Raman and infrared properties and layer dependence of the phonon dispersions in multilayered graphene

The symmetry group analysis is applied to classify the phonon modes of N-stacked graphene layers (NSGLs) with AB and AA stacking, particularly their infrared and Raman properties. The dispersions of various phonon modes are calculated in a multilayer vibrational model, which is generalized from the lattice vibrational potentials of graphene to including the interlayer interactions in NSGLs. The experimentally reported redshift phenomena in the layer-number dependence of the intralayer optical C-C stretching mode frequencies are interpreted. An interesting low-frequency interlayer optical mode is revealed to be Raman or infrared active in even or odd NSGLs, respectively. Its frequency shift is sensitive to the layer number and saturated at about 10 layers.

Electronic energy levels in an asymmetric quantum-dots-in-a-well structure for infrared photodetectors

Theoretical calculation of electronic energy levels of an asymmetric InAs/InGaAS/GaAS quantum-dots-in-a-well (DWELL) structure for infrared photodetectors is performed in the framework of effective-mass envelope-function theory. Our calculated results show that the electronic energy levels in quantum dots (QDs) increase when the asymmetry increases and the ground state energy increases faster than the excited state energies. Furthermore, the results also show that the electronic energy levels in QDs decrease as the size of QDs and the width of quantum well (QW) in the asymmetric DWELL structure increase. Additionally, the effects of asymmetry, the size of QDs and the width of QW on the response peak of asymmetry DWELL photodetectors are also discussed.

Strong visible and infrared photoluminescence from Er-implanted silicon nitride films

Silicon nitride films were deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical-vapour deposition. The films were then implanted with erbium ions to a concentration of 8 x 10(20) cm(-3). After high temperature annealing, strong visible and infrared photoluminescence (PL) was observed. The visible PL consists mainly of two peaks located at 660 and 750 nm, which are considered to originate from silicon nanocluster (Si-NCs) and Si-NC/SiNx interface states. Raman spectra and HRTEM measurements have been performed to confirm the existence of Si-NCs. The implanted erbium ions are possibly activated by an energy transfer process, leading to a strong 1.54 mu m PL.

Preliminary design of a tensile-strained p-type Si/SiGe quantum well infrared photodetector

Considering tensile-strained p-type Si/Si1-yGey quantum wells grown on a relaxed Si1-xGex ( 0 0 1) virtual substrate ( y < x), the hole subband structure and the effective masses of the first bound hole state in the quantum wells are calculated by using the 6 x 6 k center dot p method. Designs for tensile-strained p-type quantum well infrared photodetectors ( QWIPs) based on the bound-to-quasi-bound transitions are discussed, which are expected to retain the ability of coupling normally incident infrared radiation without any grating couplers, have lower dark current than n-type QWIPs and also have a larger absorption coefficient and better transport characteristics than normal unstrained or compressive-strained p-type QWIPs.

Design and optimization of photonic crystal coupling layer for bi-color quantum well infrared photodetectors

Finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is used for the simulation and analysis of electromagnetic field in the top coupling layer of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP). Simulation results demonstrated the coupling efficiencies and distributions of electromagnetic (EM) field in a variety of 2D photonic crystal coupling layer structures. A photonic crystal structure for bi-color-QWIP is demonstrated with high coupling efficiency for two wavelengths.

Mid-infrared heavily n-doped GaAs extraordinary transmission through subwavelength grooves

Transmission of an electromagnetic wave from a heavily doped n-type GaAs film is studied theoretically. The calculations are performed using the two-dimensional finite-different time-domain method. From the calculations, we find the extraordinary transmission of p-polarized waves through the film with subwavelength grooves on both surfaces at mid-infrared frequencies. By determining a set of groove parameters, we optimize the transmission to as high as 55.2%. We ascribe this extraordinary transmission to the coupling of the surface-plasmon polariton modes and waveguide modes. Such an enhanced transmission device can be useful for mid-infrared wave filters, emitters, and monitors.

Polarization dependence of absorption in strongly vertically coupled InAs/GaAs quantum dots for two-color far-infrared photodetector

Strongly vertically coupled InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) with modulation doping are investigated, and polarization dependence of two-color absorptions was observed. Analysis of photoluminescence (PL) and absorption spectra shows that s-polarized absorptions at. 10.0 and 13.4 mu m, stem from the first excited state E-1 and the second excited state E-2 in the QDs to the bound state E-InGaAs in the InGaAs spacer, respectively, whereas p-polarized absorptions at 10.0 and 8.2 mu m stem from the first excited state E-1 and the ground E-g in the QDs to the bound state E-InGaAs in the InGaAs spacer, respectively. These measurements illustrate that transitions from excited states are more sensitive to normal incidence, which are very important in designing QD infrared detector. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

InAs/GaSb superlattices for photodetection in short wavelength infrared range

The first report of a short wavelength infrared detector based on type II InAs/GaSb superlattices is presented. Very short period superlattices containing InAs (2ML)/GaSb (8ML) superlattices (SLs) were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on GaSb substrates. The photoluminescence showed a cut-off wavelength at 2.1 mu m at 10 K and 2.6 mu m at 300 K. Room-temperature optical transmittance spectra shows obvious absorption in InAs (2ML)/GaSb (8ML) SL in the range of 450-680 meV, i.e. 1.8-2.7 mu m. The cut-off wavelength moved from 2.3 mu m to 2.6 mu m with temperature rising from 77 K to 300 K in photoresponse spectra. The blackbody response R-v exponentially decreased as a function of 1/T in two temperature sections (130-200 K and 230-300 K). The blackbody detectivity D-bb(center dot) was beyond 1 x 10(8) cmHz(1/2)/W at room temperature. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced infrared emission from colloidal HgTe nanocrystal quantum dots on silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals

A two dimensional silicon-on-insulator based photonic crystal structure is used to enhance the emission from colloidal HgTe nanocrystal quantum dots embedded in a thin polymer film. The enhancement is resonant to the leaky eigenmodes of the photonic crystals due to coherent scattering effects. Transmittance and photoluminescence experiments are presented to map the leaky mode dispersion and the angle dependence of the emission enhancement factor, which reaches values up to 80 (650) for vertical (oblique) emission in the telecommunication wavelength range.

Fabrication and Infrared Optical Properties of Nano Vanadium Dioxide Thin Films

Vanadium dioxide thin films were fabricated by ion beam sputtering on Si3N4/SiO2/Si after a post reductive annealing process in a nitrogen atmosphere. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to analyze the effects of post annealing temperature on crystallinity, morphology, and composition of the vanadium oxide thin films. Transmission properties of vanadium dioxide thin films were measured by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The results showed that the as-deposited vanadium oxide thin films were composed of non-crystalline V2O5 and a tetragonal rutile VO2. After annealing at 400 degrees C for 2 h, the mixed phase vanadium oxide (VOx) thin film changed its composition and structure to VO2 and had a (011) oriented monoclinic rutile structure. When increasing the temperature to 450 degrees C, nano VO2 thin films with smaller grains were obtained. FT-IR results showed that the transmission contrast factor of the nano VO2 thin film was more than 0.99 and the transmission of smaller grain nano VO2 thin film was near zero at its switched state. Nano VO2 thin film with smaller grains is an ideal material for application in optical switching devices.

SHORT PERIOD InAs/GaSb SUPERLATTICE INFRARED DETECTOR ON GaAs SUBSTRATES

Two type II superlattices (SLs) InAs(2ML)/GaSb(8ML) and InAs(8ML)/GaSb(8ML) were grown on GaAs substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy. High resolution X-ray diffraction showed the periods of the two SLs were 31.2 angstrom and 57.3 angstrom, respectively. Room-temperature optical transmittance spectra showed that there were clear absorption edges at 2.1 mu m and 5 mu m for the two SLs. The SWIR and MWIR photoconductor devices were fabricated by standard lithography and etched by tartaric acid solution. The spectral response and blackbody tests were carried out at low and room temperatues. The results show that the 50% cutoff wavelengths of the two photoconductors are 2.1 mu m and 5.0 mu m respectively and D-bb* is above 2 x 10(8) cmHz(1/2)/W for two kinds of photoconductors at 77K. D-bb* is above 10(8) cmHz(1/2)/W for SWIR photoconductor at room temperature.

Effect of Anode Floating Voltage and its Applications in Characterizing Silicon Drift Detectors

Anode floating voltage is predicted and investigated for silicon drift detectors (SDDs) with an active area of 5 mm(2) fabricated by a double-side parallel technology. It is demonstrated that the anode floating voltage increases with the increasing inner ring voltage, and is almost unchanged with the external ring voltage. The anode floating voltage will not be affected by the back electrode biased voltage until it reaches the full-depleted voltage (-50 V) of the SDD. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the anode floating voltage is equal to the sum of the inner ring voltage and the built-in potential between the p(+) inner ring and the n(+) anode. A fast checking method before detector encapsulation is proposed by employing the anode floating voltage along with checking the leakage current, potential distribution and drift properties.

Weak measurement of qubit oscillations with strong response detectors: Violation of the fundamental bound imposed on linear detectors

Qubit measurement by mesoscopic charge detectors has received great interest in the community of mesoscopic transport and solid-state quantum computation, and some controversial issues still remain unresolved. In this work, we revisit the continuous weak measurement of a solid-state qubit by single electron transistors (SETs) in nonlinear-response regime. For two SET models typically used in the literature, we find that the signal-to-noise ratio can violate the universal upper bound "4," which is imposed quantum mechanically on linear-response detectors. This different result can be understood by means of the cross correlation of the detector currents by viewing the two junctions of the single SET as two detectors. Possible limitation of the potential-scattering approach to this result is also discussed.

Simulation of light coupling enhancement and localization of transmission field via subwavelength metallic gratings

Surface plasmons(SPs) generated in nano metallic gratings on medium layer can greatly enhance the transmission field through the metallic gratings. The enhancement effect is achieved from lambda = 500 nm to near-infrared domain. The enhancement rate is about 110 % at the wavelength of about 6 10 nm and about 180 % at lambda = 700 nm and 740 nm where most kinds of thin film solar cells have a high spectral response. These structures should provide a promising way to increase the coupling efficiency of thin film solar cells and optical detectors of different wavelength response.

Study of infrared luminescence from Er-implanted GaN films

In this study, we report the dependences of infrared luminescence properties of Er-implanted GaN thin films (GaN:Er) on the kinds of substrates used to grow GaN, the growth techniques of GaN, the implantation parameters and annealing procedures. The experimental results showed that the photoluminescence (PL) intensity at 1.54 mum was severely influenced by different kinds of substrates. The integrated PL peak intensity from GaN:Er /Al2O3 (00001) was three and five times stronger than that from GaN:Er /Si (111) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), respectively. The PL spectra observed from GaN:Er/Al2O3 (0001) grown by MOCVD and by MBE displayed a similar feature, but those samples grown by MOCVD exhibited a stronger 1.54 mum PL. It was also found that there was a strong correlation between the PL intensity with ion implantation parameters and annealing procedures. Ion implantation induced damage in host material could be only partly recovered by an appropriate annealing temperature procedure. The thermal quenching of PL from 15 to 300 K was also estimated. In comparison with the integrated PL intensity at 15 K, it is reduced by only about 30 % when going up to 300 K for GaN:Er/Al2O3 sample grown by MOCVD. Our results also show that the strongest PL intensity comes from GaN:Er grown on Al2O3 substrate by MOCVD. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.