Mauro Mosca

Current status of AlInN layers lattice-matched to GaN for photonics and electronics

We report on the current properties of Al1-x InxN (x approximate to 0.18) layers lattice- matched ( LM) to GaN and their specific use to realize nearly strain- free structures for photonic and electronic applications. Following a literature survey of the general properties of AlInN layers, structural and optical properties of thin state- of- the- art AlInN layers LM to GaN are described showing that despite improved structural properties these layers are still characterized by a typical background donor concentration of ( 1 - 5) x 10(18) cm(-3) and a large Stokes shift (similar to 800 meV) between luminescence and absorption edge. The use of these AlInN layers LM to GaN is then exemplified through the properties of GaN/ AlInN multiple quantum wells ( QWs) suitable for near- infrared intersubband applications. A built- in electric field of 3.64MVcm(-1) solely due to spontaneous polarization is deduced from photoluminescence measurements carried out on strain- free single QW heterostructures, a value in good agreement with that deduced from theoretical calculation. Other potentialities regarding optoelectronics are demonstrated through the successful realization of crack- free highly reflective AlInN/ GaN distributed Bragg reflectors ( R > 99%) and high quality factor microcavities ( Q > 2800) likely to be of high interest for short wavelength vertical light emitting devices and fundamental studies on the strong coupling regime between excitons and cavity photons. In this respect, room temperature ( RT) lasing of a LM AlInN/ GaN vertical cavity surface emitting laser under optical pumping is reported. A description of the selective lateral oxidation of AlInN layers for current confinement in nitride- based light emitting devices and the selective chemical etching of oxidized AlInN layers is also given. Finally, the characterization of LM AlInN/ GaN heterojunctions will reveal the potential of such a system for the fabrication of high electron mobility transistors through the report of a high two- dimensional electron gas sheet carrier density ( n(s) similar to 2.6 x 10(13) cm(-2)) combined with a RT mobility mu(e) similar to 1170 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) and a low sheet resistance, R similar to 210 Omega square.

Midinfrared intersubband absorption in lattice-matched AlInN∕GaN multiple quantum wells

We report the observation of midinfrared intersubband (ISB) absorption in nearly lattice-matched AlInN∕GaN multiple-quantum-wells. A clear absorption peak is observed around 3μm involving transitions from the conduction band ground state to the first excited state. In addition to ISB absorption, photoluminescence experiments were carried out on lattice- matched AlInN∕GaN single quantum wells in order to determine the spontaneous polarization discontinuity between GaN and Al0.82In0.18N compounds. The experimental value is in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Our results demonstrate that the AlInN∕GaN system is very promising to achieve crack-free and low dislocation density structures dedicated to intersubband devices in the 2–4μm wavelength range.

Stability/instability of conductivity and work function changes of ITO thin films, UV-irradiated in air or vacuum measurements by the four-probe method and by Kelvin force microscopy

Abstract This study shows that, after UV-irradiation in air or vacuum, conductivity and work function of ITO and In 2 O 3 come back to their initial values in a few hours or minutes. In addition to this instability, one of the reported drawbacks of ITO is the indium diffusion into the organic layers of operating LED, leading to performance degradation. So, we have reconsidered ITO as transparent anode and explored alternatives such as NiO.

Indium surfactant effect on AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy: Applications to intersubband transitions

We report on a dramatic improvement of the optical and structural properties of AlN∕GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy using indium as a surfactant. This improvement is observed using photoluminescence as well as x-ray diffraction. Atomic force microscopy shows different surface morphologies between samples grown with and without In. This is ascribed to a modified relaxation mechanism induced by different surface kinetics. These improved MQWs exhibit intersubband absorption at short wavelength (2μm). The absorption linewidth is as low as 65meV and the absorption coefficient is increased by 85%.

Blue lasing at room temperature in high quality factor GaN/AlInN microdisks with InGaN quantum wells

The authors report on the achievement of optically pumped III-V nitride blue microdisk lasers operating at room temperature. Controlled wet chemical etching of an AlInN interlayer lattice matched to GaN allows forming inverted cone pedestals. Whispering gallery modes are observed in the photoluminescence spectra of InGaN∕GaN quantum wells embedded in the GaN microdisks. Typical quality factors of several thousands are found (Q>4000). Laser action at ∼420nm is achieved under pulsed excitation at room temperature for a peak power density of 400kW∕cm2. The lasing emission linewidth is down to 0.033nm.

Room temperature polariton luminescence from a GaN/AlGaN quantum well microcavity

The authors report on the demonstration of strong light-matter coupling at room temperature using a crack-free UV microcavity containing GaN∕AlGaN quantum wells (QWs). Lattice-matched AlInN∕AlGaN distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) with a maximum peak reflectivity of 99.5% and SiO2∕Si3N4 DBRs were used to form high finesse hybrid microcavities. State-of-the-art GaN∕Al0.2Ga0.8N QWs emitting at 3.62eV with a linewidth of 45meV at 300K were inserted in these structures. For a 3λ∕2 microcavity containing six QWs, the interaction between cavity photons and QW excitons is sufficiently large to reach the strong coupling regime. A polariton luminescence is observed with a vacuum field Rabi splitting of 30meV at 300K.

Lattice-Matched GaN–InAlN Waveguides at

We report on the demonstration of low-loss, single-mode GaN-InAlN ridge waveguides (WGs) at fiber-optics telecommunication wavelengths. The structure grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy contains AlInN cladding layers lattice-matched to GaN. For slab-like WGs propagation losses are below 3 dB/mm and independent of light polarization. For 2.6-mum-wide WGs the propagation losses in the 1.5- to 1.58-mum spectral region are as low as 1.8 and 4.9 dB/mm for transverse-electric- and transverse-magnetic-polarization, respectively. The losses are attributed to the sidewall roughness and can be further reduced by the optimization of the etching process.

\lambda=1.55\ \mu

Abstract In this work an indium tin oxide thin film fabrication technique based on pulsed laser deposition is described and the electrical, optical and mechanical properties of the deposited films are reported. Deposition of high quality films on cold substrates was proved. The third harmonic (355xa0nm) of an Nd:YAG laser was employed to photoablade the indium tin oxide target.

m Grown by Metal–Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy

The fabrication of (Al,Ga)N-based metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) photovoltaic detectors requires the growth of high-quality (Al,Ga)N films. Inserting a low-temperature deposited buffer layer enables the growth of an epitaxial layer with a reduced density of defects. Two structures using GaN and AlN buffer layers have been deposited by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and used to fabricate MSM interdigitated detectors. The devices have been characterized to investigate the effects of the buffer layers on the detector performances.

Deposition of indium tin oxide films by laser ablation: Processing and characterization

After discovery of conducting polymers and the possibility to modify their electrical properties from insulating to metallic like behavior by doping and a careful choice of the processing conditions, a large amount of research effort has been devoted to the theoretical understanding of their solid state properties as well as to exploit the possible application of conducting polymers in many technological fields including large area organic electronics, polymer photovoltaic cell, and sensors. 1-4 Organic thin film transistors appear very promising devices for the development of low cost, flexible, and disposable plastic electronics. In order to reduce the operating voltage it has been suggested in the literature to use mixed inorganic–organic thin film transistors by assembling a structure formed by metal bottom contact/dielectric layer gate/organic semiconductor/top contact source/drain. According to this, a wet electrochemical route appears to be very promising in terms of cost, at least for the preparation of thin thickness 10 nm or thick thickness 10 nm oxide films by anodizing in aqueous electrolytes. Moreover, by taking into account the possibility to grow semiconducting polymers on wide bandgap dielectric oxide Ta2O5 by a photoelectrochemical route, which has been shown recently, 5,6 it seems very appealing to exploit an integral electrochemical route to fabricate advanced inorganic/organic hybrid structure which could be used as a building block for a field effect transistor FET junction. In this paper, we describe and discuss the electrochemical fabrication of a hybrid structure to be used in the production of an inorganic–organic field effect transistor IOFET using 3,4polyethylenedioxythiophene PEDOT as a semiconducting polymer and anodic films grown on the Ti-10 atom % Zr alloy as dielectrics. The choice of the oxide is based on its low dark current value and quite high photocurrent intensity, under monochromatic light, at not too high anodic potential and photon energy, 7 as well as on its high dielectric permittivity 45, according to Ref. 8. The metal/oxide/ polymer junctions are investigated by photocurrent spectroscopy PCS and scanning electron microscopy SEM. Finally, output transistor characteristics are recorded in order to test the performance of the junctions in the IOFET structure. Experimental Ti-10 atom % Zr alloys were prepared by dc magnetron sputtering. Targets consisted of 99.9% zirconium disk, of 100 mm diameter, with an appropriate number of 99.9% titanium disks, of 20 mm diameter, located symmetrically on the erosion region for the preparation of the alloys. Substrates used were glass plates. 8 The composition of the alloy was determined by Rutherford backscattering