Strain relaxation of GeSi alloy with low dislocation density grown on low-temperature Si buffers

We have developed a low-temperature (LT) growth technique. Even with Ge fraction x upto 90%, the total thickness of fully relaxed GexSi1-x buffers can he reduced to 1.7 mu m with dislocation density lower than 5 x 10(6) cm(-2). The surface roughness is no more than 6 nm. The strain relaxation is quite inhomogeneous From the beginning. Stacking faults generate and form the mismatch dislocations in the interface of GeSi/LT-Si. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic investigation of self-organized InAs quantum dots

Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) has been applied to investigate the electronic properties of self-organized InAs quantum dots. The energies of electronic ground states of 2.5ML and 1.7ML InAs quantum dots (QDs) with respect to the conduction band of bulk GaAs are about 0.21 eV and 0.09 eV, respectively. We have found that QDs capture electrons by lattice relaxation through a multi-phonon emission process. The samples are QDs embedded in superlattices with or without a 500 Angstrom GaAs spacing layer between every ten periods of a couple of GaAs and InAs layers. The result shows that the density of dislocations in the samples with spacer layers is much lower than in the samples without the spacer layers.

DETERMINATION OF THE X-CONDUCTION-SUBBAND ENERGIES IN TYPE-II GAAS/ALAS/GAAS QUANTUM-WELL BY DEEP-LEVEL TRANSIENT SPECTROSCOPY

Using deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) the X conduction-subband energy levels in an AlAs well sandwiched by double GaAs layers were determined. Calculation gives eight subbands in the well with well width of 50 Angstrom. Among them, five levels and the other three remainders are determined by using the large longitudinal electron effective mass m(1)(1.1m(0)) and transverse electron effective mass m(t)(0.19m(0)) at X valley, respectively. Two subbands with the height energies were hardly detectable and the other six ones with lower energies are active in the present DLTS study. Because these six subbands are close to each other, we divided them into three groups. Experimentally, we observed three signals induced from the three groups. A good agreement between the calculation and experiment was obtained. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.

Proof of InAs/GaAs self-organized quantum dot lasing and the experimental determination of local Strain effect on the band structures

Confirmation of quantum dot lasing have been given by photoluminescence and electro-luminescence spectra. Energy levels of QD laser are distinctively resolved due to band filling effect, and the lasing energy of quantum dot laser is much lower than quantum well laser. The energy barrier at InAs/GaAs interface due to the built-in strain in self-organized system has been determined experimentally by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Such barrier has been predicted by previous theories and can be explained by the apexes appeared in the interface between InAs and GaAs caused by strain.

Strain relaxation of GeSi alloy with low dislocation density grown on low-temperature Si buffers

We have developed a low-temperature (LT) growth technique. Even with Ge fraction x upto 90%, the total thickness of fully relaxed GexSi1-x buffers can he reduced to 1.7 mu m with dislocation density lower than 5 x 10(6) cm(-2). The surface roughness is no more than 6 nm. The strain relaxation is quite inhomogeneous From the beginning. Stacking faults generate and form the mismatch dislocations in the interface of GeSi/LT-Si. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic investigation of self-organized InAs quantum dots

Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) has been applied to investigate the electronic properties of self-organized InAs quantum dots. The energies of electronic ground states of 2.5ML and 1.7ML InAs quantum dots (QDs) with respect to the conduction band of bulk GaAs are about 0.21 eV and 0.09 eV, respectively. We have found that QDs capture electrons by lattice relaxation through a multi-phonon emission process. The samples are QDs embedded in superlattices with or without a 500 Angstrom GaAs spacing layer between every ten periods of a couple of GaAs and InAs layers. The result shows that the density of dislocations in the samples with spacer layers is much lower than in the samples without the spacer layers.

Intersubband absorption energy shifts in 3-level system for asymmetric quantum well terahertz emitters

Intersubband absorption energy shifts in 3-level system stemming from depolarization and excitonlike effects are investigated. Analytically, the expressions we derive present good explanations to the conventional 2-level results and bare potential transition energy results; and numerical results show that they are more exact than the previous studies to describe the 3-level system depolarization and excitonlike shift (DES) character especially for higher carrier density (more than 8 x 10(11) cm(-2)). One interesting detail we find is that the "large blue" DES becomes "slight redshift" in the low doping limit (less than 1.9 x 10(11) cm(-2)), which may be neglected by the previous studies of intersubband transitions. Temperature character of DES in the step well structure is also numerically studied. Finally the above are applied to calculate asymmetric step quantum well structures. The two main functional aspects of terahertz (THz) emitters are discussed and several basic optimizing conditions are considered. By adjusting the well geometry parameters and material composition systematically, some optimized structures which satisfy all of the six conditions are recommended in tables. These optimizations may provide useful references to the design of 3-level-based optically pumping THz emitters.

timng of the last glacial maximum from observed sea level minima

During the Last Glacial Maximum, ice sheets covered large areas in northern latitudes, and global temperatures were significantly lower than today. But few direct estimates exist of the volume of the ice sheets, or the timing and rates of change during their advance and retreat. Here we analyze four distinct sediment facies in the shallow, tectonically stable Bonaparte Gulf, Australia - each of which is characteristic of a distinct range in sea level - to estimate the maximum volume of land-based ice during the last glaciation and the timing of the initial melting phase. We use faunal assemblages and preservation status of the sediments to distinguish open marine, shallow marine, marginal marine and brackish conditions, and estimate the timing and the mass of the ice sheets using radiocarbon dating and glacio-hydroisostatic modelling. Our results indicate that from at least 22,000 to 19,000 (calendar) years before present, land-based ice volume was at its maximum, exceeding today's grounded ice sheets by 52.5 x 10 exp 6 cu km. A rapid decrease in ice volume by about 10 percent within a few hundred years terminated the Last Glacial Maximum at 19,000 +/- 250 years.

Influence of intermolecular entanglements on the glass transition and structural relaxation behaviors of macromolecules. 2. Polystyrene and phenolphthalein poly(ether sulfone)

The effect of entanglements on the glass transition and structural relaxation behaviors has been studied for polystyrene (PS) and phenolphthalein poly(ether sulfone) (PES-C) samples by fast evaporation of the solution of concentrations varying from above the overlapping concentration to far below it, and compared to the results we have studied previously in PC. It has been found that for all the polymers we have studied, in the concentrated solution region, the T-g of the samples obtained from solution are independent of the change of concentration and are very close to that of normal bulk samples, whereas in the dilute solution region the T-g of the samples decrease with the logarithm of decreasing concentration. The critical concentrations that divide the two distinct regions for the three polymers are 0.9% g/mL for PC, 0.1% g/mL for PS, and 1% g/mL for PES-C. The decrease of T-g of the samples is interpreted by the decrease of intermolecular entanglements as the isolation of polymer chains, and the entanglement of polymer chains restrained the mobility of the segments. The structural relaxation behavior of the polymers is also found to be different from that of normal bulk samples. The enthalpies of single-chain samples are lower than that of the bulk ones, which correspond to the lower glass transition temperature; the peaks are lower and broader, and the relaxed enthalpy is much lower as compared to that of bulk samples. In the three polymers we have studied, the influence of change of entanglements on both the decrease in glass transition temperature and relaxed enthalpy is the most significant for PS and the least for PES-C. It is indicated that the interactions in the flexible polymers are weak; thus, the restraint of the entanglements on the mobility of the segments plays a more important role in the flexible polymers, and the change of entanglement in the flexible polymers has a more significant influence on the physical properties.

Influence of entanglements an the glass transition and structural relaxation behaviors of macromolecules. 1. Polycarbonate

We obtained the single-chain polycarbonate sample, by a new fast evaporation method and found that the polycarbonate sample obtained by this method is completely amorphous, while the polycarbonate sample obtained by other methods all have a certain degree of crystallinity. The glass transition temperature (T-g) of the sample decreases with the decreasing of concentration when the concentration of the prepared solution is below the critical value. The critical concentration we obtained from the T-g dependence of concentration is 0.9% g/mL and is in accord with that obtained by viscometry and light scattering methods directly from the solution. The structural relaxation behavior is found also different from that of a normal bulk sample of polycarbonate. The enthalpic peak of the single-chain sample is lower: than that of the bulk one, which corresponds to the lower glass transition temperature. The peak of the single-chain sample is lower and broader, and the relaxed enthalpy is much lower compared with that of the bulk sample. These results have been explained in terms of the effect of entanglement on the mobility of the segments in polymer and the compact conformation in the single-chain sample.

Study on the beta relaxation mechanism of thermosetting polyimide thermoplastic polyimide blends

The thermosetting polyimide PMR-I5 and its blends with thermoplastic polyimides have been studied by dynamic mechanical analysis. The results obtained indicate that the level of beta relaxations in PMR-15 are increased with an increase in cross-linking density. This phenomenon is interpreted as a change of chemical structure during the cross-linking process. Addition of thermoplastic polyimide makes the magnitude of beta relaxations increase when PMR-15 is the major component. This might be due to the strong intermolecular charge-transfer interaction between PI and PI or PMR-15 and PMR-15 molecular chains being partly replaced by the weak intermolecular interaction between PI and PMR-15 in PMR-15/PI blends, resulting in some phenylene rings or imide groups in PIs and PMR-15 chains being able to participate in beta relaxation. However, this increment in beta relaxation magnitude can be reduced by heat treatment of the sample, as a result of phase separation. Hence, it is concluded that the beta relaxation magnitude is determined by the number of groups which can participate in relaxation per unit length, i.e. the magnitude of beta relaxation increases with decreasing interaction between the molecular chains. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd

Feeding level-scaled retention efficiency, growth and energy partitioning of a marine detritivorous fish, redlip mullet (Liza haematocheila T. & S.)

The effects of feeding level on growth, retention efficiency, faeces production and energy partitioning of redlip mullet were studied. A practical diet was used and fed at six levels from starvation, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% of body weight (BW) to satiation for 3 weeks. The temperature was kept at 24 +/- 1 degrees C. Reducing the feeding amount resulted in significantly lower weight gain, and retention efficiency was significantly affected by feeding levels and attained the maximum at maximum feeding intake. Feeding 2% BW was the minimum required for fish to maintain growth. Fish carcass composition under different feeding levels could be divided into three groups: (1) starvation and FL1; (2) FL2 and FL3 and (3) FL4 and satiation, with significant differences among the groups but no differences in the groups except that ash content remained at constant value. Body composition of fish of group 2 was close to initial fish. The thermal-unit coefficient was 0.0381 at satiation, and significantly increased with increasing feeding levels. In order to accurately estimate basal metabolism (HeE), another trial on the relationship between HeE (kJ) and BW (g) was carried out. An exponential curve as HeE=0.1255BW(0.8386) explained this relationship. Intake energy (IE) increased from 11.30 to 63.08 kJ per fish, matching with different feeding levels. Energy allocated to growth of IE decreased with reducing feeding amount. There was a linear relationship between metabolism energy and retention energy in percentage.