic applications

Nonstoichiometric GaAs obtained by implantation with 2 MeV arsenic ions at 1015 cm−2 dose is studied. As‐implanted samples show a <200 fs lifetime of photocarriers and low resistivity due to hopping, with mobility less than 1 cm2/V s. Annealing of the samples at 600 °C leads to substantial recovery of postimplant damage, as seen from Rutherford backscattering channeling spectra and mobility increase to about 2000 cm2/V s, but photocarrier lifetime is still about 1 ps. These parameters are similar to those of low‐temperature GaAs annealed at 600 °C, and make arsenic implanted GaAs an interesting material for optoelectronic applications.

Exciton photo-luminescence of GaN bulk crystals grown by the AMMONO method

Abstract GaN in form of microcrystals were obtained using a new technique—the AMMONO method. The growth was performed at relatively low temperature and pressure conditions, in comparison with other techniques used for GaN growth. The AMMONO crystals were of pure hexagonal phase and had a low electron concentration of about 5×10 15 cm −3 . Their luminescence was very intensive and homogenous. At helium temperatures exciton recombinations of record narrow lines (FWHM down to 1 meV) dominated the luminescence spectra. Energy positions of the exciton lines did not depend on excited microcrystals which confirmed they were strain-free.

Structure and magnetism of MnAs nanocrystals embedded in GaAs as a function of post-growth annealing temperature

Self-organized Ga(Mn)As nanoclusters, embedded in GaAs, were formed during post-growth thermal annealing of Ga1−xMnxAs layers. Structural and magnetic properties of such composites were systematically studied as a function of the annealing temperature. Small (∼3 nm) Mn-rich zinc-blende Mn(Ga)As clusters, coherent with the GaAs matrix, were formed at the annealing temperature of 500 °C. An increase of the annealing temperature of up to 600 °C led to the creation of 10–20 nm large NiAs-type hexagonal MnAs nanocrystals. Magnetization measurements showed that the MnAs nanoprecipitates were superparamagnetic, with a distribution of blocking temperatures that depended on the MnAs cluster size. Some intermediate paramagnetic clusters (structurally disordered clusters) were also observed.

Different paths to tunability in III–V quantum dots

Tunability in the concentration and average dimensions of self-forming semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has been attained. Three of the approaches examined here are: variations with temperature, group V partial pressure and with substrate miscut angle. Thermally activated group III adatom mobilities result in larger diameters and lower concentrations with increasing deposition temperatures. These variations are presented for InGaAs/GaAs and AlInAs/AlGaAs, where striking differences were seen. Tunability in the InGaAs/GaAs QD concentration was also obtained in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition by varying the arsine flow. The latter gave widely varying concentrations and similar sizes. Substrate orientation was found to also be a key factor in island nucleation: Changes in vicinal orientation near (100) can be used to exploit the preferential step edge nucleation at mono and multi-atomic steps, so varying miscut angle (θm) can be used to change island densities and sizes. Anisotropies in island nucleat...

Properties of arsenic antisite defects in Ga1−xMnxAs

We report the results of optical absorption measurements on Ga1−xMnxAs layers grown by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy. In the paramagnetic layers grown at very low temperatures (below 250 °C) the experiments reveal an absorption band at 1.2 eV arising from the presence of neutral arsenic antisites, AsGa. From the magnitude of the absorption we determine the concentration of AsGa to be between 4×1019 and 8×1019 cm−3 in these paramagnetic samples. These values are typical for GaAs specimens grown below 250 °C. Extrapolating the AsGa concentration from low-temperature-grown GaAs to Ga1−xMnxAs, we determine the concentration of this defect in ferromagnetic Ga1−xMnxAs layers grown at temperatures above 250 °C as 1×1019 down to 1×1018 cm−3. We conclude that the compensating role of arsenic antisites in Ga1−xMnxAs becomes gradually less important with increasing growth temperature.

Photoluminescence properties of nanocrystalline, wide band gap nitrides (C3N4, BN, AIN, GaN)

Nanocrystalline layers of C3N4, BN, AlN and GaN were grown by Impulse Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition method on silicon substrates kept at 300K. Optical absorption studies of the layers revealed broad bands below the fundamental absorption edge, which were ascribed to transitions involving defect levels. When excited by a 3 mW He-Cd laser (325 nm line) all samples showed a wide photoluminescence spectrum (2.0 to 3.5 eV), but the disordered crystalline structure quenched the excitonic photoluminescence observed in monocrystals. The efficient visible luminescence of nanocrystalline AlN layers in the 2–3 eV region observed under non optimal excitation conditions (energy bandgap of AlN is twice the excitation energy) is promising for optoelectronic use of this material as a visible light source.

Ultrafast carrier trapping in high energy ion implanted gallium arsenide

Time resolved photoluminescence and electrical measurements were made on MeV As, Ga, Si, and O ion implanted GaAs to doses in the range of 1×1014–5×1016 cm−2 and subsequently annealed at 600 °C for 20 min under arsine ambient. Carrier trapping times were found to decrease with increase in implantation dose for all species studied and can be shorter than 1 ps. Sheet resistance values were found to be independent of implantation dose and were of the order of 108 Ω/⧠ for As, Ga, and O implantation and ∼2×102 Ω/⧠ for the Si case due to its electrical activation. Conductivity activation energies of 0.67–0.69 eV were observed for As, Ga, and O ion implanted and annealed GaAs, which are close to the reported activation energy for annealed low‐temperature GaAs (0.65 eV).