High-frequency hydrogen-related infrared modes in silicon grown in a hydrogen atmosphere

High-frequency vibrational modes have been observed at liquid-helium temperature in silicon samples grown in a H-2 or D-2 atmosphere. The highest-frequency ones are due to the overtones and combination modes of SiH fundamentals. Others are CH modes due to (C,H) complexes, but the simultaneous presence of NH modes due to (N,H) complexes cannot be excluded. The present results seem to show also the existence of centers including both SiH and CH or NH bonds. One sharp mode at 4349 cm-l is related to a weak SiH fundamental at 2210 cm(-1). The related center is ascribed to a vacancy fully decorated with hydrogen with a nearest-neighbor C atom. [S0163-1829(99)00911-X].

Intraband absorption in the 8-12 mu m band from Si-doped vertically aligned InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot superlattice

Normal-incident infrared absorption in the 8-12-mu m-atmospheric spectral window in the InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot superlattice is observed. Using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, we find that the InGaAs quantum dots are perfectly vertically aligned in the growth direction (100). Under the normal incident radiation, a distinct absorption peaked at 9.9 mu m is observed. This work indicates the potential of this quantum-dot superlattice structure for use as normal-incident infrared imaging focal arrays application without fabricating grating structures. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)01151-6].

Neutron irradiation-infrared based measurement method for interstitial oxygen in heavily boron-doped silicon

A novel method, based on an infrared absorption and neutron irradiation technique, has been developed for the determination of interstitial oxygen in heavily boron-doped silicon. The new procedure utilizes fast neutron irradiated silicon wafer specimens. On fast neutron irradiation, the free carriers of high concentration in silicon can be trapped by the irradiated defects and the resistivity increased. The resulting calibration curve for the measurement of interstitial oxygen in boron-doped silicon has been established on the basis of the annealing behaviour of irradiated boron-doped CZ silicon.

Normal-incidence intersubband (In, Ga)As/GaAs quantum dot infrared photodetectors

We report the device performance of normal-incidence (In, Ga)As/GaAs quantum dot intersubband infrared photodetectors. A primary intersubband transition peak is observed at the wavelength of 13 mu m (E-0 --> E-1) and a secondary peak at 11 mu m (E-0 --> E-2). The measured energy spacing in the conduction band of the quantum dots is in good agreement with low temperature photoluminescence measurement and calculations. A peak detectivity of 1 x 10(10) cm Hz(1/2)/W at 13 mu m was achieved at 40 K for these devices. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)01440-5].

Linewidth of the infrared absorption spectra due to bound-to-continuum transition in GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs multiple quantum well structures

We have observed an extremely narrow absorption spectrum due to bound-to-continuum transition in GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs multiple quantum wells (MQWs). Its linewidth is only about one tenth of the values reported previously. Our calculation indicates that the broadening of the excited state in the continuum has little contribution to the absorption linewidth. We have grown a sample whose MQW region contains two kinds of wells with a minor thickness inhomogeneity. Its resultant absorption linewidth is six times as large as that of homogeneous well sample, which is in good agreement with our theoretical analysis. Thus we can suggest that the wider absorption spectra reported by many authors may be due to the well width inhomogeneity. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)03430-5]

Study of microstructure of high stability hydrogenated amorphous silicon films by Raman scattering and infrared absorption spectroscopy

The microstructure, hydrogen bonding configurations and hydrogen content of high quality and stable hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films prepared by a simple ''uninterrupted growth/annealing" plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique have been investigated by Raman scattering and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The high stability a-Si:H films contain small amounts of a microcrystalline phase and not less hydrogen (10-16 at. %), particularly, the clustered phase hydrogen, Besides, the hydrogen distribution is very inhomogeneous. Some of these results are substantially distinct from those of conventional device-quality n-Si:H film or stable cr-Si:H films prepared by the other techniques examined to date. The stability of n-Si:H films appears to have no direct correlation with the hydrogen content or the clustered phase hydrogen concentration. The ideal n-Si:H network with high stability and low defect density is perhaps not homogeneous. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.

Low Temperature Deposited Nano-structured Vanadium Oxide Thin Films for Uncooled Infrared Detectors

A novel process of room temperature ion beam sputtering deposition of vanadium oxide films and low temperature post annealing for uncooled infrared detectors was proposed in this work. VOx thin films with relatively low square resistance (70 K Omega / square) and large temperature coefficient of resistance (more than 3%/K) at room temperature were fabricated using this low temperature process which was very compatible with the process of uncooled infrared detectors based on micromachined technology. Furthermore, chemical composition and film surface have been characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) respectively. The results showed that the main composition of the processed thin films was V2O5 and the thin films were in the process of crystallization.

Investigation of vertical radiation loss for whispering-gallery modes in 3-D microresonators by FDTD simulation

The vertical radiation loss of three-dimensional (3-D) microresonators is investigated by 3-D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. The simulation shows that the vertical radiation causes an important loss in the microresonators with weak waveguiding, and result in decrease of the quality factors (Q-factors) of whispering-gallery (WG) modes. Through the simulation, we find that TM-like modes have much weaker vertical radiation loss than TE-like modes. High Q-factor TM-like modes are observed in the 3-D microresonators with weak vertical waveguiding, but the Q-factors of TE-like modes decrease greatly.

Intense room temperature near infrared emission from Al (3+) and Yb3+ ions

Intense near infrared emission was observed from Al3+ and Yb3+ ions co-implanted SiO2 film on silicon. It was found that the addition of Al3+ ions could remarkably improve the photoluminescence efficiency of Yb3+-implanted SiO2 film. No excitation power saturation was observed and trivial temperature quenching factor of 2 was achieved.

Influence of fluorine on radiation-induced charge trapping in the SIMOX buried oxides

Charge trapping in the fluorinated SIMOX buried oxides before and after ionizing radiation has been investigated by means of C-V characteristics. Radiation-induced positive charge trapping which results in negative shift of C-V curves can be restrained by implanting fluorine ions into the SIMOX buried oxides. Pre-radiation charge trapping is suppressed in the fluorinated buried oxides. The fluorine dose and post-implantation anneal time play a very important role in the control of charge trapping.

Radiation response of partially-depleted MOS transistors fabricated in the fluorinated SIMOX wafers

Ionizing radiation response of partially-depleted MOS transistors fabricated in the, fluorinated SIMOX wafers has been investigated. The experimental data show that the, radiation-induced threshold voltage shift of PMOSFETs and NMOSFETs, as well as the radiation-induced increase of off-state leakage current of NMOSFETs can be restrained by implanting fluorine ions into the buried oxide of SIMOX wafers.

On detection wavelength and electron-hole wave function overlap of type II InAs/In-x Ga1-x Sb superlattice infrared photodetector

In this paper, the detection wavelength and the electron-hole wave function overlap of InAs/IrxGa1-xSb type II superlattice photodetectors are numerically calculated by using the envelope function and the transfer matrix methods. The band offset is dealt with by employing the model solid theory, which already takes into account the lattice mismatch between InAs and InxGa1-xSb layers. Firstly, the detection wavelength and the wave function overlap are investigated in dependence on the InAs and InxGa1-xSb layer thicknesses, the In mole fraction, and the periodic number. The results indicate that the detection wavelength increases with increasing In mole fraction, InAs and InxGa1-xSb layer thicknesses, respectively. When increasing the periodic number, the detection wavelength first increases distinctly for small periodic numbers then increases very slightly for large period numbers. Secondly, the wave function overlap diminishes with increasing InAs and InxGa1-xSb layer thicknesses, while it enhances with increasing In mole fraction. The dependence of the wave function overlap on the periodic number shows the same trend as that of the detection wavelength on the periodic number. Moreover, for a constant detection wavelength, the wave function overlap becomes greater when the thickness ratio of the InAs over InxGa1-xSb is larger.

Quantum well infrared photodetector simultaneously working in two atmospheric windows

We have demonstrated a two-contact quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) exhibiting simultaneous photoresponse in both the mid- and the long-wavelength atmospheric windows of 3-5 mu m and of 8-12 mu m. The structure of the device was achieved by sequentially growing a mid-wavelength QWIP part followed by a long-wavelength QWIP part separated by an n-doped layer. Compared with the conventional dual-band QWIP device utilizing three ohmic contacts, our QWIP is promising to greatly facilitate two-color focal plane array (FPA) fabrication by reducing the number of the indium bumps per pixel from three to one just like a monochromatic FPA fabrication and to increase the FPA fill factor by reducing one contact per pixel; another advantage may be that this QWIP FPA boasts broadband detection capability in the two atmospheric windows while using only a monochromatic readout integrated circuit. We attributed this simultaneous broadband detection to the different distributions of the total bias voltage between the mid- and long-wavelength QWIP parts.

Two-color quantum well infrared photodetector simultaneously working at 10-14 mu m

We have demonstrated a two-color quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) exhibiting simultaneous photoresponse with cutoff wavelengths at 11.8 and 14.5 mu m, respectively. Strong photocurrent signals are observed at temperature of 77 K. The simultaneous two-color photoresponse is achieved by utilizing a simple design by broadening the width of the quantum well and selecting an appropriate doping density. The two peaks are attributed to the intersubband transitions from the ground state to the first excited state (bound state) and to the fifth excited state (continuum state), respectively.

Period Continuous Tuning of an Efficient Mid-Infrared Optical Parametric Oscillator Based on a Fan-out Periodically Poled MgO-Doped Lithium Niobate

We report a period continuously tunable, efficient, mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on a fan-out periodically poled MgO-doped congruent lithium niobate (PPMgLN). The OPO is pumped by a Nd:YAG laser and a maximum idler output average power of 1.65 W at 3.93 mu m is obtained with a pump average power of 10.5 W, corresponding to the conversion efficiency of about 16% from the pump to the idler. The output spectral properties of the OPO with the fan-out crystal are analyzed. The OPO is continuously tuned over 3.78-4.58 mu m (idler) when fan-out periods are changed from 27.0 to 29.4 mu m. Compared with temperature tuning, fan-out period continuous tuning has faster tuning rate and wider tuning range.