Temperature dependence of absorption edge in MOCVD grown GaN

We have studied the temperature dependence of absorption edge of GaN thin films grown on sapphire substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition using optical absorption spectroscopy. A shift in absorption edge of about 55 meV has been observed in temperature range 273-343 K. We have proposed a theoretical model to find the energy gap from absorption coefficient using alpha = alpha(max) + (alpha(min) - alpha(max))/[1 + exp 2(E - E-g + KT)/KT]. Temperature dependence of band gap has also been studied by finding an appropriate theoretical fit to our data using E-g(T) = E-g(273 K) - (8.8 x 10(-4)T(2))/(483 + T) + 0.088 (Varshni empirical formula) and E-g(T) = E-g(273 K)-0.231447/[exp(362/T)-1] + 0.082 relations. It has been found that data can be fitted accurately after adding a factor similar to 0.08 in above equations. Debye temperature (483 K) and Einstein temperature (362 K) in the respective equations are found mutually in good agreement.

Optical analysis of dislocation-related physical processes in GaN-based epilayers

In this paper, recent progresses in optical analysis of dislocation-related physical properties in GaN-based epilayers are surveyed with a brief review. The influence of dislocations on both near-band edge emission and yellow luminescence (YL) is examined either in a statistical way as a function of dislocation density or focused on individual dislocation lines with a high spatial resolution. Threading dislocations may introduce non-radiative recombination centers and enhance YL, but their effects are affected by the structural and chemical environment. The minority carrier diffusion length may be dependent on either dislocation density or impurity doping as confirmed by the result of photovoltaic spectra. The in situ optical monitoring of the strain evolution process is employed during GaN heteroepitaxy using an AIN interlayer. A typical transition of strain from compression to tension is observed and its correlation with the reduction and inclination of threading dislocation lines is revealed. (c) 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Pressure dependence of the near-band-edge photoluminescence from ZnO microrods at low temperature

The temperature and pressure dependences of band-edge photo luminescence from ZnO microrods have been investigated. The energy separation between the free exciton (FX) and its first order phonon replica (FX-1LO) decreases at a rate of k(B)T with increasing temperature. The intensity ratio of the FX-1LO to the bound exciton (BX) emission is found to decrease slightly with increasing pressure. All of the exciton emission peaks show a blue shift with increasing pressure. The pressure coefficient of the FX transition, longitudinal optical (LO) phonon energy, and binding energy of BX are estimated to be 21.4, 0.5, and 0.9 meV/GPa, respectively. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strain evolution in GaN layers grown on high-temperature AlN interlayers

The strain evolution of the GaN layer grown on a high-temperature AlN interlayer with GaN template by metal organic chemical vapor deposition is investigated. It is found that the layer is initially under compressive strain and then gradually relaxes and transforms to under tensile strain with increasing film thickness. The result of the in situ stress analysis is confirmed by x-ray diffraction measurements. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that the inclination of edge and mixed threading dislocations rather than the reduction of dislocation density mainly accounts for such a strain evolution. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Design of two-dimensional photonic crystal edge emitting laser for photonic integrated circuits

An edge emitting laser based on two-dimensional photonic crystal slabs is proposed. The device consists of a square lattice microcavity, which is composed of two structures with the same period but different radius of air-holes, and a waveguide. In the cavity, laser resonance in the inner structure benelits from not only the anomalous dispersion characteristic of the first band-edge at the M point in the first Brillouin-zone but also zero photon states in the outer structure. A line defect waveguide is introduced in the outer structure for extracting photons from the inner cavity. Three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations apparently show the in-plane laser output from the waveguide. The microcavity has an effective mode volume of about 3.2(lambda/eta(slab))(3) for oscillation -mode and the quality factor of the device including line defect waveguide is estimated to be as high as 1300.

Reduction of dislocations in GaN epilayer grown on Si (111) substrates using a GaN intermedial layer

GaN intermedial layers grown under different pressures are inserted between GaN epilayers and AlN/Si(111) substrates. In situ optical reflectivity measurements show that a transition from the three-dimensional (3D) mode to the 2D one occurs during the GaN epilayer growth when a higher growth pressure is used during the preceding GaN intermedial layer growth, and an improvement of the crystalline quality of GaN epilayer will be made. Combining the in situ reflectivity and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements, it is suggested that the lateral growth at the transition of growth mode is favourable for bending of dislocation lines, thus reducing the density of threading dislocations in the epilayer.

Measurement of threading dislocation densities in GaN by wet chemical etching

We demonstrate a technique based on wet chemical etching that enables quick and accurate evaluation of edge- and screw/mixed-type threading dislocations (TDs) in GaN. Large and small etch pits are formed by phosphoric acid on the etched surfaces. The large etch pits are attributed to screw/mixed TDs and the small ones to edge TDs, according to their locations on the surface and Burgers vectors of TDs. Additionally, the origin of small etch pits is confirmed by a transmission electron microscopy. The difference in the size of etch pits is discussed in view of their origin and merging. Overetching at elevated temperatures or for a long time may result in merging of individual etch pits and underestimating of the density of TDs. Wet chemical etching has also been proved efficient in revealing the distribution of TDs in epitaxial lateral overgrowth GaN.

Synthesis and temperature-dependent near-band-edge emission of chain-like Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles

Chain-like Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared using a wet chemical method combined with subsequent heat treatment. The blueshifted near-band-edge emission of the doped ZnO sample with respect to the undoped one was investigated by temperature-dependent photoluminescence. Based on the energy shift of the free-exciton transition, a band gap enlargement of similar to 83 meV was estimated, which seems to result in the equivalent shift of the bound-exciton transition. At 50 K, the transformation from the donor-acceptor-pair to free-to-acceptor emissions was observed for both the undoped and doped samples. The results show that Mg doping leads to the decrease of the acceptor binding energy. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Defects and morphologies in In0.8Ga0.2As/InAlAs/InP(001) for high electron-mobility transistors

Defects and morphologies are presented in this paper as revealed with transmission electron microscope (TEM) in the In(0.8)G(0.2)As/InAlAs heterostructure on InP(001) for high-electron-mobility transistors application. Most of the misfit dislocation lines are 60 degrees type and they deviate < 110 > at some angles to either side according to their Burges vectors. The misfit dislocation lines deviating [-110] are divided into two types according to whether their edge component b(eg) of Burges vectors in [001] pointing up or down. If b(eg) points up in the growth direction, there is the local periodical strain modulation along the dislocation line. In addition, the periodical modulation in height along [-110] on the In(0.8)G(0.2)As surface is observed, this surface morphology is not associated with the relaxation of mismatch strain.

TEM study of dislocations in ZnTe/GaAs heterostructure grown by hot-wall epitaxy

A ZnTe layer grown on GaAs substrate by hot-wall epitaxy (HWE) was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For a (110) cross-sectional specimen, its (001) ZnTe/GaAs interface was analysed by large angle stereo-projection (LASP) and high resolution electron microscopy (HREM). In the LASP, a double diffraction occurred and moire fringes were formed, meanwhile misfit dislocations were revealled clearly by weak beam technique. In HREM, not only Lomer and 60 degrees types of misfit dislocations were observed, but also two types of stacking faults were analysed. The residual strain was estimated by both methods.

Fermi-edge singularity observed in a modulation-doped AlGaN/GaN heterostructure

In this letter, we report on the observation of Fermi-edge singularity in a modulation-doped AlGaN/GaN heterostructure grown on a c-face sapphire substrate by NH3 source molecular beam epitaxy. The two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) characteristic of the structure is manifested by variable temperature Hall effect measurements down to 7 K. Low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra show a broad emission band originating from the recombination of the 2DEG and localized holes. The enhancement in PL intensity in the high-energy side approaching Fermi level was observed at temperatures below 20 K. At higher temperatures, the enhancement disappears because of the thermal broadening of the Fermi edge. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)02543-1].

Alignment of threading dislocations in the In0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs superlattice

Threading dislocations in the III-V heterostructure system are investigated based on the observation of dislocations in the In0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs superlattice with transmission electron microscope. To explain both the presence and orientation of threading dislocations in the epilayers an alloy effect on the dislocation lines in ternary III-V compounds is proposed, and, in addition, a pseudo-stable state for threading dislocations in binary compounds is recognized. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Two-dimensional network of dislocations and nanocavities in hydrogen-implanted and two-step annealed silicon

Conventional transmission electron microscopy and energy-filtering were used to study the dislocations and nanocavities in proton-implanted [001] silicon. A two-dimensional network of dislocations and nanocavities was found after a two-step annealing, while only isolated cavities were present in single-step annealed Si. In addition, two-step annealing increased materially the size and density of the nanocavities. The Burgers vector of the dislocations was mainly the 1/2[110] type. The gettering of oxygen at the nanocavities was demonstrated. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)00620-2].

Abnormal alignment of misfit dislocations in In0.52Al0.48As/InxGa1-xAs/In0.52Al0.48As/InP heterostructure

It was observed with transmission electron microscopy in the In0.52Al0.48As/InxGa1-xAs/In0.52Al0.48As/InP heterostructure that misfit dislocation lines deviate from the [110] directions at a certain angle depending on the indium content x. Such an abnormal alignment of misfit dislocations is explained in terms of an alloy effect on the formation of single jogs on the misfit dislocations in the interface between the III-V ternary compounds.

Alignment of misfit dislocations in the In0.52Al0.48As/InxGa1-xAs/In0.52Al0.48As/InP heterostructure

It was observed with transmission electron microscopy in the In0.52Al0.48As/InxGa1-xAs/In0.52Al0.48As system grown on the (001) InP substrate that misfit dislocation lines deviate [110] directions at an angle with its value depending on the gallium content. Such an abnormal alignment of misfit dislocations is explained in terms of an alloy effect on the formation of single jogs on misfit dislocations in the interface between the III-V ternary compounds. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.