Yy Li

InP-based InAs/InGaAs quantum wells with type-I emission beyond 3 μm

This work reports on InAs/In0.53Ga0.47As strain compensated quantum well structures on InP-based metamorphic buffer to generate the type-I emission of beyond 3 μm. The metamorphic buffer is composed of InxAl1−xAs graded layer and In0.8Ga0.2As virtual substrate layer. Atomic force microscope, transmission electron microscope and x-ray diffraction measurements show the moderate surface and structural properties. A photoluminescence signal up to 3.05 μm has been achieved at 300 K, which is one of the longest wavelengths from the interband emission of InP-based antimony-free structure. It is promising to employ this quantum well structure on metamorphic buffer for the laser demonstration with emission around 3 μm.

Simultaneous, single-pulse, synchrotron x-ray imaging and diffraction under gas gun loading

We develop a mini gas gun system for simultaneous, single-pulse, x-ray diffraction and imaging under high strain-rate loading at the beamline 32-ID of the Advanced Photon Source. In order to increase the reciprocal space covered by a small-area detector, a conventional target chamber is split into two chambers: a narrowed measurement chamber and a relief chamber. The gas gun impact is synchronized with synchrotron x-ray pulses and high-speed cameras. Depending on a cameras capability, multiframe imaging and diffraction can be achieved. The proof-of-principle experiments are performed on single-crystal sapphire. The diffraction spots and images during impact are analyzed to quantify lattice deformation and fracture; fracture is dominated by splitting cracks followed by wing cracks, and diffraction peaks are broadened likely due to mosaic spread. Our results demonstrate the potential of such multiscale measurements for studying high strain-rate phenomena at dynamic extremes.

Structural properties of GeSn thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

GeSn thin films on Ge (001) with various Sn concentrations from 3.36 to 7.62% were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and characterized. The structural properties were analyzed by reciprocal space mapping in the symmetric (004) and asymmetric (224) planes by high resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD). The lateral correlation length (LCL) and the mosaic spread (MS) were extracted for the epi-layer peaks in the asymmetric (224) diffraction. With the increase of Sn concentration, the LCL reduces while the MS increases, indicating degrading crystalline quality. Dislocations were observed in the sample with 7.62% Sn concentration by transmission electron microscope, consistent with the strain relaxation found in XRD mapping. Besides, the surface morphologies were investigated.

The structural and photoluminescence properties of self-organized quantum dots in InAs/In0.53Ga0.47As multilayer on InP substrate

Self-organized InAs/In0.53Ga0.47As quantum dot (QD) multilayers were grown on InP substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. The structural and optical properties were characterized by using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL), respectively. Vertically aligned InAs quantum dots multilayer on InP substrate is demonstrated for the first time. Photoluminescence with a line width of similar to 26 meV was observed from the QDs multilayer

Effect of thermal annealing on structural properties of GeSn thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

GeSn alloy with 7.68% Sn concentration grown by molecular beam epitaxy has been rapidly annealed at different temperatures from 300°C to 800°C. Surface morphology and roughness annealed below or equal to 500°C for 1 min have no obvious changes, while the strain relaxation rate increasing. When the annealing temperature is above or equal to 600°C, significant changes occur in surface morphology and roughness, and Sn precipitation is observed at 700°C. The structural properties are analyzed by reciprocal space mapping in the symmetric (004) and asymmetric (224) planes by high resolution X-ray diffraction. The lateral correlation length and the mosaic spread are extracted for the epi-layer peaks in the asymmetric (224) diffraction. The most suitable annealing temperature to improve both the GeSn lattice quality and relaxation rate is about 500°C.

Spin transition of ferropericlase under shock compression

Planar shock compression experiments are performed at 9–105 GPa on polycrystalline ferropericlase (Mg0.94Fe0.06)O to investigate its Fe2+ spin transition. Forward and reverse impact configurations are used to obtain Hugoniot and shock-state sound velocities. While wave profiles, shock velocity–particle velocity and pressure–density measurements show negligible/weak indications of a phase transition, the shock-state sound speed data clearly manifest a phase transition in the range of 36–62 GPa at the nanosecond time scales. These shock data reveal the phase transition as the spin transition identified in static compression experiments and first-principles calculations.

Novel group IV nano- and micro-structures for light sources on silicon

We present our recent researches on novel group IV nano- and micro-structures for potential light sources on Si, including the tensile strained Ge quantum dots (QDs), GeSn thin films and microstructures, and Ge(Sn) nanowires. Tensile-strained Ge QDs were grown by SS-MBE, and photoluminescence was achieved. The GeSn thin films were demonstrated with Sn concentration above the bandgap transition critical point, and partially suspended GeSn microstructures were fabricated for relaxing the compressive strain.

Suspended GeSn microstructure for light source on Si

A novel suspended GeSn microstructure is demonstrated by selective etching of GeSn thin film on Ge. XRD and μ-Raman measurements show that the compressive strain in the GeSn thin film is effectively relaxed, and furthermore, unexpected tensile strain was introduced in the suspended GeSn.

A Novel Method to Measure the Internal Quantum Efficiency and Optical Loss of Laser Diodes

We present a novel method to characterize the internal quantum efficiency and internal optical loss of semiconductor lasers. Its basic concept is studying the dependence of the external quantum efficiency on the mirror reflectivity. This method is very different from the conventional one, which focuses on the external quantum efficiency as a function of cavity length. Our method has great advantages, such as the capability of measuring the internal quantum efficiency and optical loss of a single laser diode, which is intrinsically impossible by the conventional method.

The effect of substrate orientation on the morphology of InAs nanostructures on (0 0 1) and (1 1 n)A/B (n=1–5) InP substrates

Strained InAs nanostructures have been grown by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy in In0.52Al0.48As matrix on different InP substrate surfaces ((0 0 1) and (1 1 n)A/B (n = 1 - 5)). The morphology of the nanostructures was characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM results reveal interesting differences in the size, shape, and alignment of the nanostructures between different oriented surfaces. It was found that some faceted nanostructures tend to form on A-type surfaces, the shape and the alignment of these nanostructures show clear dependence on the substrate orientation. Samples grown on (0 0 1) and B-type surfaces showed preferentially dense round dots. Dots formed on (1 1 3)B, (1 1 3)B and (1 1 5)B surfaces have a higher dot density and size homogeneity, which shows a potential for the production of high-quality and customized self-assembled quantum dots for photonics applications