V. Gudelis

Fast and slow carrier recombination transients in highly excited 4H– and 3C–SiC crystals at room temperature

Nonequilibrium carrier recombination in highly excited epitaxial layers of 4H–SiC and free standing 3C–SiC was analyzed numerically and studied experimentally by the time-resolved free carrier absorption (FCA) technique. The measurement setup combined interband carrier excitation by a picosecond laser pulse and probing of carrier dynamics at excess carrier densities in the ΔN=1017–1020 cm−3 range by optically or electronically delayed probe pulses, thus providing temporal resolution of 10 ps and 10 ns, respectively. FCA decay kinetics at different excitation levels and subsequent numerical modeling were used to determine the bulk lifetime, surface recombination velocity, and bimolecular (B) and Auger recombination (C) coefficients at 300 K. Bulk lifetimes of ∼800 ns and ∼65 ns were determined in 4H and 3C epitaxial layers, respectively. The numerical fitting of FCA kinetics in the 4H layer provided values of B=(1.2±0.4)×10−12 cm3/s and C=(7±4)×10−31 cm6/s at lower excitations while the Auger coefficient d...

Implementation of diffractive optical element in four-wave mixing scheme for ex situ characterization of hydride vapor phase epitaxy-grown GaN layers.

A holographic beam splitter has been integrated into a picosecond four-wave mixing (FWM) scheme. This modification significantly simplified the procedure of dynamic grating recording, thus making the FWM technique an easy-to-use tool for the holographic characterization of wide band gap materials. The novel FWM scheme was applied for characterization of hydride vapor phase epitaxy-grown undoped GaN layers of different thickness. It allowed the determination of carrier lifetime, diffusion coefficient, and carrier diffusion length by optical means, as well as the study of carrier recombination peculiarities with respect to dislocation and excess carrier density.

Picosecond dynamics of spin-related optical nonlinearities in InxGa1−xAs multiple quantum wells at 1064 nm

Light-induced absorption and diffraction measurements of resonantly excited 10-nm-width InGaAs multiple quantum wells have been carried out, using circularly polarized beams at 1064 nm. Spin relaxation time τs≃280±15 ps has been determined by monitoring dynamics of light absorption bleaching at 0.04 mJ/cm2, while a nonlinearly compressed spin component in diffraction varied from 220±20 ps to 115±15 ps with excitation. The kinetics of carrier grating with randomized spins allowed the determination of the bipolar diffusion coefficient D=11.5 cm2/s, hole mobility of 230 cm2/V s, and carrier lifetime τR=0.73–1 ns.

Nonequilibrium Carrier Recombination in Highly Excited Bulk SiC Crystals

We applied time-resolved free carrier absorption (FCA) to monitor non-equilibrium carrier dynamics in 4H epilayers and 3C SiC bulk crystals at excess carrier densities in the N = 1017 - 1019 cm-3 range. The numerical fitting of FCA decay kinetics provided the linear and nonlinear carrier recombination rates in the 40-390 K range and the absorption cross-sections eh at 1064 nm. In 4H, the decrease of the bulk lifetime (800 ns) with excitation provided the bimolecular and Auger coefficients B=(1.2±0.4)×10-12 cm3/s and C=(7±4)×10-31cm6/s, respectively, at room temperature. These values for 3C were 55-150 ns, (2.0±0.4)×10-12 cm3/s, and (2±1)×10-32 cm6/s, respectively. The rate of linear and nonlinear recombination increased at lower temperatures. A value of eh =4.4×10-18 cm2 for 3C SiC at 1.064 m was found 2.3 times smaller than that for 4H SiC.

Evaluation of photoelectric processes in photorefractive crystals via the exposure characteristics of light diffraction

We demonstrate a novel way to analyse carrier recombination and transport processes in photorefractive semiconductors via the exposure characteristics of light induced diffraction. The results of a picosecond four-wave mixing on free carrier gratings in semi-insulating GaAs crystals at various grating periods and modulation depths of a light interference pattern are discussed. The role of a deep-trap recharging in carrier diffusion and recombination is sensitively revealed through a feedback effect of a space-charge field to non-equilibrium carrier transport.

Spin and carrier relaxation in resonantly excited InGaAs MQWs

Time-resolved absorption bleaching and four-wave mixing techniques have been used for studies of spin relaxation and nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in resonantly excited InGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum well structures. Kinetics of absorption bleaching at 1064 nm provided spin relaxation times of 240–280 ps and carrier lifetimes of 750–1000 ps at low excitations. At higher excitations, nearly three-fold increase of spin-relaxation rate has been measured by the FWM technique, while the decrease of carrier lifetime was much less pronounced. The kinetics of nonequilibrium carrier grating with randomized spins allowed determination of the in-plane bipolar diffusion coefficient in the wells D = 11.5 cm2 s−1 and hole mobility of 230 cm2 V−1 s−1.

Nonresonant four-wave mixing in photorefractive CdTe crystals using a picosecond parametric generator

We demonstrate that a parametrically pumped picosecond laser has enough coherence and energy to write transient phase gratings at nonresonant interaction, thus allowing a study of time-resolved carrier transport in CdTe crystals to be made. Autocorrelation trace of light diffraction efficiency on transient grating allowed us to measure a coherence length of the parametric generator. Carrier diffusion, recombination, and drift in light-created internal space-charge (SC) electric fields have been studied in vanadium or germanium doped semi-insulating CdTe crystals by nonresonant four-wave mixing technique at 940 nm wavelength. It was found that modification of the deep level charge state in CdTe:V by As codoping has changed the sign of majority carriers, responsible for the creation of SC field. Dynamics of free carrier grating decay in CdTe:Ge revealed an electron-governed very fast initial grating decay which develops with time into the double-exponential hole-governed grating decay. Time-resolved transie...

On the Correlation of the Structural Perfection and Nonequilibrium Carrier Parameters in 3C SiC Heterostructures

Photoelectric properties of 3C sublimation-grown epitaxial layers with different structural quality were studied by using time-resolved picosecond transient grating and free carrier absorption techniques. The layer quality was described by a parameter LTW which gives the total length of twin boundaries in a layer. Optical measurements of diffusion coefficients and carrier lifetimes in wide excess carrier density (N >1018 cm-3) and temperature range (10 K to 300 K) revealed the twin defect density dependent ambipolar mobility value at RT as well as essentially different temperature dependences of mobility of the layers. The larger value of absorption cross section in more defective layer at 1064 nm wavelength pointed out to contribution of defect-assisted absorption, which gradually vanished after the filling defect states by free carriers.

Role of growth defects on carrier dynamics: semi-insulating GaAs

Using transient light-induced grating experiments, we demonstrate important consequences of interaction between photoexcited electrons and EL2 centers in semiinsulating GaAs at room temperature. Carrier lifetime is found to depend on the local density and ionization ratio of the EL2 centers. A substantial slow down of diffusive grating decay due to the interaction between electrons and photoionized EL2 donors is observed.

Mapping of differently doped InP wafers by nanosecond and picosecond four-wave mixing techniques

Time-integrated and time-resolved FWM techniques were applied for characterization of the photoelectrical properties of undoped, S-doped, and Fe-doped InP wafers and for a mapping of their homogeneity. We performed measurements of spatial distribution of diffraction efficiency across the wafers by nanosecond FWM and investigated a physical origin of the observed variations by using time-resolved picosecond FWM. By analyzing the diffraction efficiency kinetics and its dependence on excitation energy, we evaluated the impurity-assisted carrier generation, recombination, diffusion processes, electrical activity of the defects, and their distribution across the wafers. Carrier lifetime variation from 2.5 ns to 7.5 ns across the undoped InP wafer was found, while the diffusion coefficient value of 8 ± 0.5 cm2/s was almost constant. In S-doped InP wafer, wafer inhomogeneity was attributed to carrier generation peculiarities governed by spatial distribution of deep centers.