Effect of lightly Si doping on the minority carrier diffusion length in n-type GaN films

We investigate the effects of lightly Si doping on the minority carrier diffusion length in n-type GaN films by analyzing photovoltaic spectra and positron annihilation measurements. We find that the minority carrier diffusion length in undoped n-type GaN is much larger than in lightly Si-doped GaN. Positron annihilation analysis demonstrates that the concentration of Ga vacancies is much higher in lightly Si-doped GaN and suggests that the Ga vacancies instead of dislocations are responsible for the smaller minority carrier diffusion length in the investigated Si-doped GaN samples due to the effects of deep level defects. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Role of edge dislocations in enhancing the yellow luminescence of n-type GaN

We investigate the origin of yellow luminescence in n-type GaN. It is found that the relative intensity of yellow luminescence increases as the full width at half maximum of the x-ray diffraction rocking curve at the (102) plane increases. This indicates that the yellow luminescence is related to the edge dislocation density. In addition, the relative intensity of yellow luminescence is confirmed to increase with increasing Si doping for the high quality GaN we have obtained. We propose that the yellow luminescence is effectively enhanced by the transition from donor impurities such as Si to acceptors around the edge dislocations in n-type GaN. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Parasitic reaction and its effect on the growth rate of AlN by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

The Al composition of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-grown AlGaN alloy layers is found to be greatly influenced by the parasitic reaction between ammonia (NH3) and trimethylaluminum (TMAI). The growth process of AlN is carefully investigated by monitoring the in situ optical reflection. The abnormal dependencies of growth rate on growth temperature, reactor pressure, and flux of NH3 are observed and can be well explained by the effect of parasitic reaction. The increase of growth rate with increasing flux of TMAI is found to depend on the growth temperature and reactor pressure due to the presence of parasitic effect. A relatively low growth temperature and a reduced reactor pressure are suggested for the effective decrease of parasitic reaction during the MOCVD growth of AlN and probably lead to a more effective incorporation of Al into the AlGaN layers. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electron transport properties of MM-HEMT with varied channel indium contents

Transport properties of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) are crucial to metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistors (MM-HEMT). We have investigated the variations of subband electron mobility and concentration versus temperature from Shubnikov-de Hass oscillations., and variable temperature Hall measurements. The results indicate that the electrical performance is the best when the In content is 0.65 in the channel for MM-HEMT. When the In content exceeds 0.65, a large lattice mismatch will cause dislocations and result in the decrease of mobility and the fall of performance in materials and devices.

Interlayer segregation in magnetic multilayers and its influence on exchange coupling

Experimental results show that the exchange coupling field (H-ex) of NiFe/FeMn for Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers is higher than that for spin-valve multilayers Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that Cu atoms segregate to the NiFe/FeMn interface for Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers. While studying Ta/X(X=Bi,Pb,Ag,In)/NiFe/FeMn multilayers, we also find that X atoms segregate to the NiFe/FeMn interface, which results in a decrease of the H-ex. However, a small amount of Bi, Pb, etc. deposited between Cu and pinned NiFe layer for Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers can increase H-ex. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

Zero-field spin splitting in In0.52Al0.48As/InxGa1-xAs metamorphic high-electron-mobility-transistor structures on GaAs substrates using Shubnikov-de Haas measurements

Shubnikov-de Haas measurements were carried out for In0.52Al0.48As/InxGa1-xAs metamorphic high-electron-mobility-transistor structures grown on GaAs substrates with different indium contents and/or different Si delta-doping concentrations. Zero-field (B-->0) spin splitting was found in samples with stronger conduction band bending in the InGaAs well. It was shown that the dominant spin splitting mechanism is attributed to the contribution by the Rashba term. We found that zero-field spin splitting not only occurs in the ground electron subband, but also in the first excited electron subband for a sample with Si delta-doping concentration of 6x10(12) cm(-2). We propose that this In0.52Al0.48As/InxGa1-xAs metamorphic high-electron-mobility-transistor structure grown on GaAs may be a promising candidate spin-polarized field-effect transistors. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.

Magnetic property and interlayer segregation in spin valve metal multilayers

The experimental results show that the exchange coupling field of NiFe/FeMn for Ta/ NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers is higher than that for the spin valve multilayers Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/ Ta. In order to find out the reason, the composition and chemical states at the surfaces of Ta(12nm)/ NiFe(7nm), Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(4nm) and Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(3nm)/NiFe(5nm) were studied using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that no elements from lower layers float out or segregate to the surface for the first and second samples. However, Cu atoms segregate to the surface of Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(3nm)/NiFe(5nm) multilayers, i.e. Cu atoms segregate to the NiFe/FeMn interface for Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers. We believe that the presence of Cu atoms at the interface of NiFe/FeMn is one of the important factors causing the exchange coupling field of Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers to be higher than that of Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/ FeMn/Ta multilayers.

Interlayer segregation of Cu atoms in Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta spin-valve multilayers and its influence on magnetic properties

Experimental results show that the exchange coupling field (H-ex) of NiFe/FeMn for Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers is higher than that for spin-valve multilayers Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta. In order to find out the reason, the composition and chemical states at the surface of Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm), Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm)/Cu(4 nm), and Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm)/Cu(3 nm)/NiFe(5 nm) were studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that no elements from lower layers float out or segregate to the surface in the first and second samples. However, Cu atoms segregate to the surface of Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm)/Cu(3 nm)/NiFe(5 nm) multilayers, i.e., Cu atoms segregate to the NiFe/FeMn interface for Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers. We believe that the presence of Cu atoms at the interface of NiFe/FeMn is one of the important factors which causes the exchange coupling field (H-ex) of Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta to be weaker than that of Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.

Interlayer segregation of Cu atoms in metal multilayers

The experimental results show that the exchange coupling field H.. of NiFe/FeMn for TalNiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers is higher than that for the spin valve multilayers Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta. The composition and chemical states at the surface of Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm), Th(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(4nm) and Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(3 nm)/NiFe(5 mn) were studied by using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that no element from the underlayers Boats out or segregates to the surface for Th(12 nm)/NiFe(7nm), Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(4 mn). However, Cu atoms segregate to the surface of Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(3nm)/NiFe(5nm) multilayers, i.e. to the NiFe/FeMn interface for Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers. We believe that the presence of Cu atoms at the interface of NiFe/FeMn is one of the important factors which will cause the exchange coupling field H.. of Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers to be higher than that of Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers.

Subband electron properties of highly doped InAlAs/InGaAs metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistors on GaAs substrates

A Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillation measurement was performed on highly doped InAlAs/InGaAs metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistors on GaAs substrates at a temperature of 1.4 K. By analyzing the experimental data using fast Fourier transform, the electron densities and mobilities of more than one subband are obtained, and an obvious double-peak structure appears at high magnetic field in the Fourier spectrum. In comparing the results of SdH measurements, Hall measurements, and theoretical calculation, we found that this double-peak structure arises from spin splitting of the first-excited subband (i=1). Very close mobilities of 5859 and 5827 cm(2)/V s are deduced from this double-peak structure. The sum of the carrier concentration of all the subbands in the quantum well is only 3.95x10(12) cm(-2) due to incomplete transfer of the electrons from the Si delta -doped layer to the well. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.

Longitudinal optic phonon-plasmon coupling in delta-doped metamorphic InAlAs/InGaAs high-electron-mobility transistor structures on GaAs substrates

InAlAs/InGaAs metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistor structures with different spacer layers on GaAs substrates are characterized by Raman measurements. The influence of In0.52Al0.48As spacer thickness on longitudinal optic phonon-plasmon coupling is investigated. It is found that the intensity of GaAs-like longitudinal optic phonon, which couples with collective intersubband transitions of two-dimensional electron gas, is strongly affected by the different subband energy spacings, subband electron concentrations, and wave function distributions, which are determined by different spacer thicknesses. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.

Photoluminescence study of InAlAs quantum dots grown on differently oriented surfaces

We reported the optical properties of self-assembled In0.55Al0.45As quantum dots grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (001) and (n11)A/B(n = 3,5)GaAs substrates. Two peaks were observed in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra from quantum dots in the (001) substrate and this suggested two sets of quantum dots different in size. For quantum dots in the high-index substrates, the PL spectra were related to the atomic-terminated surface (A or B substrate). The peaks for the B substrate surfaces were in the lower energy position than that for the (001) and A type. In addition, quantum dots in the B substrate have comparatively high quantum efficiency. These results suggested that high-index B-type substrate is more suitable for the fabrication of quantum dots than (001) and A-type substrates at the same growth condition. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(00)04701-6].

Methods to tune the electronic states of self-organized InAs/GaAs quantum dots

After capping InAs islands with a thin enough GaAs layer, growth interruption has been introduced. Ejected energy of self-organized InAs/GaAs quantum dots has been successfully tuned in a controlled manner by changing the thickness of GaAs capping layer and the time of growth interruption and InAs layer thickness. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra showing the shift of the peak position reveals the tuning of the electronic states of the QD system. Enhanced uniformity of Quantum dots is observed judging from the decrease of full width at half maximum of FL. Injection InAs/GaAs quantum dot lasers have been fabricated and performed on various frequencies. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Strain effect on the band structure of InAs/GaAs quantum dots

The strain effect on the band structure of InAs/GaAs quantum dots has been investigated. 1 mu m thick InGaAs cap layer was added onto the InAs quantum dot layer to modify the strain in the quantum dots. The exciton energies of InAs quantum dots before and after the relaxation of the cap layer were determined by photoluminescence. When the epilayer was lifted off from the substrate by etching away the sacrifice layer (AlAs) by HF solution, the energy of exciton in the quantum dots decreases due to band gap narrowing resulted from the strain relaxation. This method can be used to obtain much longer emission wavelength from InAs quantum dots.

Current self-oscillation induced by a transverse magnetic field in a doped GaAs/AlAs superlattice

We investigate the influence of a transverse magnetic field on the current-voltage characteristics of a doped GaAs/AlAs superlattice at 1.6 K. The current transport regimes-stable electric field domain formation and current selfoscillation-are observed with increasing transverse magnetic field up to 13 T. Magnetic-field-induced redistribution of electron momentum and energy is identified as the mechanism triggering the switching over of one process to another lending to a change in the dependence of the effective electron drift velocity on electric field. Simulation yields excellent agreement with observed results.