Vladimir Mitin

Strong Enhancement of Solar Cell Efficiency Due to Quantum Dots with Built-In Charge

We report a 50% increase in the power conversion efficiency of InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cells due to n-doping of the interdot space. The n-doped device was compared with GaAs reference cell, undoped, and p-doped devices. We found that the quantum dots with built-in charge (Q-BIC) enhance electron intersubband quantum dot transitions, suppress fast electron capture processes, and preclude deterioration of the open circuit voltage in the n-doped structures. These factors lead to enhanced harvesting and efficient conversion of IR energy in the Q-BIC solar cells.

The Physics of Instabilities in Solid State Electron Devices

Introduction. Stability. Tunnel Diodes. The Avalanche Diode. The Gunn Diode. Superconducting Junctions. SNDC Multilayer Semiconductor Structures. Thermal and Electrothermal Instabilities. Electrothermal Switching in Thin Chalcogenide Films. Index.

Terahertz surface plasmons in optically pumped graphene structures

We analyze the surface plasmons (SPs) propagating along optically pumped single-graphene layer (SGL) and multiple-graphene layer (MGL) structures. It is shown that at sufficiently strong optical pumping when the real part of the dynamic conductivity of SGL and MGL structures becomes negative in the terahertz (THz) range of frequencies due to the interband population inversion, the damping of the THz SPs can give way to their amplification. This effect can be used in graphene-based THz lasers and other devices. Due to the relatively small SP group velocity, the absolute value of their absorption coefficient (SP gain) can be large, substantially exceeding that of optically pumped structures with dielectric waveguides. A comparison of SGL and MGL structures shows that to maximize the SP gain the number of graphene layers should be properly chosen.

Toward the creation of terahertz graphene injection laser

We study the effect of population inversion associated with the electron and hole injection in graphene p-i-n structures at the room and slightly lower temperatures. It is assumed that the recombination and energy relaxation of electrons and holes are associated primarily with the interband and intraband processes assisted by optical phonons. The dependences of the electron-hole and optical phonon effective temperatures on the applied voltage, the current-voltage characteristics, and the frequency-dependent dynamic conductivity are calculated. In particular, we demonstrate that at low and moderate voltages, the injection can lead to a pronounced cooling of the electron-hole plasma in the device i-section to the temperatures below the lattice temperature. However at higher voltages, the voltage dependences can be ambiguous exhibiting the S-shape. It is shown that the frequency-dependent dynamic conductivity can be negative in the terahertz (THz) range of frequencies at certain values of the applied voltage...

Terahertz lasers based on optically pumped multiple graphene structures with slot-line and dielectric waveguides

Terahertz (THz) lasers on optically pumped multiple-graphene-layer (MGL) structures as their active region are proposed and evaluated. The developed device model accounts for the interband and intraband transitions in the degenerate electron-hole plasma generated by optical radiation in the MGL structure and the losses in the slot or dielectric waveguide. The THz laser gain and the conditions of THz lasing are found. It is shown that the lasers under consideration can operate at frequencies ≳1 THz at room temperatures.Terahertz (THz) lasers on optically pumped multiple-graphene-layer (MGL) structures as their active region are proposed and evaluated. The developed device model accounts for the interband and intraband transitions in the degenerate electron-hole plasma generated by optical radiation in the MGL structure and the losses in the slot or dielectric waveguide. The THz laser gain and the conditions of THz lasing are found. It is shown that the lasers under consideration can operate at frequencies & 1 THz at room temperatures.

Comparison of dark current, responsivity and detectivity in different intersubband infrared photodetectors

This paper deals with the comparison of quantum well, quantum wire and quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QWIPs, QRIPs and QDIPs, respectively) based on physical analysis of the factors determining their operation. The operation of the devices under consideration is associated with the intersubband (intraband) electron transitions from the bound states in QWs, QRs and QDs into the continuum states owing to the absorption of infrared radiation. The redistribution of the electric potential across the device active region caused by the photoionization of QWs, QRs and QDs affects the electron injection from the emitting contact. The injection current provides the effect of current gain. Since the electron thermoemission and capture substantially determine the electric potential distribution and, therefore, the injection current, these processes are also crucial for the device performance. To compare the dark current, responsivity and detectivity of QWIPs, QRIPs and QDIPs we use simplified but rather general semi-phenomenological formulae which relate these device characteristics to the rates of the thermoemission and photoemission of electrons from and their capture to the QWs and the QR and QD arrays. These rates are expressed via the photoemission cross-section, capture probability and so on, and the structural parameters. Calculating the ratios of the QWIP, QRIP and QDIP characteristics using our semi-phenomenological model, we show that: the responsivity of QRIPs and QDIPs can be much higher than the responsivity of QWIPs, however, higher responsivity is inevitably accompanied by higher dark current; the detectivity of QRIPs and QDIPs with low-density arrays of relatively large QRs and QDs is lower than that of QWIPs; the detectivity of QRIPs and QDIPs based on dense arrays can significantly exceed the detectivity of QWIPs.

On the detectivity of quantum-dot infrared photodetectors

We report on the analysis of thermally-limited operation of quantum-dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs). A device model is developed and used to calculate the QDIP detectivity as a function of the structural parameters, temperature, and applied voltage, as well as to determine the conditions for the detectivity maximum. The QDIP detectivity is compared with that of quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs). This work clarifies why the existing QDIPs are still inferior to QWIPs and shows that a significant improvement in the QDIP performance can be accomplished by the utilization of dense QD arrays with small QDs.

Device model for quantum dot infrared photodetectors and their dark-current characteristics

We propose a device model for quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) with relatively large lateral spacing between QDs as occurs in QDIPs fabricated and experimentally investigated recently. The developed model accounts for the self-consistent potential distribution and features of the electron capture and transport in realistic QDIPs in dark conditions. The model is used for the calculation of the dark current as a function of the structural parameters, applied voltage and temperature. It explains a rather sharp increase in the dark current with increasing applied voltage and its strong sensitivity to the density of QDs and the doping level of the active region. The calculated dependences are in good agreement with available experimental data. The obtained characteristics of QDIPs are compared to those of QWIPs with similar parameters.

Electron‐optical‐phonon scattering rates in a rectangular semiconductor quantum wire

One‐dimensional electron‐optical‐phonon interaction Hamiltonians in a rectangular quantum wire consisting of diatomic polar semiconductors are derived under the macroscopic dielectric continuum model. The scattering rates calculated in a GaAs square quantum wire show that when the quantum wire is free‐standing in vacuum, the interaction by the surface‐optical phonon modes is very strong and may dominate over other scattering processes, especially with dimensions of about 100 A or less. When the wire is embedded in a polar semiconductor (AlAs to be specific), the scattering rates by the surface‐optical phonon modes become generally smaller, but yet comparable to those by the confined longitudinal‐optical modes as the wire dimension shrinks. A considerable decrease in the total scattering rate for optical phonons as a result of simple reduction in dimensionality is not observed in this study.

Device Model for Graphene Nanoribbon Phototransistor

An analytical device model for a graphene nanoribbon phototransistor (GNR-PT) is presented. GNR-PT is based on an array of graphene nanoribbons with the side source and drain contacts, which is sandwiched between the highly conducting substrate and the top gate. Using the developed model, we derive the explicit analytical relationships for the source–drain current as a function of the intensity and frequency of the incident radiation and find the detector responsivity. It is shown that GNR-PTs can be rather effective photodetectors in infrared and terahertz ranges of spectrum.