Optical NOR gate

DOEpatents

Skogen, Erik J [Albuquerque, NM; Tauke-Pedretti, Anna [Albuquerque, NM

2011-09-06

An optical NOR gate is formed from two pair of optical waveguide devices on a substrate, with each pair of the optical waveguide devices consisting of an electroabsorption modulator electrically connected in series with a waveguide photodetector. The optical NOR gate utilizes two digital optical inputs and a continuous light input to provide a NOR function digital optical output. The optical NOR gate can be formed from III-V compound semiconductor layers which are epitaxially deposited on a III-V compound semiconductor substrate, and operates at a wavelength in the range of 0.8-2.0 .mu.m.

GaAs photovoltaics and optoelectronics using releasable multilayer epitaxial assemblies.

PubMed

Yoon, Jongseung; Jo, Sungjin; Chun, Ik Su; Jung, Inhwa; Kim, Hoon-Sik; Meitl, Matthew; Menard, Etienne; Li, Xiuling; Coleman, James J; Paik, Ungyu; Rogers, John A

2010-05-20

Compound semiconductors like gallium arsenide (GaAs) provide advantages over silicon for many applications, owing to their direct bandgaps and high electron mobilities. Examples range from efficient photovoltaic devices to radio-frequency electronics and most forms of optoelectronics. However, growing large, high quality wafers of these materials, and intimately integrating them on silicon or amorphous substrates (such as glass or plastic) is expensive, which restricts their use. Here we describe materials and fabrication concepts that address many of these challenges, through the use of films of GaAs or AlGaAs grown in thick, multilayer epitaxial assemblies, then separated from each other and distributed on foreign substrates by printing. This method yields large quantities of high quality semiconductor material capable of device integration in large area formats, in a manner that also allows the wafer to be reused for additional growths. We demonstrate some capabilities of this approach with three different applications: GaAs-based metal semiconductor field effect transistors and logic gates on plates of glass, near-infrared imaging devices on wafers of silicon, and photovoltaic modules on sheets of plastic. These results illustrate the implementation of compound semiconductors such as GaAs in applications whose cost structures, formats, area coverages or modes of use are incompatible with conventional growth or integration strategies.

Methods for making thin layers of crystalline materials

DOEpatents

Lagally, Max G; Paskiewicz, Deborah M; Tanto, Boy

2013-07-23

Methods for making growth templates for the epitaxial growth of compound semiconductors and other materials are provided. The growth templates are thin layers of single-crystalline materials that are themselves grown epitaxially on a substrate that includes a thin layer of sacrificial material. The thin layer of sacrificial material, which creates a coherent strain in the single-crystalline material as it is grown thereon, includes one or more suspended sections and one or more supported sections.

Use of column V alkyls in organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ludowise, M. J.; Cooper, C. B., III

1982-01-01

The use of the column V-trialkyls trimethylarsenic (TMAs) and trimethylantimony (TMSb) for the organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OM-VPE) of III-V compound semiconductors is reviewed. A general discussion of the interaction chemistry of common Group III and Group V reactants is presented. The practical application of TMSb and TMAs for OM-VPE is demonstrated using the growth of GaSb, GaAs(1-y)Sb(y), Al(x)Ga(1-x)Sb, and Ga(1-x)In(x)As as examples.

Method of making silicon on insalator material using oxygen implantation

DOEpatents

Hite, Larry R.; Houston, Ted; Matloubian, Mishel

1989-01-01

The described embodiments of the present invention provide a semiconductor on insulator structure providing a semiconductor layer less susceptible to single event upset errors (SEU) due to radiation. The semiconductor layer is formed by implanting ions which form an insulating layer beneath the surface of a crystalline semiconductor substrate. The remaining crystalline semiconductor layer above the insulating layer provides nucleation sites for forming a crystalline semiconductor layer above the insulating layer. The damage caused by implantation of the ions for forming an insulating layer is left unannealed before formation of the semiconductor layer by epitaxial growth. The epitaxial layer, thus formed, provides superior characteristics for prevention of SEU errors, in that the carrier lifetime within the epitaxial layer, thus formed, is less than the carrier lifetime in epitaxial layers formed on annealed material while providing adequate semiconductor characteristics.

GaN/NbN epitaxial semiconductor/superconductor heterostructures.

PubMed

Yan, Rusen; Khalsa, Guru; Vishwanath, Suresh; Han, Yimo; Wright, John; Rouvimov, Sergei; Katzer, D Scott; Nepal, Neeraj; Downey, Brian P; Muller, David A; Xing, Huili G; Meyer, David J; Jena, Debdeep

2018-03-07

Epitaxy is a process by which a thin layer of one crystal is deposited in an ordered fashion onto a substrate crystal. The direct epitaxial growth of semiconductor heterostructures on top of crystalline superconductors has proved challenging. Here, however, we report the successful use of molecular beam epitaxy to grow and integrate niobium nitride (NbN)-based superconductors with the wide-bandgap family of semiconductors-silicon carbide, gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN). We apply molecular beam epitaxy to grow an AlGaN/GaN quantum-well heterostructure directly on top of an ultrathin crystalline NbN superconductor. The resulting high-mobility, two-dimensional electron gas in the semiconductor exhibits quantum oscillations, and thus enables a semiconductor transistor-an electronic gain element-to be grown and fabricated directly on a crystalline superconductor. Using the epitaxial superconductor as the source load of the transistor, we observe in the transistor output characteristics a negative differential resistance-a feature often used in amplifiers and oscillators. Our demonstration of the direct epitaxial growth of high-quality semiconductor heterostructures and devices on crystalline nitride superconductors opens up the possibility of combining the macroscopic quantum effects of superconductors with the electronic, photonic and piezoelectric properties of the group III/nitride semiconductor family.

Growth of Wide Band Gap II-VI Compound Semiconductors by Physical Vapor Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ching-Hua; Sha, Yi-Gao

1995-01-01

The studies on the crystal growth and characterization of II-VI wide band gap compound semiconductors, such as ZnTe, CdS, ZnSe and ZnS, have been conducted over the past three decades. The research was not quite as extensive as that on Si, III-V, or even narrow band gap II-VI semiconductors because of the high melting temperatures as well as the specialized applications associated with these wide band gap semiconductors. In the past several years, major advances in the thin film technology such as Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) have demonstrated the applications of these materials for the important devices such as light-emitting diode, laser and ultraviolet detectors and the tunability of energy band gap by employing ternary or even quaternary systems of these compounds. At the same time, the development in the crystal growth of bulk materials has not advanced far enough to provide low price, high quality substrates needed for the thin film growth technology.

Molecular Beam Epitaxial Regrowth of Antimonide-Based Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Molecular Beam Epitaxial Regrowth of Antimonide-Based Semiconductors MATTHEW REASON,1 BRIAN R. BENNETT,1,2 RICHARD MAGNO,1 and J. BRAD BOOS1 1...2010 to 00-00-2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Molecular Beam Epitaxial Regrowth of Antimonide-Based Semiconductors 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT...Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES The samples reported in this work were grown by solid-source molecular - beam epitaxy (MBE) with

Surface Stability and Growth Kinetics of Compound Semiconductors: An Ab Initio-Based Approach

PubMed Central

Kangawa, Yoshihiro; Akiyama, Toru; Ito, Tomonori; Shiraishi, Kenji; Nakayama, Takashi

2013-01-01

We review the surface stability and growth kinetics of III-V and III-nitride semiconductors. The theoretical approach used in these studies is based on ab initio calculations and includes gas-phase free energy. With this method, we can investigate the influence of growth conditions, such as partial pressure and temperature, on the surface stability and growth kinetics. First, we examine the feasibility of this approach by comparing calculated surface phase diagrams of GaAs(001) with experimental results. In addition, the Ga diffusion length on GaAs(001) during molecular beam epitaxy is discussed. Next, this approach is systematically applied to the reconstruction, adsorption and incorporation on various nitride semiconductor surfaces. The calculated results for nitride semiconductor surface reconstructions with polar, nonpolar, and semipolar orientations suggest that adlayer reconstructions generally appear on the polar and the semipolar surfaces. However, the stable ideal surface without adsorption is found on the nonpolar surfaces because the ideal surface satisfies the electron counting rule. Finally, the stability of hydrogen and the incorporation mechanisms of Mg and C during metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy are discussed. PMID:28811438

Bulk growth and surface characterization of epitaxy ready cadmium zinc telluride substrates for use in IR imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flint, J. P.; Martinez, B.; Betz, T. E. M.; Mackenzie, J.; Kumar, F. J.; Burgess, L.

2017-02-01

Cadmium Zinc Telluride (Cd1-xZnxTe or CZT) is a compound semiconductor substrate material that has been used for infrared detector (IR) applications for many years. CZT is a perfect substrate for the epitaxial growth of Mercury Cadmium Telluride (Hg1-xCdxTe or MCT) epitaxial layers and remains the material of choice for many high performance IR detectors and focal plane arrays that are used to detect across wide IR spectral bands. Critical to the fabrication of high performance MCT IR detectors is a high quality starting CZT substrate, this being a key determinant of epitaxial layer crystallinity, defectivity and ultimately device electro-optical performance. In this work we report on a new source of substrates suitable for IR detector applications, grown using the Travelling Heater Method (THM). This proven method of crystal growth has been used to manufacture high quality IR specification CZT substrates where industry requirements for IR transmission, dislocations, tellurium precipitates and copper impurity levels have been met. Results will be presented for the chemo-mechanical (CMP) polishing of CZT substrates using production tool sets that are identical to those that are used to produce epitaxy-ready surface finishes on related IR compound semiconductor materials such as GaSb and InSb. We will also discuss the requirements to scale CZT substrate manufacture and how with a new III-V like approach to both CZT crystal growth and substrate polishing, we can move towards a more standardized product and one that can ultimately deliver a standard round CZT substrate, as is the case for competing IR materials such as GaSb, InSb and InP.

GaN/NbN epitaxial semiconductor/superconductor heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Rusen; Khalsa, Guru; Vishwanath, Suresh; Han, Yimo; Wright, John; Rouvimov, Sergei; Katzer, D. Scott; Nepal, Neeraj; Downey, Brian P.; Muller, David A.; Xing, Huili G.; Meyer, David J.; Jena, Debdeep

2018-03-01

Epitaxy is a process by which a thin layer of one crystal is deposited in an ordered fashion onto a substrate crystal. The direct epitaxial growth of semiconductor heterostructures on top of crystalline superconductors has proved challenging. Here, however, we report the successful use of molecular beam epitaxy to grow and integrate niobium nitride (NbN)-based superconductors with the wide-bandgap family of semiconductors—silicon carbide, gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN). We apply molecular beam epitaxy to grow an AlGaN/GaN quantum-well heterostructure directly on top of an ultrathin crystalline NbN superconductor. The resulting high-mobility, two-dimensional electron gas in the semiconductor exhibits quantum oscillations, and thus enables a semiconductor transistor—an electronic gain element—to be grown and fabricated directly on a crystalline superconductor. Using the epitaxial superconductor as the source load of the transistor, we observe in the transistor output characteristics a negative differential resistance—a feature often used in amplifiers and oscillators. Our demonstration of the direct epitaxial growth of high-quality semiconductor heterostructures and devices on crystalline nitride superconductors opens up the possibility of combining the macroscopic quantum effects of superconductors with the electronic, photonic and piezoelectric properties of the group III/nitride semiconductor family.

Methods for enhancing P-type doping in III-V semiconductor films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Feng; Stringfellow, Gerald; Zhu, Junyi

2017-08-01

Methods of doping a semiconductor film are provided. The methods comprise epitaxially growing the III-V semiconductor film in the presence of a dopant, a surfactant capable of acting as an electron reservoir, and hydrogen, under conditions that promote the formation of a III-V semiconductor film doped with the p-type dopant. In some embodiments of the methods, the epitaxial growth of the doped III-V semiconductor film is initiated at a first hydrogen partial pressure which is increased to a second hydrogen partial pressure during the epitaxial growth process.

New materials and structures for photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zunger, Alex; Wagner, S.; Petroff, P. M.

1993-01-01

Despite the fact that over the years crystal chemists have discovered numerous semiconducting substances, and that modern epitaxial growth techniques are able to produce many novel atomic-scale architectures, current electronic and opto-electronic technologies are based but on a handful of ˜10 traditional semiconductor core materials. This paper surveys a number of yet-unexploited classes of semiconductors, pointing to the much-needed research in screening, growing, and characterizing promising members of these classes. In light of the unmanageably large number of a-priori possibilities, we emphasize the role that structural chemistry and modern computer-aided design must play in screening potentially important candidates. The basic classes of materials discussed here include nontraditional alloys, such as non-isovalent and heterostructural semiconductors, materials at reduced dimensionality, including superlattices, zeolite-caged nanostructures and organic semiconductors, spontaneously ordered alloys, interstitial semiconductors, filled tetrahedral structures, ordered vacancy compounds, and compounds based on d and f electron elements. A collaborative effort among material predictor, material grower, and material characterizer holds the promise for a successful identification of new and exciting systems.

Electrical properties of solid-solution SrZrxTi1-xO3 grown epitaxially on Ge by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moghadam, Reza; Ahmadi, Kamyar; Xiao, Z.-Y.; Hong, Xia; Ngai, Joseph

The epitaxial growth of crystalline oxides on semiconductors enables new functionalities to be introduced to semiconductor devices. In particular, dielectric and ferroelectric oxides grown epitaxially on semiconductors provide a pathway to realize ultra-low power logic and memory devices. Here we present electrical characterization of solid-solution SrZrxTi1-xO3 grown epitaxially on Ge through oxide molecular beam epitaxy. SrZrxTi1-xO3 is of particular interest since the band offset with respect to the semiconductor can be tuned through Zr content x. We will present current-voltage, capacitance-voltage and piezoforce microscopy characterization of SrZrxTi1-xO3 -Ge heterojunctions. In particular, we will discuss how the electrical characteristics of SrZrxTi1-xO3 -Ge heterojunctions evolve with respect to composition, annealing and film thickness.

Examination of the nature of lattice matched III V semiconductor interfaces using computer simulated molecular beam epitaxial growth I. AC/BC interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomsen, M.; Ghaisas, S. V.; Madhukar, A.

1987-07-01

A previously developed computer simulation of molecular beam epitaxial growth of III-V semiconductors based on the configuration dependent reactive incorporation (CDRI) model is extended to allow for two different cation species. Attention is focussed on examining the nature of interfaces formed in lattice matched quantum well structures of the form AC/BC/AC(100). We consider cation species with substantially different effective diffusion lengths, as is the case with Al and Ga during the growth of their respective As compounds. The degree of intermixing occuring at the interface is seen to be dependent upon, among other growth parameters, the pressure of the group V species during growth. Examination of an intraplanar order parameter at the interfaces reveals the existence of short range clustering of the cation species.

Epitaxy of semiconductor-superconductor nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krogstrup, P.; Ziino, N. L. B.; Chang, W.; Albrecht, S. M.; Madsen, M. H.; Johnson, E.; Nygård, J.; Marcus, C. M.; Jespersen, T. S.

2015-04-01

Controlling the properties of semiconductor/metal interfaces is a powerful method for designing functionality and improving the performance of electrical devices. Recently semiconductor/superconductor hybrids have appeared as an important example where the atomic scale uniformity of the interface plays a key role in determining the quality of the induced superconducting gap. Here we present epitaxial growth of semiconductor-metal core-shell nanowires by molecular beam epitaxy, a method that provides a conceptually new route to controlled electrical contacting of nanostructures and the design of devices for specialized applications such as topological and gate-controlled superconducting electronics. Our materials of choice, InAs/Al grown with epitaxially matched single-plane interfaces, and alternative semiconductor/metal combinations allowing epitaxial interface matching in nanowires are discussed. We formulate the grain growth kinetics of the metal phase in general terms of continuum parameters and bicrystal symmetries. The method realizes the ultimate limit of uniform interfaces and seems to solve the soft-gap problem in superconducting hybrid structures.

Semiconductor films on flexible iridium substrates

DOEpatents

Goyal, Amit

2005-03-29

A laminate semiconductor article includes a flexible substrate, an optional biaxially textured oxide buffer system on the flexible substrate, a biaxially textured Ir-based buffer layer on the substrate or the buffer system, and an epitaxial layer of a semiconductor. Ir can serve as a substrate with an epitaxial layer of a semiconductor thereon.

Electrically coupling complex oxides to semiconductors: A route to novel material functionalities

DOE PAGES

Ngai, J. H.; Ahmadi-Majlan, K.; Moghadam, J.; ...

2017-01-12

Complex oxides and semiconductors exhibit distinct yet complementary properties owing to their respective ionic and covalent natures. By electrically coupling complex oxides to traditional semiconductors within epitaxial heterostructures, enhanced or novel functionalities beyond those of the constituent materials can potentially be realized. Essential to electrically coupling complex oxides to semiconductors is control of the physical structure of the epitaxially grown oxide, as well as the electronic structure of the interface. In this paper, we discuss how composition of the perovskite A- and B-site cations can be manipulated to control the physical and electronic structure of semiconductor—complex oxide heterostructures. Two prototypicalmore » heterostructures, Ba 1-xSr xTiO 3/Ge and SrZr xTi 1-xO 3/Ge, will be discussed. In the case of Ba 1-xSr xTiO 3/Ge, we discuss how strain can be engineered through A-site composition to enable the re-orientable ferroelectric polarization of the former to be coupled to carriers in the semiconductor. In the case of SrZr xTi 1-xO 3/Ge we discuss how B-site composition can be exploited to control the band offset at the interface. Finally, analogous to heterojunctions between compound semiconducting materials, control of band offsets, i.e., band-gap engineering, provides a pathway to electrically couple complex oxides to semiconductors to realize a host of functionalities.« less

Electrically coupling complex oxides to semiconductors: A route to novel material functionalities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ngai, J. H.; Ahmadi-Majlan, K.; Moghadam, J.

Complex oxides and semiconductors exhibit distinct yet complementary properties owing to their respective ionic and covalent natures. By electrically coupling complex oxides to traditional semiconductors within epitaxial heterostructures, enhanced or novel functionalities beyond those of the constituent materials can potentially be realized. Essential to electrically coupling complex oxides to semiconductors is control of the physical structure of the epitaxially grown oxide, as well as the electronic structure of the interface. In this paper, we discuss how composition of the perovskite A- and B-site cations can be manipulated to control the physical and electronic structure of semiconductor—complex oxide heterostructures. Two prototypicalmore » heterostructures, Ba 1-xSr xTiO 3/Ge and SrZr xTi 1-xO 3/Ge, will be discussed. In the case of Ba 1-xSr xTiO 3/Ge, we discuss how strain can be engineered through A-site composition to enable the re-orientable ferroelectric polarization of the former to be coupled to carriers in the semiconductor. In the case of SrZr xTi 1-xO 3/Ge we discuss how B-site composition can be exploited to control the band offset at the interface. Finally, analogous to heterojunctions between compound semiconducting materials, control of band offsets, i.e., band-gap engineering, provides a pathway to electrically couple complex oxides to semiconductors to realize a host of functionalities.« less

Methods of producing free-standing semiconductors using sacrificial buffer layers and recyclable substrates

DOEpatents

Ptak, Aaron Joseph; Lin, Yong; Norman, Andrew; Alberi, Kirstin

2015-05-26

A method of producing semiconductor materials and devices that incorporate the semiconductor materials are provided. In particular, a method is provided of producing a semiconductor material, such as a III-V semiconductor, on a spinel substrate using a sacrificial buffer layer, and devices such as photovoltaic cells that incorporate the semiconductor materials. The sacrificial buffer material and semiconductor materials may be deposited using lattice-matching epitaxy or coincident site lattice-matching epitaxy, resulting in a close degree of lattice matching between the substrate material and deposited material for a wide variety of material compositions. The sacrificial buffer layer may be dissolved using an epitaxial liftoff technique in order to separate the semiconductor device from the spinel substrate, and the spinel substrate may be reused in the subsequent fabrication of other semiconductor devices. The low-defect density semiconductor materials produced using this method result in the enhanced performance of the semiconductor devices that incorporate the semiconductor materials.

Passivation of Si solar cells by hetero-epitaxial compound semiconductor coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vernon, S. M.; Spitzer, M. B.; Keavney, C. J.; Haven, V. E.; Sekula, P. A.

1986-01-01

A development status evaluation is made for high efficiency Si solar cells, with emphasis on the suppression of the deleterious effects of surface recombination. ZnS(0.9)Se(0.1) and GaP are identified as candidates for the reduction of surface recombination. Attention is given to methods developed for the deposition of heteroepitaxial compounds designed to block minority carrier transport to the Si solar cell surface without interfering with the majority carrier flow.

Method for the preparation of inorganic single crystal and polycrystalline electronic materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Groves, W. O. (Inventor)

1969-01-01

Large area, semiconductor crystals selected from group 3-5 compounds and alloys are provided for semiconductor device fabrication by the use of a selective etching operation which completely removes the substrate on which the desired crystal was deposited. The substrate, selected from the same group as the single crystal, has a higher solution rate than the epitaxial single crystal which is essentially unaffected by the etching solution. The preparation of gallium phosphide single crystals using a gallium arsenide substrate and a concentrated nitric acid etching solution is described.

Phase-Locked Semiconductor Quantum Well Laser Arrays.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-03-01

heated monocrystalline substrate. 149 APPENDIX B. A TECHNOLOGICAL APPENDIX 150 The general topic of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of compound semi...APPENDIX B. A TECHNOLOGICAL APPENDIX 151 - MONOCRYSTALLINE GaAs SUBSTRATE MOLECULAR / BEAMS...for 30 minutes at 300 C. During this time, the growth chamber cryo- panel is cooled with liquid nitrogen and the sources in the effusion cells are

Material growth and characterization for solid state devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collis, Ward J.; Abul-Fadl, Ali; Iyer, Shanthi

1988-01-01

During the period of this research grant, the process of liquid phase electroepitaxy (LPEE) was used to grow ternary and quaternary alloy III-V semiconductor thin films. Selective area growth of InGaAs was performed on InP substrates using a patterned sputtered quartz or spin-on glass layer. The etch back and growth characteristics with respect to substrate orientation were investigated. The etch back behavior is somewhat different from wet chemical etching with respect to the sidewall profiles which are observed. LPEE was also employed to grow epitaxial layers of InGaAsP alloys on InP substrates. The behavior of Mn as an acceptor dopant was investigated with low temperature Hall coefficient and photoluminescence measurements. A metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy system was partially complete within the grant period. This atmospheric pressure system will be used to deposit III-V compound and alloy semiconductor layers in future research efforts.

Electrochemical Atomic Layer Epitaxy of Thin Film CdSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, L.; Kaleida, K.; Happek, U.; Mathe, M. K.; Vaidyanathan, R.; Stickney, J. L.; Radevic, M.

2002-10-01

Electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy (EC-ALE) is a current developmental technique for the fabrication of compound semiconductor thin films. The deposition of elements making up the compound utilizes surface limited reactions where the potential is less than that required for bulk growth. This growth method offers mono-atomic layer control, allowing the deposition of superlattices with sharp interfaces. Here we report on the EC-ALE formation of CdSe thin films on Au and Cu substrates using an automated flow cell system. The band gap was measured using IR absorption and photoconductivity and found to be consistent with the literature value of 1.74 eV at 300K and 1.85 eV at 20K. The stoichiometry of the thin film was confirmed with electron microprobe analysis and x-ray diffraction.

Back-side readout semiconductor photomultiplier

DOEpatents

Choong, Woon-Seng; Holland, Stephen E

2014-05-20

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to semiconductor photomultipliers. In one aspect, a device includes a p-type semiconductor substrate, the p-type semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side, the first side of the p-type semiconductor substrate defining a recess, and the second side of the p-type semiconductor substrate being doped with n-type ions. A conductive material is disposed in the recess. A p-type epitaxial layer is disposed on the second side of the p-type semiconductor substrate. The p-type epitaxial layer includes a first region proximate the p-type semiconductor substrate, the first region being implanted with p-type ions at a higher doping level than the p-type epitaxial layer, and a second region disposed on the first region, the second region being doped with p-type ions at a higher doping level than the first region.

Environment, health and safety issues for sources used in MOVPE growth of compound semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shenai-Khatkhate, Deodatta V.; Goyette, Randall J.; DiCarlo, Ronald L., Jr.; Dripps, Gregory

2004-12-01

As metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) is becoming well-established production technology, there are equally growing concerns associated with its bearing on personnel and community safety, environmental impact and maximum quantities of hazardous materials permissible in the device fabrication operations. Safety as well as responsible environmental care has always been of paramount importance in the MOVPE-based crystal growth of compound semiconductors. In this paper, we present the findings from workplace exposure monitoring studies on conventional MOVPE sources such as trimethylgallium, triethylgallium, trimethylantimony and diethylzinc. Also reviewed are the environmental, health and safety hazard aspects for metalorganic sources of routine elements, and the means to minimize the risks (i.e., engineering controls) involved while using these MOVPE sources.

Vapor phase growth technique of III-V compounds utilizing a preheating step

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Gregory Hammond (Inventor); Zamerowski, Thomas Joseph (Inventor); Buiocchi, Charles Joseph (Inventor)

1978-01-01

In the vapor phase epitaxy fabrication of semiconductor devices and in particular semiconductor lasers, the deposition body on which a particular layer of the laser is to be grown is preheated to a temperature about 40.degree. to 60.degree. C. lower than the temperature at which deposition occurs. It has been discovered that by preheating at this lower temperature there is reduced thermal decomposition at the deposition surface, especially for semiconductor materials such as indium gallium phosphide and gallium arsenide phosphide. A reduction in thermal decomposition reduces imperfections in the deposition body in the vicinity of the deposition surface, thereby providing a device with higher efficiency and longer lifetime.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Usanov, D. A., E-mail: UsanovDA@info.sgu.ru; Nikitov, S. A.; Skripal, A. V.

A method is proposed for the measurement of the electrophysical characteristics of semiconductor structures: the electrical conductivity of the n layer, which plays the role of substrate for a semiconductor structure, and the thickness and electrical conductivity of the strongly doped epitaxial n{sup +} layer. The method is based on the use of a one-dimensional microwave photonic crystal with a violation of periodicity containing the semiconductor structure under investigation. The characteristics of epitaxial gallium-arsenide structures consisting of an epitaxial layer and the semi-insulating substrate measured by this method are presented.

Process Challenges in Compound Semiconductors.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

dielectric films , and metallization. It became evident during this examination that a major obstacle to the affordable, high-yield manufacture of...in surrounding regions. In both of the structures shown, the curvature of the layers is the characteristic solidification from solution in LPE ...pseudomorphic epitaxial growth is possible only with very thin films in which the structure is strained to match the lattice parameter of the

Precise, Self-Limited Epitaxy of Ultrathin Organic Semiconductors and Heterojunctions Tailored by van der Waals Interactions.

PubMed

Wu, Bing; Zhao, Yinghe; Nan, Haiyan; Yang, Ziyi; Zhang, Yuhan; Zhao, Huijuan; He, Daowei; Jiang, Zonglin; Liu, Xiaolong; Li, Yun; Shi, Yi; Ni, Zhenhua; Wang, Jinlan; Xu, Jian-Bin; Wang, Xinran

2016-06-08

Precise assembly of semiconductor heterojunctions is the key to realize many optoelectronic devices. By exploiting the strong and tunable van der Waals (vdW) forces between graphene and organic small molecules, we demonstrate layer-by-layer epitaxy of ultrathin organic semiconductors and heterostructures with unprecedented precision with well-defined number of layers and self-limited characteristics. We further demonstrate organic p-n heterojunctions with molecularly flat interface, which exhibit excellent rectifying behavior and photovoltaic responses. The self-limited organic molecular beam epitaxy (SLOMBE) is generically applicable for many layered small-molecule semiconductors and may lead to advanced organic optoelectronic devices beyond bulk heterojunctions.

Magnetic properties of low-moment ferrimagnetic Heusler Cr2CoGa thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamer, Michelle E.; Sterbinsky, George E.; Stephen, Gregory M.; DeCapua, Matthew C.; Player, Gabriel; Heiman, Don

2016-10-01

Recently, theorists have predicted many materials with a low magnetic moment and large spin-polarization for spintronic applications. These compounds are predicted to form in the inverse Heusler structure; however, many of these compounds have been found to phase segregate. In this study, ordered Cr2CoGa thin films were synthesized without phase segregation using molecular beam epitaxy. The present as-grown films exhibit a low magnetic moment from antiferromagnetically coupled Cr and Co atoms as measured with superconducting quantum interface device magnetometry and soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Electrical measurements demonstrated a thermally-activated semiconductor-like resistivity component with an activation energy of 87 meV. These results confirm spin gapless semiconducting behavior, which makes these thin films well positioned for future devices.

Magnetic properties of low-moment ferrimagnetic Heusler Cr 2CoGa thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

DOE PAGES

Jamer, Michelle E.; Sterbinsky, George E.; Stephen, Gregory M.; ...

2016-10-31

Recently, theorists have predicted many materials with a low magnetic moment and large spin-polarization for spintronic applications. These compounds are predicted to form in the inverse Heusler structure; however, many of these compounds have been found to phase segregate. In this study, ordered Cr 2CoGa thin films were synthesized without phase segregation using molecular beam epitaxy. The present as-grown films exhibit a low magnetic moment from antiferromagnetically coupled Cr and Co atoms as measured with superconducting quantum interface device magnetometry and soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Electrical measurements demonstrated a thermally-activated semiconductor-like resistivity component with an activation energy of 87more » meV. Finally, these results confirm spin gapless semiconducting behavior, which makes these thin films well positioned for future devices.« less

Epitaxial Growth of Cubic Crystalline Semiconductor Alloys on Basal Plane of Trigonal or Hexagonal Crystal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Choi, Sang H. (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Hetero-epitaxial semiconductor materials comprising cubic crystalline semiconductor alloys grown on the basal plane of trigonal and hexagonal substrates, in which misfit dislocations are reduced by approximate lattice matching of the cubic crystal structure to underlying trigonal or hexagonal substrate structure, enabling the development of alloyed semiconductor layers of greater thickness, resulting in a new class of semiconductor materials and corresponding devices, including improved hetero-bipolar and high-electron mobility transistors, and high-mobility thermoelectric devices.

Optical NAND gate

DOEpatents

Skogen, Erik J [Albuquerque, NM; Raring, James [Goleta, CA; Tauke-Pedretti, Anna [Albuquerque, NM

2011-08-09

An optical NAND gate is formed from two pair of optical waveguide devices on a substrate, with each pair of the optical waveguide devices consisting of an electroabsorption modulator and a photodetector. One pair of the optical waveguide devices is electrically connected in parallel to operate as an optical AND gate; and the other pair of the optical waveguide devices is connected in series to operate as an optical NOT gate (i.e. an optical inverter). The optical NAND gate utilizes two digital optical inputs and a continuous light input to provide a NAND function output. The optical NAND gate can be formed from III-V compound semiconductor layers which are epitaxially deposited on a III-V compound semiconductor substrate, and operates at a wavelength in the range of 0.8-2.0 .mu.m.

Investigation of the asymmetric misfit dislocation morphology in epitaxial layers with the zinc-blende structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, Bradley A.; Jesser, William A.

1990-01-01

The source of the asymmetry in the dislocation morphology exhibited in the epitaxial growth of compound semiconductors on (100) was investigated. A thickness wedge of p- and n-type GaAs(0.95)P(0.05) was grown on GaAs by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, and the effect of misorientation on the resolved shear stress for each slip system was calculated and eliminated as the source of the asymmetry. Another potential source of asymmetry, the thickness gradient, was also eliminated. Results show that the substrate misorientation and the thickness gradient do not significantly contribute to the asymmetry and that the dominant contributor to the asymmetry of misfit dislocations in the (001) epitaxial interface can be attributed to the differences in the Peierls barriers between the two types of dilocations in GaAsP/GaAs.

Suppression of planar defects in the molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs/ErAs/GaAs heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crook, Adam M.; Nair, Hari P.; Ferrer, Domingo A.; Bank, Seth R.

2011-08-01

We present a growth method that overcomes the mismatch in rotational symmetry of ErAs and conventional III-V semiconductors, allowing for epitaxially integrated semimetal/semiconductor heterostructures. Transmission electron microscopy and reflection high-energy electron diffraction reveal defect-free overgrowth of ErAs layers, consisting of >2× the total amount of ErAs that can be embedded with conventional layer-by-layer growth methods. We utilize epitaxial ErAs nanoparticles, overgrown with GaAs, as a seed to grow full films of ErAs. Growth proceeds by diffusion of erbium atoms through the GaAs spacer, which remains registered to the underlying substrate, preventing planar defect formation during subsequent GaAs growth. This growth method is promising for metal/semiconductor heterostructures that serve as embedded Ohmic contacts to epitaxial layers and epitaxially integrated active plasmonic devices.

Direct growth of single-crystalline III–V semiconductors on amorphous substrates

DOE PAGES

Chen, Kevin; Kapadia, Rehan; Harker, Audrey; ...

2016-01-27

The III–V compound semiconductors exhibit superb electronic and optoelectronic properties. Traditionally, closely lattice-matched epitaxial substrates have been required for the growth of high-quality single-crystal III–V thin films and patterned microstructures. To remove this materials constraint, here we introduce a growth mode that enables direct writing of single-crystalline III–V’s on amorphous substrates, thus further expanding their utility for various applications. The process utilizes templated liquid-phase crystal growth that results in user-tunable, patterned micro and nanostructures of single-crystalline III–V’s of up to tens of micrometres in lateral dimensions. InP is chosen as a model material system owing to its technological importance. Themore » patterned InP single crystals are configured as high-performance transistors and photodetectors directly on amorphous SiO 2 growth substrates, with performance matching state-of-the-art epitaxially grown devices. In conclusion, the work presents an important advance towards universal integration of III–V’s on application-specific substrates by direct growth.« less

Direct growth of single-crystalline III–V semiconductors on amorphous substrates

PubMed Central

Chen, Kevin; Kapadia, Rehan; Harker, Audrey; Desai, Sujay; Seuk Kang, Jeong; Chuang, Steven; Tosun, Mahmut; Sutter-Fella, Carolin M.; Tsang, Michael; Zeng, Yuping; Kiriya, Daisuke; Hazra, Jubin; Madhvapathy, Surabhi Rao; Hettick, Mark; Chen, Yu-Ze; Mastandrea, James; Amani, Matin; Cabrini, Stefano; Chueh, Yu-Lun; Ager III, Joel W.; Chrzan, Daryl C.; Javey, Ali

2016-01-01

The III–V compound semiconductors exhibit superb electronic and optoelectronic properties. Traditionally, closely lattice-matched epitaxial substrates have been required for the growth of high-quality single-crystal III–V thin films and patterned microstructures. To remove this materials constraint, here we introduce a growth mode that enables direct writing of single-crystalline III–V's on amorphous substrates, thus further expanding their utility for various applications. The process utilizes templated liquid-phase crystal growth that results in user-tunable, patterned micro and nanostructures of single-crystalline III–V's of up to tens of micrometres in lateral dimensions. InP is chosen as a model material system owing to its technological importance. The patterned InP single crystals are configured as high-performance transistors and photodetectors directly on amorphous SiO2 growth substrates, with performance matching state-of-the-art epitaxially grown devices. The work presents an important advance towards universal integration of III–V's on application-specific substrates by direct growth. PMID:26813257

Conductive layer for biaxially oriented semiconductor film growth

DOEpatents

Findikoglu, Alp T.; Matias, Vladimir

2007-10-30

A conductive layer for biaxially oriented semiconductor film growth and a thin film semiconductor structure such as, for example, a photodetector, a photovoltaic cell, or a light emitting diode (LED) that includes a crystallographically oriented semiconducting film disposed on the conductive layer. The thin film semiconductor structure includes: a substrate; a first electrode deposited on the substrate; and a semiconducting layer epitaxially deposited on the first electrode. The first electrode includes a template layer deposited on the substrate and a buffer layer epitaxially deposited on the template layer. The template layer includes a first metal nitride that is electrically conductive and has a rock salt crystal structure, and the buffer layer includes a second metal nitride that is electrically conductive. The semiconducting layer is epitaxially deposited on the buffer layer. A method of making such a thin film semiconductor structure is also described.

Method of transferring a thin crystalline semiconductor layer

DOEpatents

Nastasi, Michael A [Sante Fe, NM; Shao, Lin [Los Alamos, NM; Theodore, N David [Mesa, AZ

2006-12-26

A method for transferring a thin semiconductor layer from one substrate to another substrate involves depositing a thin epitaxial monocrystalline semiconductor layer on a substrate having surface contaminants. An interface that includes the contaminants is formed in between the deposited layer and the substrate. Hydrogen atoms are introduced into the structure and allowed to diffuse to the interface. Afterward, the thin semiconductor layer is bonded to a second substrate and the thin layer is separated away at the interface, which results in transferring the thin epitaxial semiconductor layer from one substrate to the other substrate.

Surface stability and the selection rules of substrate orientation for optimal growth of epitaxial II-VI semiconductors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yin, Wan-Jian; Department of Physics & Astronomy, and Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization, The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606; Yang, Ji-Hui

2015-10-05

The surface structures of ionic zinc-blende CdTe (001), (110), (111), and (211) surfaces are systematically studied by first-principles density functional calculations. Based on the surface structures and surface energies, we identify the detrimental twinning appearing in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of II-VI compounds as the (111) lamellar twin boundaries. To avoid the appearance of twinning in MBE growth, we propose the following selection rules for choosing optimal substrate orientations: (1) the surface should be nonpolar so that there is no large surface reconstructions that could act as a nucleation center and promote the formation of twins; (2) the surfacemore » structure should have low symmetry so that there are no multiple equivalent directions for growth. These straightforward rules, in consistent with experimental observations, provide guidelines for selecting proper substrates for high-quality MBE growth of II-VI compounds.« less

Alternative group V precursors for CVD applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lum, R. M.; Klingert, J. K.

1991-01-01

The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques used to grow III/V semiconductors films, such as metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE), hydride VPE, chemical beam epitaxy (CBE) and gas source molecular beam epitaxy (GS-MBE), all use hydrides (AsH 3 and PH 3) as the Group V source. However, the hydrides are extremely toxic gases which are stored under high pressure (200-2000 psi). To reduce the safety hazards associated with these gases, alternative Group V precursors have been investigated. Organoarsenic and phosphorous compounds have received the most attention as replacements for AsH 3 and PH 3 because they are typically low vapor pressure liquids, and thus present significantly lower exposure risks than the hydrides. For AsH 3 these have included the methyl, ethyl and butyl-based derivatives RnAsH 3- n, with varying degrees ( n = 1-3) of hydrogen atom substitution. In this paper the growth properties, thermochemistry and toxicity of the various alkylarsine precursors are compared with arsine. Data are presented on the impact of the thermochemistry of these compounds on film electrical properties, and on the effects of precursor composition and purity on overall film quality. The suitability of alternative As-precursors for device applications is demonstrated, and selection criteria are presented for the most effective alkylarsine compound for a particular CVD growth process.

Large-area, laterally-grown epitaxial semiconductor layers

DOEpatents

Han, Jung; Song, Jie; Chen, Danti

2017-07-18

Structures and methods for confined lateral-guided growth of a large-area semiconductor layer on an insulating layer are described. The semiconductor layer may be formed by heteroepitaxial growth from a selective growth area in a vertically-confined, lateral-growth guiding structure. Lateral-growth guiding structures may be formed in arrays over a region of a substrate, so as to cover a majority of the substrate region with laterally-grown epitaxial semiconductor tiles. Quality regions of low-defect, stress-free GaN may be grown on silicon.

Impurity and Defect Characterization in Epitaxial GaAs, InP and the Ternary and Quaternary Compound Semiconductors.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-02

Wolfe, Phys. Rev. Lett. 27, 988 (1971). 5. H.R. Fetterman , D.M. Larsen, G.E. Stillman, P.E. Tannenwald, and J. Waldman, Phys.Rev. Lett. 26. 975(1971). 6...Kirkman, P.E. Simmonds, and R.A. Stradling, J. Phys. C., Solid State Phys. 8, 530 (1975). 18. H.R. Fetterman , J. Waldman and C.M. Wolfe, Solid State Commun

Methods for improved growth of group III nitride semiconductor compounds

DOEpatents

Melnik, Yuriy; Chen, Lu; Kojiri, Hidehiro

2015-03-17

Methods are disclosed for growing group III-nitride semiconductor compounds with advanced buffer layer technique. In an embodiment, a method includes providing a suitable substrate in a processing chamber of a hydride vapor phase epitaxy processing system. The method includes forming an AlN buffer layer by flowing an ammonia gas into a growth zone of the processing chamber, flowing an aluminum halide containing precursor to the growth zone and at the same time flowing additional hydrogen halide or halogen gas into the growth zone of the processing chamber. The additional hydrogen halide or halogen gas that is flowed into the growth zone during buffer layer deposition suppresses homogeneous AlN particle formation. The hydrogen halide or halogen gas may continue flowing for a time period while the flow of the aluminum halide containing precursor is turned off.

A review of molecular beam epitaxy of ferroelectric BaTiO3 films on Si, Ge and GaAs substrates and their applications

PubMed Central

Mazet, Lucie; Yang, Sang Mo; Kalinin, Sergei V; Schamm-Chardon, Sylvie; Dubourdieu, Catherine

2015-01-01

SrTiO3 epitaxial growth by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on silicon has opened up the route to the monolithic integration of various complex oxides on the complementary metal-oxide–semiconductor silicon platform. Among functional oxides, ferroelectric perovskite oxides offer promising perspectives to improve or add functionalities on-chip. We review the growth by MBE of the ferroelectric compound BaTiO3 on silicon (Si), germanium (Ge) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) and we discuss the film properties in terms of crystalline structure, microstructure and ferroelectricity. Finally, we review the last developments in two areas of interest for the applications of BaTiO3 films on silicon, namely integrated photonics, which benefits from the large Pockels effect of BaTiO3, and low power logic devices, which may benefit from the negative capacitance of the ferroelectric. PMID:27877816

Twenty years of molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, A. Y.

1995-05-01

The term "molecular beam epitaxy" (MBE) was first used in one of our crystal growth papers in 1970, after having conducted extensive surface physics studies in the late 1960's of the interaction of atomic and molecular beams with solid surfaces. The unique feature of MBE is the ability to prepare single crystal layers with atomic dimensional precision. MBE sets the standard for epitaxial growth and has made possible semiconductor structures that could not be fabricated with either naturally existing materials or by other crystal growth techniques. MBE led the crystal growth technologies when it prepared the first semiconductor quantum well and superlattice structures that gave unexpected and exciting electrical and optical properties. For example, the discovery of the fractional quantized Hall effect. It brought experimental quantum physics to the classroom, and practically all major universities throughout the world are now equipped with MBE systems. The fundamental principles demonstrated by the MBE growth of III-V compound semiconductors have also been applied to the growth of group IV, II-VI, metal, and insulating materials. For manufacturing, the most important criteria are uniformity, precise control of the device structure, and reproducibility. MBE has produced more lasers (3 to 5 million per month for compact disc application) than any other crystal growth technique in the world. New directions for MBE are to incorporate in-situ, real-time monitoring capabilities so that complex structures can be precisely "engineered". In the future, as environmental concerns increase, the use of toxic arsine and phosphine may be limited. Successful use of valved cracker cells for solid arsenic and phosphorus has already produced InP based injection lasers.

MOVPE Growth of LWIR AlInAs/GaInAs/InP Quantum Cascade Lasers: Impact of Growth and Material Quality on Laser Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-01

MOVPE Growth of LWIR AlInAs/GaInAs/InP Quantum Cascade Lasers: Impact of Growth and Material Quality on Laser Performance (Invited paper) Christine A...epitaxial layers in quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) has a primary impact on QCL operation, and establishing correlations between epitaxial growth and materials...QCLs emitting in this range. Index terms – Quantum cascade lasers, semiconductor growth, semiconductor epitaxial layers, infrared emitters. I

760 nm high-performance VCSEL growth and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinaldi, Fernando; Ostermann, Johannes M.; Kroner, Andrea; Riedl, Michael C.; Michalzik, Rainer

2006-04-01

High-performance vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with an emission wavelength of approximately 764 nm are demonstrated. This wavelength is very attractive for oxygen sensing. Low threshold currents, high optical output power, single-mode operation, and stable polarization are obtained. Using the surface relief technique and in particular the grating relief technique, we have increased the single-mode output power to more than 2.5mW averaged over a large device quantity. The laser structure was grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on GaAs (100)-oriented substrates. The devices are entirely based on the AlGaAs mixed compound semiconductor material system. The growth process, the investigations of the epitaxial material together with the device fabrication and characterization are discussed in detail.

Ferroelectricity in epitaxial Y-doped HfO2 thin film integrated on Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, K.; Lee, T. Y.; Yang, S. M.; Lee, D. H.; Park, J.; Chae, S. C.

2018-05-01

We report on the ferroelectricity of a Y-doped HfO2 thin film epitaxially grown on Si substrate, with an yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layer pre-deposited on the substrate. Piezoresponse force microscopy results show the ferroelectric domain pattern, implying the existence of ferroelectricity in the epitaxial HfO2 film. The epitaxially stabilized HfO2 film in the form of a metal-ferroelectric-insulator-semiconductor structure exhibits ferroelectric hysteresis with a clear ferroelectric switching current in polarization-voltage measurements. The HfO2 thin film also demonstrates ferroelectric retention comparable to that of current perovskite-based metal-ferroelectric-insulator-semiconductor structures.

Multi-spectral imaging with infrared sensitive organic light emitting diode

PubMed Central

Kim, Do Young; Lai, Tzung-Han; Lee, Jae Woong; Manders, Jesse R.; So, Franky

2014-01-01

Commercially available near-infrared (IR) imagers are fabricated by integrating expensive epitaxial grown III-V compound semiconductor sensors with Si-based readout integrated circuits (ROIC) by indium bump bonding which significantly increases the fabrication costs of these image sensors. Furthermore, these typical III-V compound semiconductors are not sensitive to the visible region and thus cannot be used for multi-spectral (visible to near-IR) sensing. Here, a low cost infrared (IR) imaging camera is demonstrated with a commercially available digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera and an IR sensitive organic light emitting diode (IR-OLED). With an IR-OLED, IR images at a wavelength of 1.2 µm are directly converted to visible images which are then recorded in a Si-CMOS DSLR camera. This multi-spectral imaging system is capable of capturing images at wavelengths in the near-infrared as well as visible regions. PMID:25091589

Multi-spectral imaging with infrared sensitive organic light emitting diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Do Young; Lai, Tzung-Han; Lee, Jae Woong; Manders, Jesse R.; So, Franky

2014-08-01

Commercially available near-infrared (IR) imagers are fabricated by integrating expensive epitaxial grown III-V compound semiconductor sensors with Si-based readout integrated circuits (ROIC) by indium bump bonding which significantly increases the fabrication costs of these image sensors. Furthermore, these typical III-V compound semiconductors are not sensitive to the visible region and thus cannot be used for multi-spectral (visible to near-IR) sensing. Here, a low cost infrared (IR) imaging camera is demonstrated with a commercially available digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera and an IR sensitive organic light emitting diode (IR-OLED). With an IR-OLED, IR images at a wavelength of 1.2 µm are directly converted to visible images which are then recorded in a Si-CMOS DSLR camera. This multi-spectral imaging system is capable of capturing images at wavelengths in the near-infrared as well as visible regions.

Epitaxial growth of GaSb on V-grooved Si (001) substrates with an ultrathin GaAs stress relaxing layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qiang; Lai, Billy; Lau, Kei May

2017-10-01

We report epitaxial growth of GaSb nano-ridge structures and planar thin films on V-groove patterned Si (001) substrates by leveraging the aspect ratio trapping technique. GaSb was deposited on {111} Si facets of the V-shaped trenches using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition with a 7 nm GaAs growth initiation layer. Transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals the critical role of the GaAs layer in providing a U-shaped surface for subsequent GaSb epitaxy. A network of misfit dislocations was uncovered at the GaSb/GaAs hetero-interface. We studied the evolution of the lattice relaxation as the growth progresses from closely pitched GaSb ridges to coalesced thin films using x-ray diffraction. The omega rocking curve full-width-at-half-maximum of the resultant GaSb thin film is among the lowest values reported by molecular beam epitaxy, substantiating the effectiveness of the defect necking mechanism. These results thus present promising opportunities for the heterogeneous integration of devices based on 6.1 Å family compound semiconductors.

An Ultrathin Single Crystalline Relaxor Ferroelectric Integrated on a High Mobility Semiconductor.

PubMed

Moghadam, Reza M; Xiao, Zhiyong; Ahmadi-Majlan, Kamyar; Grimley, Everett D; Bowden, Mark; Ong, Phuong-Vu; Chambers, Scott A; Lebeau, James M; Hong, Xia; Sushko, Peter V; Ngai, Joseph H

2017-10-11

The epitaxial growth of multifunctional oxides on semiconductors has opened a pathway to introduce new functionalities to semiconductor device technologies. In particular, the integration of gate materials that enable nonvolatile or hysteretic functionality in field-effect transistors could lead to device technologies that consume less power or allow for novel modalities in computing. Here we present electrical characterization of ultrathin single crystalline SrZr x Ti 1-x O 3 (x = 0.7) films epitaxially grown on a high mobility semiconductor, Ge. Epitaxial films of SrZr x Ti 1-x O 3 exhibit relaxor behavior, characterized by a hysteretic polarization that can modulate the surface potential of Ge. We find that gate layers as thin as 5 nm corresponding to an equivalent-oxide thickness of just 1.0 nm exhibit a ∼2 V hysteretic window in the capacitance-voltage characteristics. The development of hysteretic metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with nanoscale gate thicknesses opens new vistas for nanoelectronic devices.

Vertical III-V nanowire device integration on Si(100).

PubMed

Borg, Mattias; Schmid, Heinz; Moselund, Kirsten E; Signorello, Giorgio; Gignac, Lynne; Bruley, John; Breslin, Chris; Das Kanungo, Pratyush; Werner, Peter; Riel, Heike

2014-01-01

We report complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible integration of compound semiconductors on Si substrates. InAs and GaAs nanowires are selectively grown in vertical SiO2 nanotube templates fabricated on Si substrates of varying crystallographic orientations, including nanocrystalline Si. The nanowires investigated are epitaxially grown, single-crystalline, free from threading dislocations, and with an orientation and dimension directly given by the shape of the template. GaAs nanowires exhibit stable photoluminescence at room temperature, with a higher measured intensity when still surrounded by the template. Si-InAs heterojunction nanowire tunnel diodes were fabricated on Si(100) and are electrically characterized. The results indicate a high uniformity and scalability in the fabrication process.

Coincident site lattice-matched growth of semiconductors on substrates using compliant buffer layers

DOEpatents

Norman, Andrew

2016-08-23

A method of producing semiconductor materials and devices that incorporate the semiconductor materials are provided. In particular, a method is provided of producing a semiconductor material, such as a III-V semiconductor, on a silicon substrate using a compliant buffer layer, and devices such as photovoltaic cells that incorporate the semiconductor materials. The compliant buffer material and semiconductor materials may be deposited using coincident site lattice-matching epitaxy, resulting in a close degree of lattice matching between the substrate material and deposited material for a wide variety of material compositions. The coincident site lattice matching epitaxial process, as well as the use of a ductile buffer material, reduce the internal stresses and associated crystal defects within the deposited semiconductor materials fabricated using the disclosed method. As a result, the semiconductor devices provided herein possess enhanced performance characteristics due to a relatively low density of crystal defects.

Primary research efforts on exploring the commercial possibilities of thin film growth and materials purification in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The progress made on research programs in the 1987 to 1988 year is reported. The research is aimed at producing thin film semiconductors and superconductor materials in space. Sophisticated vacuum chambers and equipment were attained for the epitaxial thin film growth of semiconductors, metals and superconductors. In order to grow the best possible epitaxial films at the lowest possible temperatures on earth, materials are being isoelectronically doped during growth. It was found that isoelectrically doped film shows the highest mobility in comparison with films grown at optimal temperatures. Success was also attained in growing epitaxial films of InSb on sapphire which show promise for infrared sensitive devices in the III-V semiconductor system.

A review of molecular beam epitaxy of ferroelectric BaTiO 3 films on Si, Ge and GaAs substrates and their applications

DOE PAGES

Mazet, Lucie; Yang, Sang Mo; Kalinin, Sergei V.; ...

2015-06-30

SrTiO 3 epitaxial growth by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on silicon has opened up the route to the monolithic integration of various complex oxides on the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor silicon platform. Among functional oxides, ferroelectric perovskite oxides offer promising perspectives to improve or add functionalities on-chip. We review the growth by MBE of the ferroelectric compound BaTiO 3 on silicon (Si), germanium (Ge) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) and we discuss the film properties in terms of crystalline structure, microstructure and ferroelectricity. Lastly, we review the last developments in two areas of interest for the applications of BaTiO 3 films on silicon,more » namely integrated photonics, which benefits from the large Pockels effect of BaTiO 3, and low power logic devices, which may benefit from the negative capacitance of the ferroelectric.« less

Reducing dislocations in semiconductors utilizing repeated thermal cycling during multistage epitaxial growth

DOEpatents

Fan, John C. C.; Tsaur, Bor-Yeu; Gale, Ronald P.; Davis, Frances M.

1992-02-25

Dislocation densities are reduced in growing semiconductors from the vapor phase by employing a technique of interrupting growth, cooling the layer so far deposited, and then repeating the process until a high quality active top layer is achieved. The method of interrupted growth, coupled with thermal cycling, permits dislocations to be trapped in the initial stages of epitaxial growth.

Reducing dislocations in semiconductors utilizing repeated thermal cycling during multistage epitaxial growth

DOEpatents

Fan, John C. C.; Tsaur, Bor-Yeu; Gale, Ronald P.; Davis, Frances M.

1986-12-30

Dislocation densities are reduced in growing semiconductors from the vapor phase by employing a technique of interrupting growth, cooling the layer so far deposited, and then repeating the process until a high quality active top layer is achieved. The method of interrupted growth, coupled with thermal cycling, permits dislocations to be trapped in the initial stages of epitaxial growth.

Quantum-size-controlled photoelectrochemical etching of semiconductor nanostructures

DOEpatents

Fischer, Arthur J.; Tsao, Jeffrey Y.; Wierer, Jr., Jonathan J.; Xiao, Xiaoyin; Wang, George T.

2016-03-01

Quantum-size-controlled photoelectrochemical (QSC-PEC) etching provides a new route to the precision fabrication of epitaxial semiconductor nanostructures in the sub-10-nm size regime. For example, quantum dots (QDs) can be QSC-PEC-etched from epitaxial InGaN thin films using narrowband laser photoexcitation, and the QD sizes (and hence bandgaps and photoluminescence wavelengths) are determined by the photoexcitation wavelength.

High-efficiency GaAs and GaInP solar cells grown by all solid-state molecular-beam-epitaxy

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

We report the initial results of GaAs and GaInP solar cells grown by all solid-state molecular-beam-epitaxy (MBE) technique. For GaAs single-junction solar cell, with the application of AlInP as the window layer and GaInP as the back surface field layer, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 26% at one sun concentration and air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) is realized. The efficiency of 16.4% is also reached for GaInP solar cell. Our results demonstrate that the MBE-grown phosphide-contained III-V compound semiconductor solar cell can be quite comparable to the metal-organic-chemical-vapor-deposition-grown high-efficiency solar cell. PMID:22040124

Graphene-Mesoporous Si Nanocomposite as a Compliant Substrate for Heteroepitaxy.

PubMed

Boucherif, Abderrahim Rahim; Boucherif, Abderraouf; Kolhatkar, Gitanjali; Ruediger, Andreas; Arès, Richard

2017-05-01

The ultimate performance of a solid state device is limited by the restricted number of crystalline substrates that are available for epitaxial growth. As a result, only a small fraction of semiconductors are usable. This study describes a novel concept for a tunable compliant substrate for epitaxy, based on a graphene-porous silicon nanocomposite, which extends the range of available lattice constants for epitaxial semiconductor alloys. The presence of graphene and its effect on the strain of the porous layer lattice parameter are discussed in detail and new remarkable properties are demonstrated. These include thermal stability up to 900 °C, lattice tuning up to 0.9 % mismatch, and compliance under stress for virtual substrate thicknesses of several micrometers. A theoretical model is proposed to define the compliant substrate design rules. These advances lay the foundation for the fabrication of a compliant substrate that could unlock the lattice constant restrictions for defect-free new epitaxial semiconductor alloys and devices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

JSEP fellowship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, Alvin M.; Powers, Edward J.

1993-06-01

In this dissertation, the precision of molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) is taken advantage of in order to grow semiconductor reflectors, microcavities, and quantum wells for studies of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL's) and the coupling between reflectors and the spatially localized dipoles of semiconductor quantum wells. The design of the structures and the choice of epitaxial growth parameters used for the structures are discussed in detail. Experimental techniques and results are discussed which relate to studies that advance the optoelectronics technology and our understanding of fundamental physics. MBE is used to grow epitaxial structures in which a QW is precisely placed either in close proximity to a DBR, or near the surface of the epitaxial layer, so that a highly reflective mirror can be placed in close proximity to the QW.

Band-Gap Engineering at a Semiconductor-Crystalline Oxide Interface

DOE PAGES

Jahangir-Moghadam, Mohammadreza; Ahmadi-Majlan, Kamyar; Shen, Xuan; ...

2015-02-09

The epitaxial growth of crystalline oxides on semiconductors provides a pathway to introduce new functionalities to semiconductor devices. Key to integrating the functionalities of oxides onto semiconductors is controlling the band alignment at interfaces between the two materials. Here we apply principles of band gap engineering traditionally used at heterojunctions between conventional semiconductors to control the band offset between a single crystalline oxide and a semiconductor. Reactive molecular beam epitaxy is used to realize atomically abrupt and structurally coherent interfaces between SrZr xTi 1-xO₃ and Ge, in which the band gap of the former is enhanced with Zr content x.more » We present structural and electrical characterization of SrZr xTi 1-xO₃-Ge heterojunctions and demonstrate a type-I band offset can be achieved. These results demonstrate that band gap engineering can be exploited to realize functional semiconductor crystalline oxide heterojunctions.« less

Epitaxial growth of CoO films on semiconductor and metal substrates by constructing a complex heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Entani, S.; Kiguchi, M.; Saiki, K.; Koma, A.

2003-01-01

Epitaxial growth of CoO films was studied using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The RHEED results indicated that an epitaxial CoO film grew on semiconductor and metal substrates (CoO (0 0 1)∥GaAs (0 0 1), Cu (0 0 1), Ag (0 0 1) and [1 0 0]CoO∥[1 0 0] substrates) by constructing a complex heterostructure with two alkali halide buffer layers. The AES, EELS and UPS results showed that the grown CoO film had almost the same electronic structure as bulk CoO. We could show that use of alkali halide buffer layers was a good way to grow metal oxide films on semiconductor and metal substrates in an O 2 atmosphere. The alkali halide layers not only works as glue to connect very dissimilar materials but also prevents oxidation of metal and semiconductor substrates.

X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Characterization Methods for Sigma=3 Twin Defects in Cubic Semiconductor (100) Wafers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Kim, Hyun Jung (Inventor); Skuza, Jonathan R. (Inventor); Lee, Kunik (Inventor); Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

An X-ray defraction (XRD) characterization method for sigma=3 twin defects in cubic semiconductor (100) wafers includes a concentration measurement method and a wafer mapping method for any cubic tetrahedral semiconductor wafers including GaAs (100) wafers and Si (100) wafers. The methods use the cubic semiconductor's (004) pole figure in order to detect sigma=3/{111} twin defects. The XRD methods are applicable to any (100) wafers of tetrahedral cubic semiconductors in the diamond structure (Si, Ge, C) and cubic zinc-blend structure (InP, InGaAs, CdTe, ZnSe, and so on) with various growth methods such as Liquid Encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) growth, Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (OMVPE), Czochralski growth and Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) growth.

Pump-probe surface photovoltage spectroscopy measurements on semiconductor epitaxial layers.

PubMed

Jana, Dipankar; Porwal, S; Sharma, T K; Kumar, Shailendra; Oak, S M

2014-04-01

Pump-probe Surface Photovoltage Spectroscopy (SPS) measurements are performed on semiconductor epitaxial layers. Here, an additional sub-bandgap cw pump laser beam is used in a conventional chopped light geometry SPS setup under the pump-probe configuration. The main role of pump laser beam is to saturate the sub-bandgap localized states whose contribution otherwise swamp the information related to the bandgap of material. It also affects the magnitude of Dember voltage in case of semi-insulating (SI) semiconductor substrates. Pump-probe SPS technique enables an accurate determination of the bandgap of semiconductor epitaxial layers even under the strong influence of localized sub-bandgap states. The pump beam is found to be very effective in suppressing the effect of surface/interface and bulk trap states. The overall magnitude of SPV signal is decided by the dependence of charge separation mechanisms on the intensity of the pump beam. On the contrary, an above bandgap cw pump laser can be used to distinguish the signatures of sub-bandgap states by suppressing the band edge related feature. Usefulness of the pump-probe SPS technique is established by unambiguously determining the bandgap of p-GaAs epitaxial layers grown on SI-GaAs substrates, SI-InP wafers, and p-GaN epilayers grown on Sapphire substrates.

Selective epitaxy using the gild process

DOEpatents

Weiner, Kurt H.

1992-01-01

The present invention comprises a method of selective epitaxy on a semiconductor substrate. The present invention provides a method of selectively forming high quality, thin GeSi layers in a silicon circuit, and a method for fabricating smaller semiconductor chips with a greater yield (more error free chips) at a lower cost. The method comprises forming an upper layer over a substrate, and depositing a reflectivity mask which is then removed over selected sections. Using a laser to melt the unmasked sections of the upper layer, the semiconductor material in the upper layer is heated and diffused into the substrate semiconductor material. By varying the amount of laser radiation, the epitaxial layer is formed to a controlled depth which may be very thin. When cooled, a single crystal epitaxial layer is formed over the patterned substrate. The present invention provides the ability to selectively grow layers of mixed semiconductors over patterned substrates such as a layer of Ge.sub.x Si.sub.1-x grown over silicon. Such a process may be used to manufacture small transistors that have a narrow base, heavy doping, and high gain. The narrowness allows a faster transistor, and the heavy doping reduces the resistance of the narrow layer. The process does not require high temperature annealing; therefore materials such as aluminum can be used. Furthermore, the process may be used to fabricate diodes that have a high reverse breakdown voltage and a low reverse leakage current.

High Power Mid Wave Infrared Semiconductor Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-15

resonance and the gain spectrum. The devices were grown using solid source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) in a V80 reactor. Two side polished, undoped...verify the inherent low activation energy. N-type and P-type AISb, and various compositions of InxAl 1xSb, were grown by solid-source molecular beam ...level monitoring. Advances in epitaxial growth of semiconductor materials have allowed the development of Arsenic- free optically-pumped MWIR lasers on

Review Article: Overview of lanthanide pnictide films and nanoparticles epitaxially incorporated into III-V semiconductors

DOE PAGES

Bomberger, Cory C.; Lewis, Matthew R.; Vanderhoef, Laura R.; ...

2017-03-30

The incorporation of lanthanide pnictide nanoparticles and films into III-V matrices allows for semiconductor composites with a wide range of potential optical, electrical, and thermal properties, making them useful for applications in thermoelectrics, tunnel junctions, phototconductive switches, and as contact layers. The similarities in crystal structures and lattice constants allow them to be epitaxially incorporated into III-V semiconductors with low defect densities and high overall film quality. A variety of growth techniques for these composites with be discussed, along with their growth mechanisms and current applications, with a focus on more recent developments. Results obtained from molecular beam epitaxy filmmore » growth will be highlighted, although other growth techniques will be mentioned. Optical and electronic characterization along with the microscopy analysis of these composites is presented to demonstrate influence of nanoinclusion composition and morphology on the resulting properties of the composite material.« less

Review Article: Overview of lanthanide pnictide films and nanoparticles epitaxially incorporated into III-V semiconductors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bomberger, Cory C.; Lewis, Matthew R.; Vanderhoef, Laura R.

The incorporation of lanthanide pnictide nanoparticles and films into III-V matrices allows for semiconductor composites with a wide range of potential optical, electrical, and thermal properties, making them useful for applications in thermoelectrics, tunnel junctions, phototconductive switches, and as contact layers. The similarities in crystal structures and lattice constants allow them to be epitaxially incorporated into III-V semiconductors with low defect densities and high overall film quality. A variety of growth techniques for these composites with be discussed, along with their growth mechanisms and current applications, with a focus on more recent developments. Results obtained from molecular beam epitaxy filmmore » growth will be highlighted, although other growth techniques will be mentioned. Optical and electronic characterization along with the microscopy analysis of these composites is presented to demonstrate influence of nanoinclusion composition and morphology on the resulting properties of the composite material.« less

Interfacing epitaxial oxides to gallium nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Losego, Mark Daniel

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is lauded for its ability to control thin film material structures at the atomic level. This precision of control can improve performance of microelectronic devices and cultivate the development of novel device structures. This thesis explores the utility of MBE for designing interfaces between oxide epilayers and the wide band gap semiconductor gallium nitride (GaN). The allure of wide gap semiconductor microelectronics (like GaN, 3.4 eV) is their ability to operate at higher frequencies, higher powers, and higher temperatures than current semiconductor platforms. Heterostructures between ferroelectric oxides and GaN are also of interest for studying the interaction between GaN's fixed polarization and the ferroelectric's switchable polarization. Two major obstacles to successful integration of oxides with GaN are: (1) interfacial trap states; and (2) small electronic band offsets across the oxide/nitride interface due to the semiconductor's large band gap. For this thesis, epitaxial rocksalt oxide interfacial layers (˜8 eV band gap) are investigated as possible solutions to overcoming the challenges facing oxide integration with GaN. The cubic close-packed structure of rocksalt oxides forms a suitable epitaxial interface with the hexagonal close-packed wurtzite lattice of GaN. Three rocksalt oxide compounds are investigated in this thesis: MgO, CaO, and YbO. All are found to have a (111) MO || (0001) GaN; <1 10> MO || <11 20> GaN epitaxial relationship. Development of the epilayer microstructure is dominated by the high-energy polar growth surface (drives 3D nucleation) and the interfacial symmetry, which permits the formation of twin boundaries. Using STEM, strain relief for these ionicly bonded epilayers is observed to occur through disorder within the initial monolayer of growth. All rocksalt oxides demonstrate chemical stability with GaN to >1000°C. Concurrent MBE deposition of MgO and CaO is known to form complete solid solutions. By controlling the composition of these alloys, the oxide's lattice parameter can be engineered to match GaN and reduce interfacial state density. Compositional control is a universal challenge to oxide MBE, and the MgO-CaO system (MCO) is further complicated by magnesium's high volatility and the lack of a thermodynamically stable phase. Through a detailed investigation of MgO's deposition rate and subsequent impact on MCO composition, the process space for achieving lattice-matched compositions to GaN are fully mapped. Lattice-matched compositions are demonstrated to have the narrowest off-axis rocking curve widths ever reported for an epitaxial oxide deposited directly on GaN (0.7° in φ-circle for 200 reflection). Epitaxial deposition of the ferroelectric (Ba,Sr)TiO3 by hot RF sputtering on GaN surfaces is also demonstrated. Simple MOS capacitors are fabricated from epitaxial rocksalt oxides and (Ba,Sr)TiO3 layers deposited on n-GaN substrates. Current-voltage measurements reveal that BST epilayers have 5 orders of magnitude higher current leakage than rocksalt epilayers. This higher leakage is attributed to the smaller band offset expected at this interface; modeling confirms that electronic transport occurs by Schottky emission. In contrast, current transport across the rocksalt oxide/GaN interface occurs by Frenkel-Poole emission and can be reduced with pre-deposition surface treatments. Finally, through this work, it is realized that the integration of oxides with III-nitrides requires an appreciation of many different fields of research including materials science, surface science, and electrical engineering. By recognizing the importance that each of these fields play in designing oxide/III-nitride interfaces, this thesis has the opportunity to explore other related phenomena including accessing metastable phases through MBE (ytterbium monoxide), spinodal decomposition in metastable alloys (MCO), how polar surfaces grown by MBE compensate their bound surface charge, room temperature epitaxy, and the use of surface modification to achieve selective epitaxial deposition (SeEDed growth).

Kinetics of surfactant-mediated epitaxy of III-V semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandjean, N.; Massies, J.

1996-05-01

Surfactant-mediated epitaxy (SME) of III-V semiconductors is studied in the case of the GaAs(001) growth using Te as surfactant. To account for the strong surface segregation of Te, a phenomenological exchange mechanism is used. This process explains the reduction of the surface diffusion length evidenced by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). However, this kinetics effect is observed only for restricted growth conditions: the As surface coverage should be sufficient to allow the exchange process. STM results as well as Monte Carlo simulations clearly show that the group-V element surface coverage plays a key role in the kinetics of SME of III-V semiconductors.

Zn(1-x)MnxTe diluted magnetic semiconductor nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy.

PubMed

Zaleszczyk, Wojciech; Janik, Elzbieta; Presz, Adam; Dłuzewski, Piotr; Kret, Sławomir; Szuszkiewicz, Wojciech; Morhange, Jean-François; Dynowska, Elzbieta; Kirmse, Holm; Neumann, Wolfgang; Petroutchik, Aleksy; Baczewski, Lech T; Karczewski, Grzegorz; Wojtowicz, Tomasz

2008-11-01

It is shown that the growth of II-VI diluted magnetic semiconductor nanowires is possible by the catalytically enhanced molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Zn(1-x)MnxTe NWs with manganese content up to x=0.60 were produced by this method. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and temperature dependent photoluminescence measurements confirm the incorporation of Mn(2+) ions in the cation substitutional sites of the ZnTe matrix of the NWs.

Development of epitaxial Al xSc 1-xN for artificially structured metal/semiconductor superlattice metamaterials

DOE PAGES

Sands, Timothy D.; Stach, Eric A.; Saha, Bivas; ...

2015-02-01

Epitaxial nitride rocksalt metal/semiconductor superlattices are emerging as a novel class of artificially structured materials that have generated significant interest in recent years for their potential application in plasmonic and thermoelectric devices. Though most nitride metals are rocksalt, nitride semiconductors in general have hexagonal crystal structure. We report rocksalt aluminum scandium nitride (Al,Sc)N alloys as the semiconducting component in epitaxial rocksalt metal/semiconductor superlattices. The Al xSc 1-xN alloys when deposited directly on MgO substrates are stabilized in a homogeneous rocksalt (single) phase when x < 0.51. Employing 20 nm TiN as a seed layer on MgO substrates, the homogeneity rangemore » for stabilizing the rocksalt phase has been extended to x < 0.82 for a 120 nm film. The rocksalt Al xSc 1-xN alloys show moderate direct bandgap bowing with a bowing parameter, B = 1.41 ± 0.19 eV. The direct bandgap of metastable rocksalt AlN is extrapolated to be 4.70 ± 0.20 eV. The tunable lattice parameter, bandgap, dielectric permittivity, and electronic properties of rocksalt Al xSc 1-xN alloys enable high quality epitaxial rocksalt metal/Al xSc 1-xN superlattices with a wide range of accessible metamaterials properties.« less

HgCdTe liquid phase epitaxy - An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro, C. A.; Korenstein, R.

1982-08-01

Techniques and results of using liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) to form crystalline thin HgCdTe films for industrial-scale applications in IR detectors and focal plane arrays are discussed. Varying the mole fraction of CdTe in HgCdTe is noted to permit control of the bandwidth. LPE-grown films are noted to have a low carrier concentration, on the order of 4 x 10 to the 14th to 5 x 10 to the 15th/cu cm, a good surface morphology and be amenable to production scale-up. Details of the isothermal, equilibrium cooling, and supersaturation cooling LPE growth modes are reviewed, noting the necessity of developing a reliable method for determining the liquidus temperature for all modes to maintain uniformity of film growth from batch to batch. Mechanical steps can be either dipping the substrate into the melt or the slider boat approach, which is used in the production of compound semiconductors.

Positron lifetime beam for defect studies in thin epitaxial semiconductor structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laakso, A.; Saarinen, K.; Hautojärvi, P.

2001-12-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopies are methods for direct identification of vacancy-type defects by measuring positron lifetime and Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation and providing information about open volume, concentration and atoms surrounding the defect. Both these techniques are easily applied to bulk samples. Only the Doppler broadening spectroscopy can be employed in thin epitaxial samples by utilizing low-energy positron beams. Here we describe the positron lifetime beam which will provide us with a method to measure lifetime in thin semiconductor layers.

Electrochemical Liquid Phase Epitaxy (ec-LPE): A New Methodology for the Synthesis of Crystalline Group IV Semiconductor Epifilms.

PubMed

Demuth, Joshua; Fahrenkrug, Eli; Ma, Luyao; Shodiya, Titilayo; Deitz, Julia I; Grassman, Tyler J; Maldonado, Stephen

2017-05-24

Deposition of epitaxial germanium (Ge) thin films on silicon (Si) wafers has been achieved over large areas with aqueous feedstock solutions using electrochemical liquid phase epitaxy (ec-LPE) at low temperatures (T ≤ 90 °C). The ec-LPE method uniquely blends the simplicity and control of traditional electrodeposition with the material quality of melt growth. A new electrochemical cell design based on the compression of a liquid metal electrode into a thin cavity that enables ec-LPE is described. The epitaxial nature, low strain character, and crystallographic defect content of the resultant solid Ge films were analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, high resolution X-ray diffraction, and electron channeling contrast imaging. The results here show the first step toward a manufacturing infrastructure for traditional crystalline inorganic semiconductor epifilms that does not require high temperature, gaseous precursors, or complex apparatus.

Hybrid bandgap engineering for super-hetero-epitaxial semiconductor materials, and products thereof

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Choi, Sang H. (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Elliott, James R. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

"Super-hetero-epitaxial" combinations comprise epitaxial growth of one material on a different material with different crystal structure. Compatible crystal structures may be identified using a "Tri-Unity" system. New bandgap engineering diagrams are provided for each class of combination, based on determination of hybrid lattice constants for the constituent materials in accordance with lattice-matching equations. Using known bandgap figures for previously tested materials, new materials with lattice constants that match desired substrates and have the desired bandgap properties may be formulated by reference to the diagrams and lattice matching equations. In one embodiment, this analysis makes it possible to formulate new super-hetero-epitaxial semiconductor systems, such as systems based on group IV alloys on c-plane LaF.sub.3; group IV alloys on c-plane langasite; Group III-V alloys on c-plane langasite; and group II-VI alloys on c-plane sapphire.

Control wafer bow of InGaP on 200 mm Si by strain engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bing; Bao, Shuyu; Made, Riko I.; Lee, Kwang Hong; Wang, Cong; Eng Kian Lee, Kenneth; Fitzgerald, Eugene A.; Michel, Jurgen

2017-12-01

When epitaxially growing III-V compound semiconductors on Si substrates the mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) between III-V and Si causes stress and wafer bow. The wafer bow is deleterious for some wafer-scale processing especially when the wafer size is large. Strain engineering was applied in the epitaxy of InGaP films on 200 mm silicon wafers having high quality germanium buffers. By applying compressive strain in the InGaP films to compensate the tensile strain induced by CTE mismatch, wafer bow was decreased from about 100 μm to less than 50 μm. X-ray diffraction studies show a clear trend between the decrease of wafer bow and the compensation of CTE mismatch induced tensile strain in the InGaP layers. In addition, the anisotropic strain relaxation in InGaP films resulted in anisotropic wafer bow along two perpendicular (110) directions. Etch pit density and plane-view transmission electron microscopy characterizations indicate that threading dislocation densities did not change significantly due to the lattice-mismatch applied in the InGaP films. This study shows that strain engineering is an effective method to control wafer bow when growing III-V semiconductors on large size Si substrates.

76 FR 65751 - Notice of intent to grant exclusive license

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-24

... Crystalline Semiconductor Alloys on Basal Plane of Trigonal or Hexagonal Crystal,'' U.S. Patent Application No. 12/254,134 entitled ``Hybrid Bandgap Engineering for Super-Hetero- Epitaxial Semiconductor Materials... Semiconductor Materials on Trigonal Substrate with Single Crystal Properties and Devices Based on Such Materials...

van der Waals epitaxial ZnTe thin film on single-crystalline graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xin; Chen, Zhizhong; Wang, Yiping; Lu, Zonghuan; Shi, Jian; Washington, Morris; Lu, Toh-Ming

2018-01-01

Graphene template has long been promoted as a promising host to support van der Waals flexible electronics. However, van der Waals epitaxial growth of conventional semiconductors in planar thin film form on transferred graphene sheets is challenging because the nucleation rate of film species on graphene is significantly low due to the passive surface of graphene. In this work, we demonstrate the epitaxy of zinc-blende ZnTe thin film on single-crystalline graphene supported by an amorphous glass substrate. Given the amorphous nature and no obvious remote epitaxy effect of the glass substrate, this study clearly proves the van der Waals epitaxy of a 3D semiconductor thin film on graphene. X-ray pole figure analysis reveals the existence of two ZnTe epitaxial orientational domains on graphene, a strong X-ray intensity observed from the ZnTe [ 1 ¯ 1 ¯ 2] ǁ graphene [10] orientation domain, and a weaker intensity from the ZnTe [ 1 ¯ 1 ¯ 2] ǁ graphene [11] orientation domain. Furthermore, this study systematically investigates the optoelectronic properties of this epitaxial ZnTe film on graphene using temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy, steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, and fabrication and characterization of a ZnTe-graphene photodetector. The research suggests an effective approach towards graphene-templated flexible electronics.

Compound semiconductor detectors for X-ray astronomy: Spectroscopic measurements and material characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bavdaz, M.; Kraft, S.; Peacock, A.

1998-12-31

The use of some specific compound semiconductors in the fabrication of high energy X-ray detectors shows significant potential for X-ray astrophysics space missions. The authors are currently investigating three high purity crystals--CdZnTe, GaAs and TlBr--as the basis for future hard X-ray detectors (above 10 keV). In this paper the authors present the first results on CdZnTe and GaAs based detectors and evaluate the factors currently still constraining the performance. Energy resolutions (FWHM) of 0.9 keV and 1.1 keV at 14 keV and 60 keV, respectively, have been obtained with an epitaxial GaAs detector, while 0.7 keV and 1.5 keV FWHMmore » were measured at the same energies with a CdZnTe detector. Based on these results it is clear, that the next generation of X-ray astrophysics missions now in the planning phase may well consider extending the photon energy range up to {approximately} 100 keV by use of efficient detectors with reasonable spectroscopic capabilities.« less

Workshop on Compound Semiconductor Devices and Integrated Circuits held in Europe (24th) on May 29 - Jun 2, 2000 in Aegean Sea, Greece

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-06-02

Telecomunicazioni, Torino. Italy 1.30pm XIV.4 "The Reliability of AlGalnP Visible Light Emitting Diodes " D.V. MORGAN and I. Al-Ofi Cardiff University...XV.5 "Green SQW InGaN light - emitting diodes on Si( 111) by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy" E. Feltin, S. Dalmasso, H. Lareche, B. Beaumont, P. de...effect on GaN-based high efficiency light emitting diodes of a surprisingly high density of TDs has led to considerable interest in determining their

Molecular-beam epitaxy of (Zn,Mn)Se on Si(100)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Slobodskyy, T.; Ruester, C.; Fiederling, R.

2004-12-20

We have investigated the growth by molecular-beam epitaxy of the II-VI diluted magnetic semiconductor (Zn,Mn)Se on As-passivated Si(100) substrates. The growth start has been optimized by using low-temperature epitaxy. Surface properties were assessed by Nomarski and scanning electron microscopy. Optical properties of (Zn,Mn)Se have been studied by photoluminescence and a giant Zeeman splitting of up to 30 meV has been observed. Our observations indicate a high crystalline quality of the epitaxial films.

Electroless epitaxial etching for semiconductor applications

DOEpatents

McCarthy, Anthony M.

2002-01-01

A method for fabricating thin-film single-crystal silicon on insulator substrates using electroless etching for achieving efficient etch stopping on epitaxial silicon substrates. Microelectric circuits and devices are prepared on epitaxial silicon wafers in a standard fabrication facility. The wafers are bonded to a holding substrate. The silicon bulk is removed using electroless etching leaving the circuit contained within the epitaxial layer remaining on the holding substrate. A photolithographic operation is then performed to define streets and wire bond pad areas for electrical access to the circuit.

All Ultra-High Vacuum In-Situ Growth & Processing Approaches to Realization of Semiconductor Nanostructure Arrays

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-05-15

Quantum Box/Dot, Strained Epitaxy , 3D islands, Patterned Substrates, Molecular Beam Epitaxy Focused Ion Beam , In-Situ Processing, Quantum Box Lasers...Grown on Planar and Patterned GaAs(100) Substrates by Molecular Beam Epitaxy ", J. Vac. Sei. Technol. B13, 642(1995) 5. A. Madhukar, P. Chen, Q. Xie...Formation and Vertical Self-Organization on GaAs(lOO) via Molecular Beam Epitaxy ", Paper presented at MRS Spring 󈨣 Meeting (Apr. 17-21, 1995, San

Elimination of oval defects in epilayers by using chemical beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsang, W. T.

1985-06-01

One ubiquitous problem that continues to haunt over molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) persistently throughout all these year and still without a good controllable solution is the presence of oval defects in gallium-containing compound semiconductor epilayers. While these defects have not presented major problems for discrete devices, they are likely to be a serious obstacle for integrated circuit applications. We showed that oval defects were present in GaAs and In0.53Ga0.47As epilayers grown by conventional MBE process using elemental Ga and In as group III sources, and either solid As4 or thermally cracked As4 from gas mixtures of trimethylarsine and hydrogen. On the other hand, the use of the chemical beam epitaxy in which the Ga and In were derived by thermal pyrolysis of their metal alkyls at the heated substrate surface resulted reproducibly in epilayers free of oval defects over the entire substrate surface of ˜8 cm diameter (limited by the substrate holder size). On the basis of the present results it is evident that the oval defects were related to the use of elemental Ga melt as the evaporant in conventional MBE.

Optimal doping control of magnetic semiconductors via subsurfactant epitaxy.

PubMed

Zeng, Changgan; Zhang, Zhenyu; van Benthem, Klaus; Chisholm, Matthew F; Weitering, Hanno H

2008-02-15

"Subsurfactant epitaxy" is established as a conceptually new approach for introducing manganese as a magnetic dopant into germanium. A kinetic pathway is devised in which the subsurface interstitial sites on Ge(100) are first selectively populated with Mn, while lateral diffusion and clustering on or underneath the surface are effectively suppressed. Subsequent Ge deposition as a capping layer produces a novel surfactantlike phenomenon as the interstitial Mn atoms float towards newly defined subsurface sites at the growth front. Furthermore, the Mn atoms that failed to float upwards are uniformly distributed within the Ge capping layer. The resulting doping levels of order 0.25 at. % would normally be considered too low for ferromagnetic ordering, but the Curie temperature exceeds room temperature by a comfortable margin. Subsurfactant epitaxy thus enables superior dopant control in magnetic semiconductors.

Hetero-junction photovoltaic device and method of fabricating the device

DOEpatents

Aytug, Tolga; Christen, David K; Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans; Polat, Ozgur

2014-02-10

A hetero-junction device and fabrication method in which phase-separated n-type and p-type semiconductor pillars define vertically-oriented p-n junctions extending above a substrate. Semiconductor materials are selected for the p-type and n-type pillars that are thermodynamically stable and substantially insoluble in one another. An epitaxial deposition process is employed to form the pillars on a nucleation layer and the mutual insolubility drives phase separation of the materials. During the epitaxial deposition process, the orientation is such that the nucleation layer initiates propagation of vertical columns resulting in a substantially ordered, three-dimensional structure throughout the deposited material. An oxidation state of at least a portion of one of the p-type or the n-type semiconductor materials is altered relative to the other, such that the band-gap energy of the semiconductor materials differ with respect to stoichiometric compositions and the device preferentially absorbs particular selected bands of radiation.

Room-temperature Domain-epitaxy of Copper Iodide Thin Films for Transparent CuI/ZnO Heterojunctions with High Rectification Ratios Larger than 109

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chang; Kneiß, Max; Schein, Friedrich-Leonhard; Lorenz, Michael; Grundmann, Marius

2016-02-01

CuI is a p-type transparent conductive semiconductor with unique optoelectronic properties, including wide band gap (3.1 eV), high hole mobility (>40 cm2 V-1 s-1 in bulk), and large room-temperature exciton binding energy (62 meV). The difficulty in epitaxy of CuI is the main obstacle for its application in advanced solid-state electronic devices. Herein, room-temperature heteroepitaxial growth of CuI on various substrates with well-defined in-plane epitaxial relations is realized by reactive sputtering technique. In such heteroepitaxial growth the formation of rotation domains is observed and hereby systematically investigated in accordance with existing theoretical study of domain-epitaxy. The controllable epitaxy of CuI thin films allows for the combination of p-type CuI with suitable n-type semiconductors with the purpose to fabricate epitaxial thin film heterojunctions. Such heterostructures have superior properties to structures without or with weakly ordered in-plane orientation. The obtained epitaxial thin film heterojunction of p-CuI(111)/n-ZnO(00.1) exhibits a high rectification up to 2 × 109 (±2 V), a 100-fold improvement compared to diodes with disordered interfaces. Also a low saturation current density down to 5 × 10-9 Acm-2 is formed. These results prove the great potential of epitaxial CuI as a promising p-type optoelectronic material.

III-V arsenide-nitride semiconductor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Major, Jo S. (Inventor); Welch, David F. (Inventor); Scifres, Donald R. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

III-V arsenide-nitride semiconductor are disclosed. Group III elements are combined with group V elements, including at least nitrogen and arsenic, in concentrations chosen to lattice match commercially available crystalline substrates. Epitaxial growth of these III-V crystals results in direct bandgap materials, which can be used in applications such as light emitting diodes and lasers. Varying the concentrations of the elements in the III-V materials varies the bandgaps, such that materials emitting light spanning the visible spectra, as well as mid-IR and near-UV emitters, can be created. Conversely, such material can be used to create devices that acquire light and convert the light to electricity, for applications such as full color photodetectors and solar energy collectors. The growth of the III-V material can be accomplished by growing thin layers of elements or compounds in sequences that result in the overall lattice match and bandgap desired.

Methods for forming group III-arsenide-nitride semiconductor materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Major, Jo S. (Inventor); Welch, David F. (Inventor); Scifres, Donald R. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

Methods are disclosed for forming Group III-arsenide-nitride semiconductor materials. Group III elements are combined with group V elements, including at least nitrogen and arsenic, in concentrations chosen to lattice match commercially available crystalline substrates. Epitaxial growth of these III-V crystals results in direct bandgap materials, which can be used in applications such as light emitting diodes and lasers. Varying the concentrations of the elements in the III-V crystals varies the bandgaps, such that materials emitting light spanning the visible spectra, as well as mid-IR and near-UV emitters, can be created. Conversely, such material can be used to create devices that acquire light and convert the light to electricity, for applications such as full color photodetectors and solar energy collectors. The growth of the III-V crystals can be accomplished by growing thin layers of elements or compounds in sequences that result in the overall lattice match and bandgap desired.

Methods for forming group III-V arsenide-nitride semiconductor materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Major, Jo S. (Inventor); Welch, David F. (Inventor); Scifres, Donald R. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

Methods are disclosed for forming Group III--arsenide-nitride semiconductor materials. Group III elements are combined with group V elements, including at least nitrogen and arsenic, in concentrations chosen to lattice match commercially available crystalline substrates. Epitaxial growth of these III-V crystals results in direct bandgap materials, which can be used in applications such as light emitting diodes and lasers. Varying the concentrations of the elements in the III-V crystals varies the bandgaps, such that materials emitting light spanning the visible spectra, as well as mid-IR and near-UV emitters, can be created. Conversely, such material can be used to create devices that acquire light and convert the light to electricity, for applications such as full color photodetectors and solar energy collectors. The growth of the III-V crystals can be accomplished by growing thin layers of elements or compounds in sequences that result in the overall lattice match and bandgap desired.

Development of Mid-infrared GeSn Light Emitting Diodes on a Silicon Substrate

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-22

Materials, Heterostrucuture Semiconductor, Light Emitting Devices, Molecular Beam Epitaxy 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT...LED) structure. Optimization of traditional and hetero- P-i-N structures designed and grown on Ge-buffer Si (001) wafers using molecular beam epitaxy ...designed structures were grown on Ge-buffer Si (001) wafers using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) with the low-temperature growth technique. (The Ge-buffer

Epitaxy of advanced nanowire quantum devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gazibegovic, Sasa; Car, Diana; Zhang, Hao; Balk, Stijn C.; Logan, John A.; de Moor, Michiel W. A.; Cassidy, Maja C.; Schmits, Rudi; Xu, Di; Wang, Guanzhong; Krogstrup, Peter; Op Het Veld, Roy L. M.; Zuo, Kun; Vos, Yoram; Shen, Jie; Bouman, Daniël; Shojaei, Borzoyeh; Pennachio, Daniel; Lee, Joon Sue; van Veldhoven, Petrus J.; Koelling, Sebastian; Verheijen, Marcel A.; Kouwenhoven, Leo P.; Palmstrøm, Chris J.; Bakkers, Erik P. A. M.

2017-08-01

Semiconductor nanowires are ideal for realizing various low-dimensional quantum devices. In particular, topological phases of matter hosting non-Abelian quasiparticles (such as anyons) can emerge when a semiconductor nanowire with strong spin-orbit coupling is brought into contact with a superconductor. To exploit the potential of non-Abelian anyons—which are key elements of topological quantum computing—fully, they need to be exchanged in a well-controlled braiding operation. Essential hardware for braiding is a network of crystalline nanowires coupled to superconducting islands. Here we demonstrate a technique for generic bottom-up synthesis of complex quantum devices with a special focus on nanowire networks with a predefined number of superconducting islands. Structural analysis confirms the high crystalline quality of the nanowire junctions, as well as an epitaxial superconductor-semiconductor interface. Quantum transport measurements of nanowire ‘hashtags’ reveal Aharonov-Bohm and weak-antilocalization effects, indicating a phase-coherent system with strong spin-orbit coupling. In addition, a proximity-induced hard superconducting gap (with vanishing sub-gap conductance) is demonstrated in these hybrid superconductor-semiconductor nanowires, highlighting the successful materials development necessary for a first braiding experiment. Our approach opens up new avenues for the realization of epitaxial three-dimensional quantum architectures which have the potential to become key components of various quantum devices.

Highly Crystalline C8-BTBT Thin-Film Transistors by Lateral Homo-Epitaxial Growth on Printed Templates.

PubMed

Janneck, Robby; Pilet, Nicolas; Bommanaboyena, Satya Prakash; Watts, Benjamin; Heremans, Paul; Genoe, Jan; Rolin, Cedric

2017-11-01

Highly crystalline thin films of organic semiconductors offer great potential for fundamental material studies as well as for realizing high-performance, low-cost flexible electronics. The fabrication of these films directly on inert substrates is typically done by meniscus-guided coating techniques. The resulting layers show morphological defects that hinder charge transport and induce large device-to-device variability. Here, a double-step method for organic semiconductor layers combining a solution-processed templating layer and a lateral homo-epitaxial growth by a thermal evaporation step is reported. The epitaxial regrowth repairs most of the morphological defects inherent to meniscus-guided coatings. The resulting film is highly crystalline and features a mobility increased by a factor of three and a relative spread in device characteristics improved by almost half an order of magnitude. This method is easily adaptable to other coating techniques and offers a route toward the fabrication of high-performance, large-area electronics based on highly crystalline thin films of organic semiconductors. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A proposal for epitaxial thin film growth in outer space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ignatiev, Alex; Chu, C. W.

1988-01-01

A new concept for materials processing in space exploits the ultravacuum component of space for thin film epitaxial growth. The unique low earth orbit space environment is expected to yield 10 to the -14th torr or better pressures, semiinfinite pumping speeds, and large ultravacuum volume without walls. These space ultravacuum properties promise major improvement in the quality, unique nature, and the throughput of epitaxially grown materials. Advanced thin film materials to be epitaxially grown in space include semiconductors, magnetic materials, and thin film high temperature superconductors.

Strain Relaxation in Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x} Thin Films on Si(100) Substrates: Modeling and Comparisons with Experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kolluri, K; Zepeda-Ruiz, L A; Murthy, C S

2005-03-22

Strained semiconductor thin films grown epitaxially on semiconductor substrates of different composition, such as Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x}/Si, are becoming increasingly important in modern microelectronic technologies. In this paper, we report a hierarchical computational approach for analysis of dislocation formation, glide motion, multiplication, and annihilation in Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x} epitaxial thin films on Si substrates. Specifically, a condition is developed for determining the critical film thickness with respect to misfit dislocation generation as a function of overall film composition, film compositional grading, and (compliant) substrate thickness. In addition, the kinetics of strain relaxation in the epitaxial film during growth or thermalmore » annealing (including post-implantation annealing) is analyzed using a properly parameterized dislocation mean-field theoretical model, which describes plastic deformation dynamics due to threading dislocation propagation. The theoretical results for Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x} epitaxial thin films grown on Si (100) substrates are compared with experimental measurements and are used to discuss film growth and thermal processing protocols toward optimizing the mechanical response of the epitaxial film.« less

Epitaxial thin film growth in outer space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ignatiev, Alex; Chu, C. W.

1988-01-01

A new concept for materials processing in space exploits the ultravacuum component of space for thin-film epitaxial growth. The unique LEO space environment is expected to yield 10-ftorr or better pressures, semiinfinite pumping speeds, and large ultravacuum volume (about 100 cu m) without walls. These space ultravacuum properties promise major improvement in the quality, unique nature, and throughput of epitaxially grown materials, including semiconductors, magnetic materials, and thin-film high-temperature superconductors.

Laterally Overgrown Structures as Substrates for Lattice Mismatched Epitaxy

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-06-03

low supersaturation substrate [3]. Therefore, equilibrium growth techniques as liquid buffer with TD phase epitaxy (LPE) or vapour phase epitaxy (VPE...phase diffusion during MBE growth, so lateral over- low cost semiconductor devices. Therefore, vapour growth must rely on the surface mobility of...is replaced by graphite film not wetted For the GaAs on GaAs ELO system we attributed by the gallium melt [35]. Similarly, tungsten has been broadening

Ultra-Low Threshold Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers for USAF Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

molecular beam epitaxy , semiconductors, finite element method, modeling and simulation, oxidation furnace 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 19a. NAME OF...Patterson Air Force Base). Device material growth was accomplished by means of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using a Varian GENII MBE system owned by the...grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a GaAs substrate. Vertical posts, with square and circular cross sections ranging in size from 5 to 40 microns

Lattice-Matched Semiconductor Layers on Single Crystalline Sapphire Substrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang; King, Glen; Park, Yeonjoon

2009-01-01

SiGe is an important semiconductor alloy for high-speed field effect transistors (FETs), high-temperature thermoelectric devices, photovoltaic solar cells, and photon detectors. The growth of SiGe layer is difficult because SiGe alloys have different lattice constants from those of the common Si wafers, which leads to a high density of defects, including dislocations, micro-twins, cracks, and delaminations. This innovation utilizes newly developed rhombohedral epitaxy of cubic semiconductors on trigonal substrates in order to solve the lattice mismatch problem of SiGe by using trigonal single crystals like sapphire (Al2O3) as substrate to give a unique growth-orientation to the SiGe layer, which is automatically controlled at the interface upon sapphire (0001). This technology is different from previous silicon on insulator (SOI) or SGOI (SiGe on insulator) technologies that use amorphous SiO2 as the growth plane. A cubic semiconductor crystal is a special case of a rhombohedron with the inter-planar angle, alpha = 90 deg. With a mathematical transformation, all rhombohedrons can be described by trigonal crystal lattice structures. Therefore, all cubic lattice constants and crystal planes (hkl) s can be transformed into those of trigonal crystal parameters. These unique alignments enable a new opportunity of perfect lattice matching conditions, which can eliminate misfit dislocations. Previously, these atomic alignments were thought to be impossible or very difficult. With the invention of a new x-ray diffraction measurement method here, growth of cubic semiconductors on trigonal crystals became possible. This epitaxy and lattice-matching condition can be applied not only to SiGe (111)/sapphire (0001) substrate relations, but also to other crystal structures and other materials, including similar crystal structures which have pointgroup rotational symmetries by 120 because the cubic (111) direction has 120 rotational symmetry. The use of slightly miscut (less than plus or minus 10 deg.) sapphire (0001) substrate can be used to improve epitaxial relationships better by providing attractive atomic steps in the epitaxial process.

Dry texturing of solar cells

DOEpatents

Sopori, B.L.

1994-10-25

A textured backside of a semiconductor device for increasing light scattering and absorption in a semiconductor substrate is accomplished by applying infrared radiation to the front side of a semiconductor substrate that has a metal layer deposited on its backside in a time-energy profile that first produces pits in the backside surface and then produces a thin, highly reflective, low resistivity, epitaxial alloy layer over the entire area of the interface between the semiconductor substrate and a metal contact layer. The time-energy profile includes ramping up to a first energy level and holding for a period of time to create the desired pit size and density and then rapidly increasing the energy to a second level in which the entire interface area is melted and alloyed quickly. After holding the second energy level for a sufficient time to develop the thin alloy layer over the entire interface area, the energy is ramped down to allow epitaxial crystal growth in the alloy layer. The result is a textured backside on an optically reflective, low resistivity alloy interface between the semiconductor substrate and the metal electrical contact layer. 9 figs.

Dry texturing of solar cells

DOEpatents

Sopori, Bhushan L.

1994-01-01

A textured backside of a semiconductor device for increasing light scattering and absorption in a semiconductor substrate is accomplished by applying infrared radiation to the front side of a semiconductor substrate that has a metal layer deposited on its backside in a time-energy profile that first produces pits in the backside surface and then produces a thin, highly reflective, low resistivity, epitaxial alloy layer over the entire area of the interface between the semiconductor substrate and a metal contact layer. The time-energy profile includes ramping up to a first energy level and holding for a period of time to create the desired pit size and density and then rapidly increasing the energy to a second level in which the entire interface area is melted and alloyed quickly. After holding the second energy level for a sufficient time to develop the thin alloy layer over the entire interface area, the energy is ramped down to allow epitaxial crystal growth in the alloy layer. The result is a textured backside an optically reflective, low resistivity alloy interface between the semiconductor substrate and the metal electrical contact layer.

Rocksalt nitride metal/semiconductor superlattices: A new class of artificially structured materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Bivas; Shakouri, Ali; Sands, Timothy D.

2018-06-01

Artificially structured materials in the form of superlattice heterostructures enable the search for exotic new physics and novel device functionalities, and serve as tools to push the fundamentals of scientific and engineering knowledge. Semiconductor heterostructures are the most celebrated and widely studied artificially structured materials, having led to the development of quantum well lasers, quantum cascade lasers, measurements of the fractional quantum Hall effect, and numerous other scientific concepts and practical device technologies. However, combining metals with semiconductors at the atomic scale to develop metal/semiconductor superlattices and heterostructures has remained a profoundly difficult scientific and engineering challenge. Though the potential applications of metal/semiconductor heterostructures could range from energy conversion to photonic computing to high-temperature electronics, materials challenges primarily had severely limited progress in this pursuit until very recently. In this article, we detail the progress that has taken place over the last decade to overcome the materials engineering challenges to grow high quality epitaxial, nominally single crystalline metal/semiconductor superlattices based on transition metal nitrides (TMN). The epitaxial rocksalt TiN/(Al,Sc)N metamaterials are the first pseudomorphic metal/semiconductor superlattices to the best of our knowledge, and their physical properties promise a new era in superlattice physics and device engineering.

Superconductivity in epitaxially grown self-assembled indium islands: progress towards hybrid superconductor/semiconductor optical sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gehl, Michael; Gibson, Ricky; Zandbergen, Sander

Currently, superconducting qubits lead the way in potential candidates for quantum computing. This is a result of the robust nature of superconductivity and the non-linear Josephson effect which make possible many types of qubits. At the same time, transferring quantum information over long distances typically relies on the use of photons as the elementary qubit. Converting between stationary electronic qubits in superconducting systems and traveling photonic qubits is a challenging yet necessary goal for the interface of quantum computing and communication. The most promising path to achieving this goal appears to be the integration of superconductivity with optically active semiconductors,more » with quantum information being transferred between the two by means of the superconducting proximity effect. Obtaining good interfaces between superconductor and semiconductor is the next obvious step for improving these hybrid systems. As a result, we report on our observation of superconductivity in self-assembled indium structures grown epitaxially on the surface of semiconductor material.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moghadam, Reza M.; Xiao, Zhiyong; Ahmadi-Majlan, Kamyar

The epitaxial growth of multifunctional oxides on semiconductors has opened a pathway to introduce new functionalities to semiconductor device technologies. In particular, ferroelectric materials integrated on semiconductors could lead to low-power field-effect devices that can be used for logic or memory. Essential to realizing such field-effect devices is the development of ferroelectric metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors, in which the polarization of a ferroelectric gate is coupled to the surface potential of a semiconducting channel. Here we demonstrate that ferroelectric MOS capacitors can be realized using single crystalline SrZrxTi1-xO3 (x= 0.7) that has been epitaxially grown on Ge. We find that themore » ferroelectric properties of SrZrxTi1-xO3 are exceptionally robust, as gate layers as thin as 5 nm give rise to hysteretic capacitance-voltage characteristics that are 2 V in width. The development of ferroelectric MOS capacitors with gate thicknesses that are technologically relevant opens a pathway to realize scalable ferroelectric field-effect devices.« less

High-efficiency photovoltaic cells

DOEpatents

Yang, H.T.; Zehr, S.W.

1982-06-21

High efficiency solar converters comprised of a two cell, non-lattice matched, monolithic stacked semiconductor configuration using optimum pairs of cells having bandgaps in the range 1.6 to 1.7 eV and 0.95 to 1.1 eV, and a method of fabrication thereof, are disclosed. The high band gap subcells are fabricated using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to produce the required AlGaAs layers of optimized composition, thickness and doping to produce high performance, heteroface homojunction devices. The low bandgap subcells are similarly fabricated from AlGa(As)Sb compositions by LPE, MBE or MOCVD. These subcells are then coupled to form a monolithic structure by an appropriate bonding technique which also forms the required transparent intercell ohmic contact (IOC) between the two subcells. Improved ohmic contacts to the high bandgap semiconductor structure can be formed by vacuum evaporating to suitable metal or semiconductor materials which react during laser annealing to form a low bandgap semiconductor which provides a low contact resistance structure.

The control of stoichiometry in Epitaxial semiconductor structures. Interfacial Chemistry: Property relations. A workshop review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachmann, Klaus J.

1995-01-01

A workshop on the control of stoichiometry in epitaxial semiconductor structures was held on August 21-26, 1995 in the hotel Stutenhaus at Vesser in Germany. The secluded location of the workshop in the forest of Thuringia and its informal style stimulated extensive private discussions among the participants and promoted new contacts between young scientists from Eastern and Western Europe and the USA. Topics addressed by the presentations were interactions of precursors to heteroepitaxy and doping with the substrate surface, the control of interfacial properties under the conditions of heteroepitaxy for selected materials systems, methods of characterization of interfaces and native point defects in semiconductor heterostructures and an in depth evaluation of the present status of the control and characterization of the point defect chemistry for one specific semiconductor (ZnGeP2), including studies of both heterostructures and bulk single crystals. The selected examples of presentations and comments given here represent individual choices - made by the author to highlight major points of the discussions.

Superconductivity in epitaxially grown self-assembled indium islands: progress towards hybrid superconductor/semiconductor optical sources

DOE PAGES

Gehl, Michael; Gibson, Ricky; Zandbergen, Sander; ...

2016-02-01

Currently, superconducting qubits lead the way in potential candidates for quantum computing. This is a result of the robust nature of superconductivity and the non-linear Josephson effect which make possible many types of qubits. At the same time, transferring quantum information over long distances typically relies on the use of photons as the elementary qubit. Converting between stationary electronic qubits in superconducting systems and traveling photonic qubits is a challenging yet necessary goal for the interface of quantum computing and communication. The most promising path to achieving this goal appears to be the integration of superconductivity with optically active semiconductors,more » with quantum information being transferred between the two by means of the superconducting proximity effect. Obtaining good interfaces between superconductor and semiconductor is the next obvious step for improving these hybrid systems. As a result, we report on our observation of superconductivity in self-assembled indium structures grown epitaxially on the surface of semiconductor material.« less

Epitaxial growth of silicon for layer transfer

DOEpatents

Teplin, Charles; Branz, Howard M

2015-03-24

Methods of preparing a thin crystalline silicon film for transfer and devices utilizing a transferred crystalline silicon film are disclosed. The methods include preparing a silicon growth substrate which has an interface defining substance associated with an exterior surface. The methods further include depositing an epitaxial layer of silicon on the silicon growth substrate at the surface and separating the epitaxial layer from the substrate substantially along the plane or other surface defined by the interface defining substance. The epitaxial layer may be utilized as a thin film of crystalline silicon in any type of semiconductor device which requires a crystalline silicon layer. In use, the epitaxial transfer layer may be associated with a secondary substrate.

Photoassisted physical vapor epitaxial growth of semiconductors: a review of light-induced modifications to growth processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alberi, Kirstin; Scarpulla, Michael A.

Herein, we review the remarkable range of modifications to materials properties associated with photoexcitation of the growth surface during physical vapor epitaxy of semiconductors. We concentrate on mechanisms producing measureable, utilizable changes in crystalline perfection, phase, composition, doping, and defect distribution. We outline the relevant physics of different mechanisms, concentrating on those yielding effects orthogonal to the primary growth variables of temperature and atomic or molecular fluxes and document the phenomenological effects reported. Based on experimental observations from a range of semiconductor systems and growth conditions, the primary effects include enhanced anion desorption, molecular dissociation, increased doping efficiency, modification tomore » defect populations and improvements to the crystalline quality of epilayers grown at low temperatures. Future research directions and technological applications are also discussed.« less

Investigation of aluminium ohmic contacts to n-type GaN grown by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kribes, Y.; Harrison, I.; Tuck, B.; Kim, K. S.; Cheng, T. S.; Foxon, C. T.

1997-11-01

Using epi-layers of different doping concentrations, we have investigated aluminium contacts on n-type gallium nitride grown by plasma source molecular beam epitaxy. To achieve repeatable and reliable results it was found that the semiconductor needed to be etched in aqua-regia before the deposition of the contact metallization. Scanning electron micrographs of the semiconductor surface show a deterioration of the semiconductor surface on etching. The specific contact resistivity of the etched samples were, however, superior. Annealing the contacts at 0268-1242/12/11/030/img9 produced contacts with the lowest specific contact resistance of 0268-1242/12/11/030/img10. The long-term aging of these contacts was also investigated. The contacts and the sheet resistance were both found to deteriorate over a three-month period.

Photoassisted physical vapor epitaxial growth of semiconductors: a review of light-induced modifications to growth processes

DOE PAGES

Alberi, Kirstin; Scarpulla, Michael A.

2017-11-22

Herein, we review the remarkable range of modifications to materials properties associated with photoexcitation of the growth surface during physical vapor epitaxy of semiconductors. We concentrate on mechanisms producing measureable, utilizable changes in crystalline perfection, phase, composition, doping, and defect distribution. We outline the relevant physics of different mechanisms, concentrating on those yielding effects orthogonal to the primary growth variables of temperature and atomic or molecular fluxes and document the phenomenological effects reported. Based on experimental observations from a range of semiconductor systems and growth conditions, the primary effects include enhanced anion desorption, molecular dissociation, increased doping efficiency, modification tomore » defect populations and improvements to the crystalline quality of epilayers grown at low temperatures. Future research directions and technological applications are also discussed.« less

Facility for low-temperature spin-polarized-scanning tunneling microscopy studies of magnetic/spintronic materials prepared in situ by nitride molecular beam epitaxy.

PubMed

Lin, Wenzhi; Foley, Andrew; Alam, Khan; Wang, Kangkang; Liu, Yinghao; Chen, Tianjiao; Pak, Jeongihm; Smith, Arthur R

2014-04-01

Based on the interest in, as well as exciting outlook for, nitride semiconductor based structures with regard to electronic, optoelectronic, and spintronic applications, it is compelling to investigate these systems using the powerful technique of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), a technique capable of achieving magnetic resolution down to the atomic scale. However, the delicate surfaces of these materials are easily corrupted by in-air transfers, making it unfeasible to study them in stand-alone ultra-high vacuum STM facilities. Therefore, we have carried out the development of a hybrid system including a nitrogen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy/pulsed laser epitaxy facility for sample growth combined with a low-temperature, spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope system. The custom-designed molecular beam epitaxy growth system supports up to eight sources, including up to seven effusion cells plus a radio frequency nitrogen plasma source, for epitaxially growing a variety of materials, such as nitride semiconductors, magnetic materials, and their hetero-structures, and also incorporating in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction. The growth system also enables integration of pulsed laser epitaxy. The STM unit has a modular design, consisting of an upper body and a lower body. The upper body contains the coarse approach mechanism and the scanner unit, while the lower body accepts molecular beam epitaxy grown samples using compression springs and sample skis. The design of the system employs two stages of vibration isolation as well as a layer of acoustic noise isolation in order to reduce noise during STM measurements. This isolation allows the system to effectively acquire STM data in a typical lab space, which during its construction had no special and highly costly elements included, (such as isolated slabs) which would lower the environmental noise. The design further enables tip exchange and tip coating without breaking vacuum, and convenient visual access to the sample and tip inside a superconducting magnet cryostat. A sample/tip handling system is optimized for both the molecular beam epitaxy growth system and the scanning tunneling microscope system. The sample/tip handing system enables in situ STM studies on epitaxially grown samples, and tip exchange in the superconducting magnet cryostat. The hybrid molecular beam epitaxy and low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy system is capable of growing semiconductor-based hetero-structures with controlled accuracy down to a single atomic-layer and imaging them down to atomic resolution.

Growth of Gallium Nitride Nanowires: A Study Using In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diaz Rivas, Rosa Estela

Owing to their special characteristics, group III-Nitride semiconductors have attracted special attention for their application in a wide range of optoelectronic devices. Of particular interest are their direct and wide band gaps that span from ultraviolet to the infrared wavelengths. In addition, their stronger bonds relative to the other compound semiconductors makes them thermally more stable, which provides devices with longer life time. However, the lattice mismatch between these semiconductors and their substrates cause the as-grown films to have high dislocation densities, reducing the life time of devices that contain these materials. One possible solution for this problem is to substitute single crystal semiconductor nanowires for epitaxial films. Due to their dimensionality, semiconductor nanowires typically have stress-free surfaces and better physical properties. In order to employ semiconductor nanowires as building blocks for nanoscale devices, a precise control of the nanowires' crystallinity, morphology, and chemistry is necessary. This control can be achieved by first developing a deeper understanding of the processes involved in the synthesis of nanowires, and then by determining the effects of temperature and pressure on their growth. This dissertation focuses on understanding of the growth processes involved in the formation of GaN nanowires. Nucleation and growth events were observed in situ and controlled in real-time using an environmental transmission electron microscope. These observations provide a satisfactory elucidation of the underlying growth mechanism during the formation of GaN nanowires. Nucleation of these nanowires appears to follow the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. However, nanowire growth is found to follow both the vapor-liquid-solid and vapor-solid-solid mechanisms. Direct evidence of the effects of III/V ratio on nanowire growth is also reported, which provides important information for tailoring the synthesis of GaN nanowires. These findings suggest in situ electron microscopy is a powerful tool to understand the growth of GaN nanowires and also that these experimental approach can be extended to study other binary semiconductor compound such as GaP, GaAs, and InP, or even ternary compounds such as InGaN. However, further experimental work is required to fully elucidate the kinetic effects on the growth process. A better control of the growth parameters is also recommended.

Vertically aligned GaAs nanowires on graphite and few-layer graphene: generic model and epitaxial growth.

PubMed

Munshi, A Mazid; Dheeraj, Dasa L; Fauske, Vidar T; Kim, Dong-Chul; van Helvoort, Antonius T J; Fimland, Bjørn-Ove; Weman, Helge

2012-09-12

By utilizing the reduced contact area of nanowires, we show that epitaxial growth of a broad range of semiconductors on graphene can in principle be achieved. A generic atomic model is presented which describes the epitaxial growth configurations applicable to all conventional semiconductor materials. The model is experimentally verified by demonstrating the growth of vertically aligned GaAs nanowires on graphite and few-layer graphene by the self-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid technique using molecular beam epitaxy. A two-temperature growth strategy was used to increase the nanowire density. Due to the self-catalyzed growth technique used, the nanowires were found to have a regular hexagonal cross-sectional shape, and are uniform in length and diameter. Electron microscopy studies reveal an epitaxial relationship of the grown nanowires with the underlying graphitic substrates. Two relative orientations of the nanowire side-facets were observed, which is well explained by the proposed atomic model. A prototype of a single GaAs nanowire photodetector demonstrates a high-quality material. With GaAs being a model system, as well as a very useful material for various optoelectronic applications, we anticipate this particular GaAs nanowire/graphene hybrid to be promising for flexible and low-cost solar cells.

Structure for implementation of back-illuminated CMOS or CCD imagers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor); Cunningham, Thomas J. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A structure for implementation of back-illuminated CMOS or CCD imagers. An epitaxial silicon layer is connected with a passivation layer, acting as a junction anode. The epitaxial silicon layer converts light passing through the passivation layer and collected by the imaging structure to photoelectrons. A semiconductor well is also provided, located opposite the passivation layer with respect to the epitaxial silicon layer, acting as a junction cathode. Prior to detection, light does not pass through a dielectric separating interconnection metal layers.

Method of Forming Three-Dimensional Semiconductors Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fathauer, Robert W. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

Silicon and metal are coevaporated onto a silicon substrate in a molecular beam epitaxy system with a larger than stoichiometric amount of silicon so as to epitaxially grow columns of metal silicide embedded in a matrix of single crystal, epitaxially grown silicon. Higher substrate temperatures and lower deposition rates yield larger columns that are farther apart while more silicon produces smaller columns. Column shapes and locations are selected by seeding the substrate with metal silicide starting regions. A variety of 3-dimensional, exemplary electronic devices are disclosed.

Optical Behavior of III-TM-N Materials and Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-26

0296 University of Florida GaN films were doped with Eu to a concentration of ~0.12 at. % during growth at 800 °C by molecular beam epitaxy , with...MAGNETIC SEMICONDUCTOR GROWTH AND CHARACTERIZATION Growth of the films presented occurred in a Varian Gen II by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy ...versus temperature for films of either undoped AlN, single phase AlMnN, or Mn4N. AlCrN films were grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) on c-plane

Fast Optoelectronic Switching Processes in Surface-Emitting Semiconductor Lasers and Nonlinear Etalons

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-01

molecular beam epitaxy (MWE). The crystal growers have been persuaded of the importance of this work, and several substrate rotation arrangements and In...RPG VCSELS for optical pumping at 800 wm GaAs/GaAlAs RPA etalons without epitaxial reflectors. The first three wafers were destined for above- and below...of MOCVD-grown GaAs/GaAIAs RPO- VCSEL samples with 20 quantum wells and epitaXial multilayer high-reflectivity stacks with R=3.995 and 0.999 was pumped

Semiconductor Laser Joint Study Program with Rome Laboratory

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

VCSELs 3.3 Laser Wafer Growth by Molecular Beam Epitaxy 8 The VCSEL structures were grown by molecular beam ...cavity surface emittimg lasers ( VCSEL ), Optical 40 interconnects, Moelcular beam epitaxy It CECOOE 17. SECURfTY CLASWICATION SECURFlY CLASSIFICATION 1 Q...7 3.3 Laser Wafer Growth by Molecular Beam Epitax. ............ 8 3.4 VCSEL Fabrication Process ................................................

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SEMICONDUCTOR INJECTION LASERS SELCO-87: Metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy of (GaAl)As for 0.85-μm laser diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, K.; Bugge, F.; Butzke, G.; Lehmann, L.; Schimko, R.

1988-11-01

Metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy was used to grow stripe heterolaser diodes that were hitherto fabricated by liquid phase epitaxy. The main relationships between the growth parameters (partial input pressures, temperatures) and the properties of materials (thicknesses, solid-solution compositions, carrier densities) were investigated. The results were in full agreement with the mechanism of growth controlled by a vapor-phase diffusion. The results achieved routinely in the growth of GaAs are reported. It is shown that double heterostructure laser diodes fabricated by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy compete favorably with those grown so far by liquid phase epitaxy, including their degradation and reliability.

Micro-opto-mechanical devices and systems using epitaxial lift off

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Camperi-Ginestet, C.; Kim, Young W.; Wilkinson, S.; Allen, M.; Jokerst, N. M.

1993-01-01

The integration of high quality, single crystal thin film gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP) based photonic and electronic materials and devices with host microstructures fabricated from materials such as silicon (Si), glass, and polymers will enable the fabrication of the next generation of micro-opto-mechanical systems (MOMS) and optoelectronic integrated circuits. Thin film semiconductor devices deposited onto arbitrary host substrates and structures create hybrid (more than one material) near-monolithic integrated systems which can be interconnected electrically using standard inexpensive microfabrication techniques such as vacuum metallization and photolithography. These integrated systems take advantage of the optical and electronic properties of compound semiconductor devices while still using host substrate materials such as silicon, polysilicon, glass and polymers in the microstructures. This type of materials optimization for specific tasks creates higher performance systems than those systems which must use trade-offs in device performance to integrate all of the function in a single material system. The low weight of these thin film devices also makes them attractive for integration with micromechanical devices which may have difficulty supporting and translating the full weight of a standard device. These thin film devices and integrated systems will be attractive for applications, however, only when the development of low cost, high yield fabrication and integration techniques makes their use economically feasible. In this paper, we discuss methods for alignment, selective deposition, and interconnection of thin film epitaxial GaAs and InP based devices onto host substrates and host microstructures.

III-V aresenide-nitride semiconductor materials and devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Major, Jo S. (Inventor); Welch, David F. (Inventor); Scifres, Donald R. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

III-V arsenide-nitride semiconductor crystals, methods for producing such crystals and devices employing such crystals. Group III elements are combined with group V elements, including at least nitrogen and arsenic, in concentrations chosen to lattice match commercially available crystalline substrates. Epitaxial growth of these III-V crystals results in direct bandgap materials, which can be used in applications such as light emitting diodes and lasers. Varying the concentrations of the elements in the III-V crystals varies the bandgaps, such that materials emitting light spanning the visible spectra, as well as mid-IR and near-UV emitters, can be created. Conversely, such material can be used to create devices that acquire light and convert the light to electricity, for applications such as full color photodetectors and solar energy collectors. The growth of the III-V crystals can be accomplished by growing thin layers of elements or compounds in sequences that result in the overall lattice match and bandgap desired.

Advanced Computational Modeling of Vapor Deposition in a High-Pressure Reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cardelino, Beatriz H.; Moore, Craig E.; McCall, Sonya D.; Cardelino, Carlos A.; Dietz, Nikolaus; Bachmann, Klaus

2004-01-01

In search of novel approaches to produce new materials for electro-optic technologies, advances have been achieved in the development of computer models for vapor deposition reactors in space. Numerical simulations are invaluable tools for costly and difficult processes, such as those experiments designed for high pressures and microgravity conditions. Indium nitride is a candidate compound for high-speed laser and photo diodes for optical communication system, as well as for semiconductor lasers operating into the blue and ultraviolet regions. But InN and other nitride compounds exhibit large thermal decomposition at its optimum growth temperature. In addition, epitaxy at lower temperatures and subatmospheric pressures incorporates indium droplets into the InN films. However, surface stabilization data indicate that InN could be grown at 900 K in high nitrogen pressures, and microgravity could provide laminar flow conditions. Numerical models for chemical vapor deposition have been developed, coupling complex chemical kinetics with fluid dynamic properties.

Advanced Computational Modeling of Vapor Deposition in a High-pressure Reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cardelino, Beatriz H.; Moore, Craig E.; McCall, Sonya D.; Cardelino, Carlos A.; Dietz, Nikolaus; Bachmann, Klaus

2004-01-01

In search of novel approaches to produce new materials for electro-optic technologies, advances have been achieved in the development of computer models for vapor deposition reactors in space. Numerical simulations are invaluable tools for costly and difficult processes, such as those experiments designed for high pressures and microgravity conditions. Indium nitride is a candidate compound for high-speed laser and photo diodes for optical communication system, as well as for semiconductor lasers operating into the blue and ultraviolet regions. But InN and other nitride compounds exhibit large thermal decomposition at its optimum growth temperature. In addition, epitaxy at lower temperatures and subatmospheric pressures incorporates indium droplets into the InN films. However, surface stabilization data indicate that InN could be grown at 900 K in high nitrogen pressures, and microgravity could provide laminar flow conditions. Numerical models for chemical vapor deposition have been developed, coupling complex chemical kinetics with fluid dynamic properties.

Epitaxial growth of 100-μm thick M-type hexaferrite crystals on wide bandgap semiconductor GaN/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Bolin; Su, Zhijuan; Bennett, Steve

2014-05-07

Thick barium hexaferrite BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} (BaM) films having thicknesses of ∼100 μm were epitaxially grown on GaN/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates from a molten-salt solution by vaporizing the solvent. X-ray diffraction measurement verified the growth of BaM (001) textured growth of thick films. Saturation magnetization, 4πM{sub s}, was measured for as-grown films to be 4.6 ± 0.2 kG and ferromagnetic resonance measurements revealed a microwave linewidth of ∼100 Oe at X-band. Scanning electron microscopy indicated clear hexagonal crystals distributed on the semiconductor substrate. These results demonstrate feasibility of growing M-type hexaferrite crystal films on wide bandgap semiconductor substrates by using a simplemore » powder melting method. It also presents a potential pathway for the integration of ferrite microwave passive devices with active semiconductor circuit elements creating system-on-a-wafer architectures.« less

Epitaxial graphene-encapsulated surface reconstruction of Ge(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Gavin P.; Kiraly, Brian; Jacobberger, Robert M.; Mannix, Andrew J.; Arnold, Michael S.; Hersam, Mark C.; Guisinger, Nathan P.; Bedzyk, Michael J.

2018-04-01

Understanding and engineering the properties of crystalline surfaces has been critical in achieving functional electronics at the nanoscale. Employing scanning tunneling microscopy, surface x-ray diffraction, and high-resolution x-ray reflectivity experiments, we present a thorough study of epitaxial graphene (EG)/Ge(110) and report a Ge(110) "6 × 2" reconstruction stabilized by the presence of epitaxial graphene unseen in group-IV semiconductor surfaces. X-ray studies reveal that graphene resides atop the surface reconstruction with a 0.34 nm van der Waals (vdW) gap and provides protection from ambient degradation.

High-quality EuO thin films the easy way via topotactic transformation

DOE PAGES

Mairoser, Thomas; Mundy, Julia A.; Melville, Alexander; ...

2015-07-16

Epitaxy is widely employed to create highly oriented crystalline films. A less appreciated, but nonetheless powerful means of creating such films is via topotactic transformation, in which a chemical reaction transforms a single crystal of one phase into a single crystal of a different phase, which inherits its orientation from the original crystal. Topotactic reactions may be applied to epitactic films to substitute, add or remove ions to yield epitactic films of different phases. Here we exploit a topotactic reduction reaction to provide a non-ultra-high vacuum (UHV) means of growing highly oriented single crystalline thin films of the easily over-oxidizedmore » half-metallic semiconductor europium monoxide (EuO) with a perfection rivalling that of the best films of the same material grown by molecular-beam epitaxy or UHV pulsed-laser deposition. Lastly, as the technique only requires high-vacuum deposition equipment, it has the potential to drastically improve the accessibility of high-quality single crystalline films of EuO as well as other difficult-to-synthesize compounds.« less

Real-time x-ray studies of crystal growth modes during metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy of GaN on c- and m-plane single crystals

DOE PAGES

Perret, Edith; Highland, M. J.; Stephenson, G. B.; ...

2014-08-04

Non-polar orientations of III-nitride semiconductors have attracted significant interest due to their potential application in optoelectronic devices with enhanced efficiency. Using in-situ surface x-ray scattering during metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) of GaN on non-polar (m-plane) and polar (c-plane) orientations of single crystal substrates, we have observed the homoepitaxial growth modes as a function of temperature and growth rate. On the m-plane surface we observe all three growth modes (step-flow, layer-by-layer, and three-dimensional) as conditions are varied. In contrast, the +c-plane surface exhibits a direct cross over between step-flow and 3-D growth, with no layer-by-layer regime. The apparent activation energymore » of 2.8 ± 0.2 eV observed for the growth rate at the layer-by-layer to step-flow boundary on the m-plane surface is consistent with those observed for MOVPE growth of other III-V compounds, indicating a large critical nucleus size for islands.« less

Crystal Growth of ZnSe and Related Ternary Compound Semiconductors by Vapor Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ching-Hua; Burger, Arnold; Dudley, Michael; Matyi, Richard J.; Ramachandran, Narayanan; Sha, Yi-Gao; Volz, Martin; Shih, Hung-Dah

1998-01-01

Interest in optical devices which can operate in the visible spectrum has motivated research interest in the II-VI wide band gap semiconductor materials. The recent challenge for semiconductor opto-electronics is the development of a laser which can operate at short visible wavelengths, In the past several years, major advances in thin film technology such as molecular beam epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapor deposition have demonstrated the applicability of II-VI materials to important devices such as light-emitting diodes, lasers, and ultraviolet detectors.The demonstration of its optical bistable properties in bulk and thin film forms also make ZnSe a possible candidate material for the building blocks of a digital optical computer. Despite this, developments in the crystal growth of bulk II-VI semiconductor materials has not advanced far enough to provide the low price, high quality substrates needed for the thin film growth technology. The electrical and optical properties of semiconductor materials depend on the native point defects, (the deviation from stoichiometry), and the impurity or dopant distribution. To date, the bulk growth of ZnSe substrates has been plagued with problems related to defects such as non-uniform distributions of native defects, impurities and dopants, lattice strain, dislocations, grain boundaries, and second phase inclusions which greatly effect the device performance. In the bulk crystal growth of some technologically important semiconductors, such as ZnTe, CdS, ZnSe and ZnS, vapor growth techniques have significant advantages over melt growth techniques due to the high melting points of these materials.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jana, Dipankar, E-mail: dip2602@gmail.com; Porwal, S.; Sharma, T. K., E-mail: tarun@rrcat.gov.in

Pump-probe Surface Photovoltage Spectroscopy (SPS) measurements are performed on semiconductor epitaxial layers. Here, an additional sub-bandgap cw pump laser beam is used in a conventional chopped light geometry SPS setup under the pump-probe configuration. The main role of pump laser beam is to saturate the sub-bandgap localized states whose contribution otherwise swamp the information related to the bandgap of material. It also affects the magnitude of Dember voltage in case of semi-insulating (SI) semiconductor substrates. Pump-probe SPS technique enables an accurate determination of the bandgap of semiconductor epitaxial layers even under the strong influence of localized sub-bandgap states. The pumpmore » beam is found to be very effective in suppressing the effect of surface/interface and bulk trap states. The overall magnitude of SPV signal is decided by the dependence of charge separation mechanisms on the intensity of the pump beam. On the contrary, an above bandgap cw pump laser can be used to distinguish the signatures of sub-bandgap states by suppressing the band edge related feature. Usefulness of the pump-probe SPS technique is established by unambiguously determining the bandgap of p-GaAs epitaxial layers grown on SI-GaAs substrates, SI-InP wafers, and p-GaN epilayers grown on Sapphire substrates.« less

Near-Infrared Photoluminescence Enhancement in Ge/CdS and Ge/ZnS Core/Shell Nanocrystals: Utilizing IV/II-VI Semiconductor Epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo, Yijun; Rowland, Clare E; Schaller, Richard D

2014-08-26

Ge nanocrystals have a large Bohr radius and a small, size-tunable band gap that may engender direct character via strain or doping. Colloidal Ge nanocrystals are particularly interesting in the development of near-infrared materials for applications in bioimaging, telecommunications and energy conversion. Epitaxial growth of a passivating shell is a common strategy employed in the synthesis of highly luminescent II–VI, III–V and IV–VI semiconductor quantum dots. Here, we use relatively unexplored IV/II–VI epitaxy as a way to enhance the photoluminescence and improve the optical stability of colloidal Ge nanocrystals. Selected on the basis of their relatively small lattice mismatch comparedmore » with crystalline Ge, we explore the growth of epitaxial CdS and ZnS shells using the successive ion layer adsorption and reaction method. Powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques, including energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction, clearly show the controllable growth of as many as 20 epitaxial monolayers of CdS atop Ge cores. In contrast, Ge etching and/or replacement by ZnS result in relatively small Ge/ZnS nanocrystals. The presence of an epitaxial II–VI shell greatly enhances the near-infrared photoluminescence and improves the photoluminescence stability of Ge. Ge/II–VI nanocrystals are reproducibly 1–3 orders of magnitude brighter than the brightest Ge cores. Ge/4.9CdS core/shells show the highest photoluminescence quantum yield and longest radiative recombination lifetime. Thiol ligand exchange easily results in near-infrared active, water-soluble Ge/II–VI nanocrystals. We expect this synthetic IV/II–VI epitaxial approach will lead to further studies into the optoelectronic behavior and practical applications of Si and Ge-based nanomaterials.« less

III-V compound semiconductor growth on silicon via germanium buffer and surface passivation for CMOS technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Donghun

Integration of III-V compound semiconductors on silicon substrates has recently received much attention for the development of optoelectronic and high speed electronic devices. However, it is well known that there are some key challenges for the realization of III-V device fabrication on Si substrates: (i) the large lattice mismatch (in case of GaAs: 4.1%), and (ii) the formation of antiphase domain (APD) due to the polar compound semiconductor growth on non-polar elemental structure. Besides these growth issues, the lack of a useful surface passivation technology for compound semiconductors has precluded development of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices and causes high surface recombination parasitics in scaled devices. This work demonstrates the growth of high quality III-V materials on Si via an intermediate Ge buffer layer and some surface passivation methods to reduce interface defect density for the fabrication of MOS devices. The initial goal was to achieve both low threading dislocation density (TDD) and low surface roughness on Ge-on-Si heterostructure growth. This was achieved by repeating a deposition-annealing cycle consisting of low temperature deposition + high temperature-high rate deposition + high temperature hydrogen annealing, using reduced-pressure chemical-vapor deposition (CVD). We then grew III-V materials on the Ge/Si virtual substrates using molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). The relationship between initial Ge surface configuration and antiphase boundary formation was investigated using surface reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns and atomic force microscopy (AFM) image analysis. In addition, some MBE growth techniques, such as migration enhanced epitaxy (MEE) and low temperature GaAs growth, were adopted to improve surface roughness and solve the Ge self-doping problem. Finally, an Al2O3 gate oxide layer was deposited using atomic-layer-deposition (ALD) system after HCl native oxide etching and ALD in-situ pre-annealing at 400 °C. A 100 nm thick aluminum layer was deposited to form the gate contact for a MOS device fabrication. C-V measurement results show very small frequency dispersion and 200-300 mV hysteresis, comparable to our best results for InGaAs/GaAs MOS structures on GaAs substrate. Most notably, the quasi-static C-V curve demonstrates clear inversion layer formation. I-V curves show a reasonable leakage current level. The inferred midgap interface state density, Dit, of 2.4 x 1012 eV-1cm-2 was calculated by combined high-low frequency capacitance method. In addition, we investigated the interface properties of amorphous LaAlO 3/GaAs MOS capacitors fabricated on GaAs substrate. The surface was protected during sample transfer between III-V and oxide molecular beam deposition (MBD) chambers by a thick arsenic-capping layer. An annealing method, a low temperature-short time RTA followed by a high temperature RTA, was developed, yielding extremely small hysteresis (˜ 30 mV), frequency dispersion (˜ 60 mV), and interface trap density (mid 1010 eV-1cm -2). We used capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) measurements for electrical characterization of MOS devices, tapping-mode AFM for surface morphology analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for chemical elements analysis of interface, cross section transmission-electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and photoluminescence (PL) measurement for film quality characterization. This successful growth and appropriate surface treatments of III-V materials provides a first step for the fabrication of III-V optical and electrical devices on the same Si-based electronic circuits.

Carrier Density Modulation in Ge Heterostructure by Ferroelectric Switching

DOE PAGES

Ponath, Patrick; Fredrickson, Kurt; Posadas, Agham B.; ...

2015-01-14

The development of nonvolatile logic through direct coupling of spontaneous ferroelectric polarization with semiconductor charge carriers is nontrivial, with many issues, including epitaxial ferroelectric growth, demonstration of ferroelectric switching, and measurable semiconductor modulation. Here we report a true ferroelectric field effect carrier density modulation in an underlying Ge(001) substrate by switching of the ferroelectric polarization in the epitaxial c-axis-oriented BaTiO3 (BTO) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on Ge. Using density functional theory, we demonstrate that switching of BTO polarization results in a large electric potential change in Ge. Aberration-corrected electron microscopy confirms the interface sharpness, and BTO tetragonality. Electron-energy-lossmore » spectroscopy (EELS) indicates the absence of any low permittivity interlayer at the interface with Ge. Using piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM), we confirm the presence of fully switchable, stable ferroelectric polarization in BTO that appears to be single domain. Using microwave impedance microscopy (MIM), we clearly demonstrate a ferroelectric field effect.« less

Low-temperature plasma-deposited silicon epitaxial films: Growth and properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Demaurex, Bénédicte, E-mail: benedicte.demaurex@epfl.ch; Bartlome, Richard; Seif, Johannes P.

2014-08-07

Low-temperature (≤200 °C) epitaxial growth yields precise thickness, doping, and thermal-budget control, which enables advanced-design semiconductor devices. In this paper, we use plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition to grow homo-epitaxial layers and study the different growth modes on crystalline silicon substrates. In particular, we determine the conditions leading to epitaxial growth in light of a model that depends only on the silane concentration in the plasma and the mean free path length of surface adatoms. For such growth, we show that the presence of a persistent defective interface layer between the crystalline silicon substrate and the epitaxial layer stems not only frommore » the growth conditions but also from unintentional contamination of the reactor. Based on our findings, we determine the plasma conditions to grow high-quality bulk epitaxial films and propose a two-step growth process to obtain device-grade material.« less

Low-temperature plasma-deposited silicon epitaxial films: Growth and properties

DOE PAGES

Demaurex, Bénédicte; Bartlome, Richard; Seif, Johannes P.; ...

2014-08-05

Low-temperature (≤ 180 °C) epitaxial growth yields precise thickness, doping, and thermal-budget control, which enables advanced-design semiconductor devices. In this paper, we use plasma-ehanced chemical vapor deposition to grow homo-epitaxial layers and study the different growth modes on crystalline silicon substrates. In particular, we determine the conditions leading to epitaxial growth in light of a model that depends only on the silane concentration in the plasma and the mean free path length of surface adatoms. For such growth, we show that the presence of a persistent defective interface layer between the crystalline silicon substrate and the epitaxial layer stems notmore » only from the growth conditions but also from unintentional contamination of the reactor. As a result of our findings, we determine the plasma conditions to grow high-quality bulk epitaxial films and propose a two-step growth process to obtain device-grade material.« less

Gordon Research Conference on Crystal Growth (1990)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

Labs, MH) 14. Cox Vapor Levitation Epitaxy of Quantum Wires and Wire-like Structures Using Laterally Propagating Surface Steps. (Bellcore, Red Bank) 15...introduced many new aspects of crystal growth, including strained layer superlattices, quantum cluster growth, and vertical zone melting of GaAs...Films 2. E. Bauser Semiconductor Liquid Phase Epitaxy: Growth and Properties of Layers and Heterostructures 3. M. L. Steigerwald Growth of Quantum

Lattice matched semiconductor growth on crystalline metallic substrates

DOEpatents

Norman, Andrew G; Ptak, Aaron J; McMahon, William E

2013-11-05

Methods of fabricating a semiconductor layer or device and said devices are disclosed. The methods include but are not limited to providing a metal or metal alloy substrate having a crystalline surface with a known lattice parameter (a). The methods further include growing a crystalline semiconductor alloy layer on the crystalline substrate surface by coincident site lattice matched epitaxy. The semiconductor layer may be grown without any buffer layer between the alloy and the crystalline surface of the substrate. The semiconductor alloy may be prepared to have a lattice parameter (a') that is related to the lattice parameter (a). The semiconductor alloy may further be prepared to have a selected band gap.

Epitaxial MoS2/GaN structures to enable vertical 2D/3D semiconductor heterostructure devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzmetov, D.; Zhang, K.; Stan, G.; Kalanyan, B.; Eichfeld, S.; Burke, R.; Shah, P.; O'Regan, T.; Crowne, F.; Birdwell, A. G.; Robinson, J.; Davydov, A.; Ivanov, T.

MoS2/GaN structures are investigated as a building block for vertical 2D/3D semiconductor heterostructure devices that utilize a 3D substrate (GaN) as an active component of the semiconductor device without the need of mechanical transfer of the 2D layer. Our CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 has been shown to be epitaxially aligned to the GaN lattice which is a pre-requisite for high quality 2D/3D interfaces desired for efficient vertical transport and large area growth. The MoS2 coverage is nearly 50 % including isolated triangles and monolayer islands. The GaN template is a double-layer grown by MOCVD on sapphire and allows for measurement of transport perpendicular to the 2D layer. Photoluminescence, Raman, XPS, Kelvin force probe microscopy, and SEM analysis identified high quality monolayer MoS2. The MoS2/GaN structures electrically conduct in the out-of-plane direction and across the van der Waals gap, as measured with conducting AFM (CAFM). The CAFM current maps and I-V characteristics are analyzed to estimate the MoS2/GaN contact resistivity to be less than 4 Ω-cm2 and current spreading in the MoS2 monolayer to be approx. 1 μm in diameter. Epitaxial MoS2/GaN heterostructures present a promising platform for the design of energy-efficient, high-speed vertical devices incorporating 2D layered materials with 3D semiconductors.

Generic process for preparing a crystalline oxide upon a group IV semiconductor substrate

DOEpatents

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick J.; Chisholm, Matthew F.

2000-01-01

A process for growing a crystalline oxide epitaxially upon the surface of a Group IV semiconductor, as well as a structure constructed by the process, is described. The semiconductor can be germanium or silicon, and the crystalline oxide can generally be represented by the formula (AO).sub.n (A'BO.sub.3).sub.m in which "n" and "m" are non-negative integer repeats of planes of the alkaline earth oxides or the alkaline earth-containing perovskite oxides. With atomic level control of interfacial thermodynamics in a multicomponent semiconductor/oxide system, a highly perfect interface between a semiconductor and a crystalline oxide can be obtained.

Epitaxial growth of three dimensionally structured III-V photonic crystal via hydride vapor phase epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, Qiye; Kim, Honggyu; Zhang, Runyu

2015-12-14

Three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystals are one class of materials where epitaxy, and the resultant attractive electronic properties, would enable new functionalities for optoelectronic devices. Here we utilize self-assembled colloidal templates to fabricate epitaxially grown single crystal 3D mesostructured GaxIn1-xP (GaInP) semiconductor photonic crystals using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The epitaxial relationship between the 3D GaInP and the substrate is preserved during the growth through the complex geometry of the template as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. XRD reciprocal space mapping of the 3D epitaxial layer further demonstrates the film to be nearly fullymore » relaxed with a negligible strain gradient. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reflection measurement indicates the optical properties of the photonic crystal which agree with finite difference time domain simulations. This work extends the scope of the very few known methods for the fabrication of epitaxial III-V 3D mesostructured materials to the well-developed HVPE technique.« less

Epitaxial growth of three dimensionally structured III-V photonic crystal via hydride vapor phase epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, Qiye; Kim, Honggyu; Zhang, Runyu

2015-12-14

Three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystals are one class of materials where epitaxy, and the resultant attractive electronic properties, would enable new functionalities for optoelectronic devices. Here we utilize self-assembled colloidal templates to fabricate epitaxially grown single crystal 3D mesostructured Ga{sub x}In{sub 1−x}P (GaInP) semiconductor photonic crystals using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The epitaxial relationship between the 3D GaInP and the substrate is preserved during the growth through the complex geometry of the template as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. XRD reciprocal space mapping of the 3D epitaxial layer further demonstrates the film to bemore » nearly fully relaxed with a negligible strain gradient. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reflection measurement indicates the optical properties of the photonic crystal which agree with finite difference time domain simulations. This work extends the scope of the very few known methods for the fabrication of epitaxial III-V 3D mesostructured materials to the well-developed HVPE technique.« less

Strained-layer epitaxy of germanium-silicon alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bean, J. C.

1985-10-01

Strained-layer epitaxy is presented as a developing technique for combining Si with other materials in order to obtain semiconductors with enhanced electronic properties. The method involves applying layers sufficiently thin so that the atoms deposited match the bonding configurations of the substrate crystal. When deposited on Si, a four-fold bonding pattern is retained, with a lowered interfacial energy and augmented stored strain energy in the epitaxial layer. The main problem which remains is building an epitaxial layer thick enough to yield desired epitaxial properties while avoiding a reversion to an unstrained structure. The application of a Ge layer to Si using MBE is described, along with the formation of heterojunction multi-layer superlattices, which can reduce the dislocation effects in some homojunctions. The technique shows promise for developing materials of use as bipolar transistors, optical detectors and fiber optic transmission devices.

Epitaxial heterojunctions of oxide semiconductors and metals on high temperature superconductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vasquez, Richard P. (Inventor); Hunt, Brian D. (Inventor); Foote, Marc C. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

Epitaxial heterojunctions formed between high temperature superconductors and metallic or semiconducting oxide barrier layers are provided. Metallic perovskites such as LaTiO3, CaVO3, and SrVO3 are grown on electron-type high temperature superconductors such as Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-x). Alternatively, transition metal bronzes of the form A(x)MO(3) are epitaxially grown on electron-type high temperature superconductors. Also, semiconducting oxides of perovskite-related crystal structures such as WO3 are grown on either hole-type or electron-type high temperature superconductors.

An ultrahigh vacuum, low-energy ion-assisted deposition system for III-V semiconductor film growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohde, S.; Barnett, S. A.; Choi, C.-H.

1989-06-01

A novel ion-assisted deposition system is described in which the substrate and growing film can be bombarded with high current densities (greater than 1 mA/sq cm) of very low energy (10-200 eV) ions. The system design philosophy is similar to that used in III-V semiconductor molecular-beam epitaxy systems: the chamber is an all-metal ultrahigh vacuum system with liquid-nitrogen-cooled shrouds, Knudsen-cell evaporation sources, a sample insertion load-lock, and a 30-kV reflection high-energy electron diffraction system. III-V semiconductor film growth is achieved using evaporated group-V fluxes and group-III elemental fluxes sputtered from high-purity targets using ions extracted from a triode glow discharge. Using an In target and an As effusion cell, InAs deposition rates R of 2 microns/h have been obtained. Epitaxial growth of InAs was observed on both GaSb(100) and Si(100) substrates.

Methods for fabricating thin film III-V compound solar cell

DOEpatents

Pan, Noren; Hillier, Glen; Vu, Duy Phach; Tatavarti, Rao; Youtsey, Christopher; McCallum, David; Martin, Genevieve

2011-08-09

The present invention utilizes epitaxial lift-off in which a sacrificial layer is included in the epitaxial growth between the substrate and a thin film III-V compound solar cell. To provide support for the thin film III-V compound solar cell in absence of the substrate, a backing layer is applied to a surface of the thin film III-V compound solar cell before it is separated from the substrate. To separate the thin film III-V compound solar cell from the substrate, the sacrificial layer is removed as part of the epitaxial lift-off. Once the substrate is separated from the thin film III-V compound solar cell, the substrate may then be reused in the formation of another thin film III-V compound solar cell.

Fabrication of precision high quality facets on molecular beam epitaxy material

DOEpatents

Petersen, Holly E.; Goward, William D.; Dijaili, Sol P.

2001-01-01

Fabricating mirrored vertical surfaces on semiconductor layered material grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Low energy chemically assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE) is employed to prepare mirrored vertical surfaces on MBE-grown III-V materials under unusually low concentrations of oxygen in evacuated etching atmospheres of chlorine and xenon ion beams. UV-stabilized smooth-surfaced photoresist materials contribute to highly vertical, high quality mirrored surfaces during the etching.

Commercial aspects of epitaxial thin film growth in outer space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ignatiev, Alex; Chu, C. W.

1988-01-01

A new concept for materials processing in space exploits the ultra vacuum component of space for thin film epitaxial growth. The unique low earth orbit space environment is expected to yield 10 to the -14th torr or better pressures, semiinfinite pumping speeds and large ultra vacuum volume (about 100 cu m) without walls. These space ultra vacuum properties promise major improvement in the quality, unique nature, and the throughput of epitaxially grown materials especially in the area of semiconductors for microelectronics use. For such thin film materials there is expected a very large value added from space ultra vacuum processing, and as a result the application of the epitaxial thin film growth technology to space could lead to major commercial efforts in space.

Liquid-Phase Epitaxial Growth of ZnS, ZnSe and Their Mixed Compounds Using Te as Solvent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Hiroshi; Aoki, Masaharu

1981-01-01

Epitaxial layers of ZnS, ZnSe and their mixed compounds were grown on ZnS substrates by the liquid-phase epitaxial growth (LPE) method using Te as the solvent. The open-tube slide-boat technique was used, and a suitable starting temperature for growth was found to be 850°C for ZnS and 700-800°C for ZnSe. The ZnS epitaxial layers grown on {111}A and {111}B oriented ZnS substrates were thin (˜1 μm) and smooth, had low, uniform Te concentrations (˜0.1 at.%) and were highly luminescent. The ZnSe epitaxial layers were relatively thick (10-30 μm) and had fairly high Te concentrations (a few at.%). Various mixed compound ZnS1-xSex were also grown on ZnS substrates.

Quantum ballistic transport in strained epitaxial germanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gul, Y.; Holmes, S. N.; Newton, P. J.; Ellis, D. J. P.; Morrison, C.; Pepper, M.; Barnes, C. H. W.; Myronov, M.

2017-12-01

Large scale fabrication using Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor compatible technology of semiconductor nanostructures that operate on the principles of quantum transport is an exciting possibility now due to the recent development of ultra-high mobility hole gases in epitaxial germanium grown on standard silicon substrates. We present here a ballistic transport study of patterned surface gates on strained Ge quantum wells with SiGe barriers, which confirms the quantum characteristics of the Ge heavy hole valence band structure in 1-dimension. Quantised conductance at multiples of 2e2/h is a universal feature of hole transport in Ge up to 10 × (2e2/h). The behaviour of ballistic plateaus with finite source-drain bias and applied magnetic field is elucidated. In addition, a reordering of the ground state is observed.

High gain photoconductive semiconductor switch having tailored doping profile zones

DOEpatents

Baca, Albert G.; Loubriel, Guillermo M.; Mar, Alan; Zutavern, Fred J; Hjalmarson, Harold P.; Allerman, Andrew A.; Zipperian, Thomas E.; O'Malley, Martin W.; Helgeson, Wesley D.; Denison, Gary J.; Brown, Darwin J.; Sullivan, Charles T.; Hou, Hong Q.

2001-01-01

A photoconductive semiconductor switch with tailored doping profile zones beneath and extending laterally from the electrical contacts to the device. The zones are of sufficient depth and lateral extent to isolate the contacts from damage caused by the high current filaments that are created in the device when it is turned on. The zones may be formed by etching depressions into the substrate, then conducting epitaxial regrowth in the depressions with material of the desired doping profile. They may be formed by surface epitaxy. They may also be formed by deep diffusion processes. The zones act to reduce the energy density at the contacts by suppressing collective impact ionization and formation of filaments near the contact and by reducing current intensity at the contact through enhanced current spreading within the zones.

Crystallinity of the epitaxial heterojunction of C60 on single crystal pentacene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuruta, Ryohei; Mizuno, Yuta; Hosokai, Takuya; Koganezawa, Tomoyuki; Ishii, Hisao; Nakayama, Yasuo

2017-06-01

The structure of pn heterojunctions is an important subject in the field of organic semiconductor devices. In this work, the crystallinity of an epitaxial pn heterojunction of C60 on single crystal pentacene is investigated by non-contact mode atomic force microscopy and high-resolution grazing incidence x-ray diffraction. Analysis shows that the C60 molecules assemble into grains consisting of single crystallites on the pentacene single crystal surface. The in-plane mean crystallite size exceeds 0.1 μm, which is at least five time larger than the size of crystallites deposited onto polycrystalline pentacene thin films grown on SiO2. The results indicate that improvement in the crystal quality of the underlying molecular substrate leads to drastic promotion of the crystallinity at the organic semiconductor heterojunction.

Metamorphic Epitaxy for Multijunction Solar Cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

France, Ryan M.; Dimroth, Frank; Grassman, Tyler J.

Multijunction solar cells have proven to be capable of extremely high efficiencies by combining multiple semiconductor materials with bandgaps tuned to the solar spectrum. Reaching the optimum set of semiconductors often requires combining high-quality materials with different lattice constants into a single device, a challenge particularly suited for metamorphic epitaxy. In this article, we describe different approaches to metamorphic multijunction solar cells, including traditional upright metamorphic, state-of-the-art inverted metamorphic, and forward-looking multijunction designs on silicon. We also describe the underlying materials science of graded buffers that enables metamorphic subcells with low dislocation densities. Following nearly two decades of research, recentmore » efforts have demonstrated high-quality lattice-mismatched multijunction solar cells with very little performance loss related to the mismatch, enabling solar-to-electric conversion efficiencies over 45%.« less

Monolithic integration of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser and a metal semiconductor field effect transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Y. J.; Dziura, T. G.; Bardin, T.; Wang, S. C.; Fernandez, R.; Liao, Andrew S. H.

1993-02-01

Monolithic integration of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and a metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) is reported for the first time. The epitaxial layers for both GaAs VCSELs and MESFETs are grown on an n-type GaAs substrate by molecular-beam epitaxy at the same time. The VCSELs with a 10-micron diam active region exhibit an average threshold current (Ith) of 6 mA and a continuous wave (CW) maximum power of 1.1 mW. The MESFETs with a 3-micron gate length have a transconductance of 50 mS/mm. The laser output is modulated by the gate voltage of the MESFETs and exhibits an optical/electrical conversion factor of 0.5 mW/V.

Substrate Temperature effect on the transition characteristics of Vanadium (IV) oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tsung-Han; Wei, Wei; Jin, Chunming; Narayan, Jay

2008-10-01

One of the semiconductor to metal transition material (SMT) is Vanadium Oxide (VO2) which has a very sharp transition temperature close to 340 K as the crystal structure changes from monoclinic phase (semiconductor) into tetragonal phase (metal phase). We have grown high-quality epitaxial vanadium oxide (VO2) films on sapphire (0001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition for oxygen pressure 10-2torr and obtained interesting results without further annealing treatments. The epitaxial growth via domain matching epitaxy, where integral multiples of planes matched across the film-substrate interface. We were able to control the transition characteristics such as the sharpness (T), amplitude (A) of SMT transition and the width of thermal hysteresis (H) by altering the substrate temperature from 300 ^oC, 400 ^oC, 500 ^oC, and 600 ^oC. We use the XRD to identify the microstructure of film and measure the optical properties of film. Finally the transition characteristics is observed by the resistance with the increase of temperature by Van Der Pauw method from 25 to 100 ^oC to measure the electrical resistivity hystersis loop during the transition temperature.

InGaAsN/GaAs heterojunction for multi-junction solar cells

DOEpatents

Kurtz, Steven R.; Allerman, Andrew A.; Klem, John F.; Jones, Eric D.

2001-01-01

An InGaAsN/GaAs semiconductor p-n heterojunction is disclosed for use in forming a 0.95-1.2 eV bandgap photodetector with application for use in high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells. The InGaAsN/GaAs p-n heterojunction is formed by epitaxially growing on a gallium arsenide (GaAs) or germanium (Ge) substrate an n-type indium gallium arsenide nitride (InGaAsN) layer having a semiconductor alloy composition In.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As.sub.1-y N.sub.y with 070%.

Surface and Thin Film Analysis during Metal Organic Vapour Phase Epitaxial Growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Wolfgang

2007-06-01

In-situ analysis of epitaxial growth is the essential ingredient in order to understand the growth process, to optimize growth and last but not least to monitor or even control the epitaxial growth on a microscopic scale. In MBE (molecular beam epitaxy) in-situ analysis tools existed right from the beginning because this technique developed from Surface Science technology with all its electron based analysis tools (LEED, RHEED, PES etc). Vapour Phase Epitaxy, in contrast, remained for a long time in an empirical stage ("alchemy") because only post growth characterisations like photoluminescence, Hall effect and electrical conductivity were available. Within the last two decades, however, optical techniques were developed which provide similar capabilities as in MBE for Vapour Phase growth. I will discuss in this paper the potential of Reflectance Anisotropy Spectroscopy (RAS) and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) for the growth of thin epitaxial semiconductor layers with zincblende (GaAs etc) and wurtzite structure (GaN etc). Other techniques and materials will be also mentioned.

Fermi level pinning at epitaxial Si on GaAs(100) interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silberman, J. A.; de Lyon, T. J.; Woodall, J. M.

1991-12-01

GaAs Schottky barrier contacts and metal-insulator-semiconductor structures that include thin epitaxial Si interfacial layers operate in a manner consistent with an unpinned Fermi level at the GaAs interface. These findings raise the question of whether this effect is an intrinsic property of the epitaxial GaAs(100)-Si interface. We have used x-ray photoemission spectroscopy to monitor the Fermi level position during in situ growth of thin epitaxial Si layers. In particular, films formed on heavily doped n- and p-type substrates were compared so as to use the large depletion layer fields available with high impurity concentration as a field-effect probe of the interface state density. The results demonstrate that epitaxial bonding at the interface alone is insufficient to eliminate Fermi level pinning, indicating that other mechanisms affect the interfacial charge balance in the devices that utilize Si interlayers.

Buried Porous Silicon-Germanium Layers in Monocrystalline Silicon Lattices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fathauer, Robert W. (Inventor); George, Thomas (Inventor); Jones, Eric W. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

Monocrystalline semiconductor lattices with a buried porous semiconductor layer having different chemical composition is discussed and monocrystalline semiconductor superlattices with a buried porous semiconductor layers having different chemical composition than that of its monocrystalline semiconductor superlattice are discussed. Lattices of alternating layers of monocrystalline silicon and porous silicon-germanium have been produced. These single crystal lattices have been fabricated by epitaxial growth of Si and Si-Ge layers followed by patterning into mesa structures. The mesa structures are strain etched resulting in porosification of the Si-Ge layers with a minor amount of porosification of the monocrystalline Si layers. Thicker Si-Ge layers produced in a similar manner emitted visible light at room temperature.

Process for depositing an oxide epitaxially onto a silicon substrate and structures prepared with the process

DOEpatents

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick J.

1993-01-01

A process and structure involving a silicon substrate utilizes an ultra high vacuum and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) methods to grow an epitaxial oxide film upon a surface of the substrate. As the film is grown, the lattice of the compound formed at the silicon interface becomes stabilized, and a base layer comprised of an oxide having a sodium chloride-type lattice structure grows epitaxially upon the compound so as to cover the substrate surface. A perovskite may then be grown epitaxially upon the base layer to render a product which incorporates silicon, with its electronic capabilities, with a perovskite having technologically-significant properties of its own.

Design and development of short- and long-wavelength MQW infrared vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iliadis, Agisilaos A.; Christou, Aristos

2003-07-01

The design, fabrication and performance of low threshold selectively oxidized infrared vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) for operation at 0.89μm and 1.55μm wavelengths using optimized graded Bragg mirrors, is reported. The devices are based on III-V ternary (AlGaAs/GaAs) and quaternary (AlInGaAs/GaInAsP/InP) graded semiconductor alloys and quantum wells and are grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy. The VCSEL arrays are processed using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching with BCl3 gas mixtures to achieve vertical walls and small geometries, and the fabrication of the devices proceeds by using conventional Ohmic contacts (Ti-Pt-Au and Ni-Au-Ge-Ni) and indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent contacts. The theoretical investigation of the optical properties of the quaternary compound semiconductor alloys allows us to select the optimum materials for highly reflective Bragg mirrors with less periods. The simulation of the designed VCSEL performance has been carried out by evaluation of the important laser characteristics such as threshold gain, threshold current density and external quantum efficiency.

Chemical beam epitaxy for high efficiency photovoltaic devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bensaoula, A.; Freundlich, A.; Vilela, M. F.; Medelci, N.; Renaud, P.

1994-01-01

InP-based multijunction tandem solar cells show great promise for the conversion efficiency (eta) and high radiation resistance. InP and its related ternary and quanternary compound semiconductors such as InGaAs and InGaAsP offer desirable combinations for energy bandgap values which are very suitable for multijunction tandem solar cell applications. The monolithically integrated InP/In(0.53)Ga(0.47)As tandem solar cells are expected to reach efficiencies above 30 percent. Wanlass, et.al., have reported AMO efficiencies as high as 20.1% for two terminal cells fabricated using atmospheric-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (APMOVPE). The main limitations in their technique are first related to the degradation of the intercell ohmic contact (IOC), in this case the In(0.53)Ga(0.47)As tunnel junction during the growth of the top InP subcell structure, and second to the current matching, often limited by the In(0.53)Ga(0.47)As bottom subcell. Chemical beam epitaxy (CBE) has been shown to allow the growth of high quality materials with reproducible complex compositional and doping profiles. The main advantage of CBE compared to metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), the most popular technique for InP-based photovoltaic device fabrication, is the ability to grow high purity epilayers at much lower temperatures (450 C - 530 C). In a recent report it was shown that cost-wise CBE is a breakthrough technology for photovoltaic (PV) solar energy progress in the energy conversion efficiency of InP-based solar cells fabricated using chemical beam epitaxy. This communication summarizes our recent results on PV devices and demonstrates the strength of this new technology.

Bandgap Tuning of GaAs/GaAsSb Core-Shell Nanowires Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-21

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Semiconductor nanowires have been identified as a viable technology for next-generation infrared (IR) photodetectors with... nanowires , by varying the Sb content using Ga-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. An increase in Sb content leads to strain accumulation in shell...manifesting in rough surface morphology, multifaceted growths, curved nanowires , and deterioration in the 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Microwave Semiconductor Research-Materials, Devices and Circuits.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-01

Quantum Well and Graded Refractive Index Separate Confinement Heterostructure Quantum Well Lasers Grown Via Molecular Beam Epitaxy" JSEP PUBLICATIONS...J.M. Ballantyne and A.J. Sievers, J. Appl. Phys., 58, 3145 (1985). 6. "Epitaxial Growth and Characterization of Indian Phosphide and Gallium Indian...Approach to Dispersion Analysis in Graded Index Optical Fiber", by H.J. Carlin and Henry Zmuda. DEGREES 1. Henry Zmuda, Ph.D., July 1984 "A New Approach

Chemical vapor deposition of epitaxial silicon

DOEpatents

Berkman, Samuel

1984-01-01

A single chamber continuous chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor is described for depositing continuously on flat substrates, for example, epitaxial layers of semiconductor materials. The single chamber reactor is formed into three separate zones by baffles or tubes carrying chemical source material and a carrier gas in one gas stream and hydrogen gas in the other stream without interaction while the wafers are heated to deposition temperature. Diffusion of the two gas streams on heated wafers effects the epitaxial deposition in the intermediate zone and the wafers are cooled in the final zone by coolant gases. A CVD reactor for batch processing is also described embodying the deposition principles of the continuous reactor.

Use of space ultra-vacuum for high quality semiconductor thin film growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ignatiev, A.; Sterling, M.; Sega, R. M.

1992-01-01

The utilization of space for materials processing is being expanded through a unique concept of epitaxial thin film growth in the ultra-vacuum of low earth orbit (LEO). This condition can be created in the wake of an orbiting space vehicle; and assuming that the vehicle itself does not pertub the environment, vacuum levels of better than 10 exp -14 torr can be attained. This vacuum environment has the capacity of greatly enhancing epitaxial thin film growth and will be the focus of experiments conducted aboard the Wake Shield Facility (WSF) currently being developed by the Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center (SVEC), Industry, and NASA.

Thermal transport across metal silicide-silicon interfaces: An experimental comparison between epitaxial and nonepitaxial interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Ning; Feser, Joseph P.; Sadasivam, Sridhar; Fisher, Timothy S.; Wang, Tianshi; Ni, Chaoying; Janotti, Anderson

2017-02-01

Silicides are used extensively in nano- and microdevices due to their low electrical resistivity, low contact resistance to silicon, and their process compatibility. In this work, the thermal interface conductance of TiSi2, CoSi2, NiSi, and PtSi are studied using time-domain thermoreflectance. Exploiting the fact that most silicides formed on Si(111) substrates grow epitaxially, while most silicides on Si(100) do not, we study the effect of epitaxy, and show that for a wide variety of interfaces there is no dependence of interface conductance on the detailed structure of the interface. In particular, there is no difference in the thermal interface conductance between epitaxial and nonepitaxial silicide/silicon interfaces, nor between epitaxial interfaces with different interface orientations. While these silicide-based interfaces yield the highest reported interface conductances of any known interface with silicon, none of the interfaces studied are found to operate close to the phonon radiation limit, indicating that phonon transmission coefficients are nonunity in all cases and yet remain insensitive to interfacial structure. In the case of CoSi2, a comparison is made with detailed computational models using (1) full-dispersion diffuse mismatch modeling (DMM) including the effect of near-interfacial strain, and (2) an atomistic Green' function (AGF) approach that integrates near-interface changes in the interatomic force constants obtained through density functional perturbation theory. Above 100 K, the AGF approach significantly underpredicts interface conductance suggesting that energy transport does not occur purely by coherent transmission of phonons, even for epitaxial interfaces. The full-dispersion DMM closely predicts the experimentally observed interface conductances for CoSi2, NiSi, and TiSi2 interfaces, while it remains an open question whether inelastic scattering, cross-interfacial electron-phonon coupling, or other mechanisms could also account for the high-temperature behavior. The effect of degenerate semiconductor dopant concentration on metal-semiconductor thermal interface conductance was also investigated with the result that we have found no dependencies of the thermal interface conductances up to (n or p type) ≈1 ×1019 cm-3, indicating that there is no significant direct electronic transport and no transport effects that depend on long-range metal-semiconductor band alignment.

Fabrication of optically reflecting ohmic contacts for semiconductor devices

DOEpatents

Sopori, Bhushan L.

1995-01-01

A method is provided to produce a low-resistivity ohmic contact having high optical reflectivity on one side of a semiconductor device. The contact is formed by coating the semiconductor substrate with a thin metal film on the back reflecting side and then optically processing the wafer by illuminating it with electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wavelength and energy level through the front side of the wafer for a predetermined period of time. This method produces a thin epitaxial alloy layer between the semiconductor substrate and the metal layer when a crystalline substrate is used. The alloy layer provides both a low-resistivity ohmic contact and high optical reflectance.

Large-Diameter InGaAs/AlGaAs Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers with Low Threshold Current Density Fabricated Using a Simple Chemical Etch Process

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-01

Epitaxial structure of vertical cavity surface - emitting laser ( VCSEL ...diameter (75 tum < d< 150 prm) vertical - cavity surface - emitting lasers fabricated from an epitaxial structure containing a single In0 .2Ga 8.,As quantum...development of vertical - cavity surface - emitting lasers ( VCSELs ) [1] has enabled III-V semiconductor technology to be applied to cer- tain optical

Ambiguous Role of Growth-Induced Defects on the Semiconductor-to-Metal Characteristics in Epitaxial VO2/TiO2 Thin Films.

PubMed

Mihailescu, Cristian N; Symeou, Elli; Svoukis, Efthymios; Negrea, Raluca F; Ghica, Corneliu; Teodorescu, Valentin; Tanase, Liviu C; Negrila, Catalin; Giapintzakis, John

2018-04-25

Controlling the semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature in epitaxial VO 2 thin films remains an unresolved question both at the fundamental as well as the application level. Within the scope of this work, the effects of growth temperature on the structure, chemical composition, interface coherency and electrical characteristics of rutile VO 2 epitaxial thin films grown on TiO 2 substrates are investigated. It is hereby deduced that the transition temperature is lower than the bulk value of 340 K. However, it is found to approach this value as a function of increased growth temperature even though it is accompanied by a contraction along the V 4+ -V 4+ bond direction, the crystallographic c-axis lattice parameter. Additionally, it is demonstrated that films grown at low substrate temperatures exhibit a relaxed state and a strongly reduced transition temperature. It is suggested that, besides thermal and epitaxial strain, growth-induced defects may strongly affect the electronic phase transition. The results of this work reveal the difficulty in extracting the intrinsic material response to strain, when the exact contribution of all strain sources cannot be effectively determined. The findings also bear implications on the limitations in obtaining the recently predicted novel semi-Dirac point phase in VO 2 /TiO 2 multilayer structures.

Surface segregation effects of erbium in GaAs growth and their implications for optical devices containing ErAs nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crook, Adam M.; Nair, Hari P.; Bank, Seth R.

2011-03-01

We report on the integration of semimetallic ErAs nanoparticles with high optical quality GaAs-based semiconductors, grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Secondary ion mass spectrometry and photoluminescence measurements provide evidence of surface segregation and incorporation of erbium into layers grown with the erbium cell hot, despite the closed erbium source shutter. We establish the existence of a critical areal density of the surface erbium layer, below which the formation of ErAs precipitates is suppressed. Based upon these findings, we demonstrate a method for overgrowing ErAs nanoparticles with III-V layers of high optical quality, using subsurface ErAs nanoparticles as a sink to deplete the surface erbium concentration. This approach provides a path toward realizing optical devices based on plasmonic effects in an epitaxially-compatible semimetal/semiconductor system.

Bulk semiconducting scintillator device for radiation detection

DOEpatents

Stowe, Ashley C.; Burger, Arnold; Groza, Michael

2016-08-30

A bulk semiconducting scintillator device, including: a Li-containing semiconductor compound of general composition Li-III-VI.sub.2, wherein III is a Group III element and VI is a Group VI element; wherein the Li-containing semiconductor compound is used in one or more of a first mode and a second mode, wherein: in the first mode, the Li-containing semiconductor compound is coupled to an electrical circuit under bias operable for measuring electron-hole pairs in the Li-containing semiconductor compound in the presence of neutrons and the Li-containing semiconductor compound is also coupled to current detection electronics operable for detecting a corresponding current in the Li-containing semiconductor compound; and, in the second mode, the Li-containing semiconductor compound is coupled to a photodetector operable for detecting photons generated in the Li-containing semiconductor compound in the presence of the neutrons.

Growth of coincident site lattice matched semiconductor layers and devices on crystalline substrates

DOEpatents

Norman, Andrew G; Ptak, Aaron J

2013-08-13

Methods of fabricating a semiconductor layer or device and said devices are disclosed. The methods include but are not limited to providing a substrate having a crystalline surface with a known lattice parameter (a). The method further includes growing a crystalline semiconductor layer on the crystalline substrate surface by coincident site lattice matched epitaxy, without any buffer layer between the crystalline semiconductor layer and the crystalline surface of the substrate. The crystalline semiconductor layer will be prepared to have a lattice parameter (a') that is related to the substrate lattice parameter (a). The lattice parameter (a') maybe related to the lattice parameter (a) by a scaling factor derived from a geometric relationship between the respective crystal lattices.

Hybrid Molecular and Spin-Semiconductor Based Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-02

thick layers of low- temperature-grown (LTG) GaAs, i.e. GaAs grown at lower than normal substrate temperatures in a molecular beam epitaxy system...1999 – Oct.31, 2004 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Hybrid Molecular and Spin-Semiconductor Based research 5. FUNDING NUMBERS DAAD19-99-1-0198...spintronic devices. Thrust III is entitled “ Molecular Electronics” and its objective is to develop, characterize and model organic/inorganic

van der Waals epitaxial two-dimensional CdSxSe(1-x) semiconductor alloys with tunable-composition and application to flexible optoelectronics.

PubMed

Xia, Jing; Zhao, Yun-Xuan; Wang, Lei; Li, Xuan-Ze; Gu, Yi-Yi; Cheng, Hua-Qiu; Meng, Xiang-Min

2017-09-21

Despite the substantial progress in the development of two-dimensional (2D) materials from conventional layered crystals, it still remains particularly challenging to produce high-quality 2D non-layered semiconductor alloys which may bring in some unique properties and new functions. In this work, the synthesis of well-oriented 2D non-layered CdS x Se (1-x) semiconductor alloy flakes with tunable compositions and optical properties is established. Structural analysis reveals that the 2D non-layered alloys follow an incommensurate van der Waals epitaxial growth pattern. Photoluminescence measurements show that the 2D alloys have composition-dependent direct bandgaps with the emission peak varying from 1.8 eV to 2.3 eV, coinciding well with the density functional theory calculations. Furthermore, photodetectors based on the CdS x Se (1-x) flakes exhibit a high photoresponsivity of 703 A W -1 with an external quantum efficiency of 1.94 × 10 3 and a response time of 39 ms. Flexible devices fabricated on a thin mica substrate display good mechanical stability upon repeated bending. This work suggests a facile and general method to produce high-quality 2D non-layered semiconductor alloys for next-generation optoelectronic devices.

Coupling of Excitons and Discrete Acoustic Phonons in Vibrationally Isolated Quantum Emitters.

PubMed

Werschler, Florian; Hinz, Christopher; Froning, Florian; Gumbsheimer, Pascal; Haase, Johannes; Negele, Carla; de Roo, Tjaard; Mecking, Stefan; Leitenstorfer, Alfred; Seletskiy, Denis V

2016-09-14

The photoluminescence emission by mesoscopic condensed matter is ultimately dictated by the fine-structure splitting of the fundamental exciton into optically allowed and dipole-forbidden states. In epitaxially grown semiconductor quantum dots, nonradiative equilibration between the fine-structure levels is mediated by bulk acoustic phonons, resulting in asymmetric spectral broadening of the excitonic luminescence. In isolated colloidal quantum dots, spatial confinement of the vibrational motion is expected to give rise to an interplay between the quantized electronic and phononic degrees of freedom. In most cases, however, zero-dimensional colloidal nanocrystals are strongly coupled to the substrate such that the charge relaxation processes are still effectively governed by the bulk properties. Here we show that encapsulation of single colloidal CdSe/CdS nanocrystals into individual organic polymer shells allows for systematic vibrational decoupling of the semiconductor nanospheres from the surroundings. In contrast to epitaxially grown quantum dots, simultaneous quantization of both electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom results in a series of strong and narrow acoustic phonon sidebands observed in the photoluminescence. Furthermore, an individual analysis of more than 200 compound particles reveals that enhancement or suppression of the radiative properties of the fundamental exciton is controlled by the interaction between fine-structure states via the discrete vibrational modes. For the first time, pronounced resonances in the scattering rate between the fine-structure states are directly observed, in good agreement with a quantum mechanical model. The unambiguous assignment of mediating acoustic modes to the observed scattering resonances complements the experimental findings. Thus, our results form an attractive basis for future studies on subterahertz quantum opto-mechanics and efficient laser cooling at the nanoscale.

Temperature dependent electrical characterisation of Pt/HfO{sub 2}/n-GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) Schottky diodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shetty, Arjun, E-mail: arjun@ece.iisc.ernet.in; Vinoy, K. J.; Roul, Basanta

2015-09-15

This paper reports an improvement in Pt/n-GaN metal-semiconductor (MS) Schottky diode characteristics by the introduction of a layer of HfO{sub 2} (5 nm) between the metal and semiconductor interface. The resulting Pt/HfO{sub 2}/n-GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) Schottky diode showed an increase in rectification ratio from 35.9 to 98.9(@ 2V), increase in barrier height (0.52 eV to 0.63eV) and a reduction in ideality factor (2.1 to 1.3) as compared to the MS Schottky. Epitaxial n-type GaN films of thickness 300nm were grown using plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE). The crystalline and optical qualities of the films were confirmed using high resolutionmore » X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence measurements. Metal-semiconductor (Pt/n-GaN) and metal-insulator-semiconductor (Pt/HfO{sub 2}/n-GaN) Schottky diodes were fabricated. To gain further understanding of the Pt/HfO{sub 2}/GaN interface, I-V characterisation was carried out on the MIS Schottky diode over a temperature range of 150 K to 370 K. The barrier height was found to increase (0.3 eV to 0.79 eV) and the ideality factor decreased (3.6 to 1.2) with increase in temperature from 150 K to 370 K. This temperature dependence was attributed to the inhomogeneous nature of the contact and the explanation was validated by fitting the experimental data into a Gaussian distribution of barrier heights.« less

High-mobility BaSnO 3 grown by oxide molecular beam epitaxy

DOE PAGES

Raghavan, Santosh; Schumann, Timo; Kim, Honggyu; ...

2016-01-28

High-mobility perovskite BaSnO 3 films are of significant interest as newwide bandgap semiconductors for power electronics, transparent conductors, and as high mobility channels for epitaxial integration with functional perovskites. Despite promising results for single crystals, high-mobility BaSnO 3 films have been challenging to grow. Here, we demonstrate a modified oxide molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) approach, which supplies pre-oxidized SnO x. This technique addresses issues in the MBE of ternary stannates related to volatile SnO formation and enables growth of epitaxial, stoichiometric BaSnO 3. We demonstrate room temperature electron mobilities of 150 cm 2 V -1 s -1 in films grownmore » on PrScO 3. Lastly, the results open up a wide range of opportunities for future electronic devices.« less

An all-perovskite p-n junction based on transparent conducting p -La 1-x Sr x CrO 3 epitaxial layers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Du, Yingge; Li, Chen; Zhang, Kelvin H. L.

2017-08-07

Transparent, conducting p -La 1-x Sr x CrO 3 epitaxial layers were deposited on Nb-doped SrTiO 3(001) by oxygen-assisted molecular beam epitaxy to form structurally coherent p-n junctions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals a type II or “staggered” band alignment, with valence and conduction band offsets of 2.0 eV and 0.9 eV, respectively. Diodes fabricated from these heterojunctions exhibit rectifying behavior, and the I-V characteristics are different from those for traditional semiconductor p-n junctions. A rather large ideality factor is ascribed to the complex nature of the interface.

Growth and Performance of GaInP/A1GaInP Visible Light Emitting Laser-Diodes,

DTIC Science & Technology

SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS, *EPITAXIAL GROWTH, ALLOYS, LAYERS, LOW PRESSURE, PRESSURE, QUALITY, ROOM TEMPERATURE, SUBSTRATES, GALLIUM PHOSPHIDES, INDIUM PHOSPHIDES, THERMAL PROPERTIES, ENERGY GAPS, ENERGY BANDS, VAPOR PHASES.

Optical Refrigeration

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

confined to either glasses and crystals doped with rare-earth (RE) elements or direct-bandgap semiconductors such as gallium arsenide. Although laser...condition. Highly controlled epitaxial growth techniques, such as metal–organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) can produce very low surface

Tuning carrier density across Dirac point in epitaxial graphene on SiC by corona discharge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lartsev, Arseniy; Yager, Tom; Lara-Avila, Samuel, E-mail: samuel.lara@chalmers.se

We demonstrate reversible carrier density control across the Dirac point (Δn ∼ 10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2}) in epitaxial graphene on SiC (SiC/G) via high electrostatic potential gating with ions produced by corona discharge. The method is attractive for applications where graphene with a fixed carrier density is needed, such as quantum metrology, and more generally as a simple method of gating 2DEGs formed at semiconductor interfaces and in topological insulators.

High Efficiency, Room Temperature Mid-Infrared Semiconductor Laser Development for IR Countermeasures

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

voltage (I-V) characteristics of several infrared LEDs, including a type-II W-well laser grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy at Naval Research Laboratory...Injection Cavity (OPIC) lasers includes >4 um emission from a broadband laser and the measurement of spatial and temporal beam profiles. From August 2006...argon) at 15 mTorr, 400W ICP, and 70W RIE power, with an etch rate of 300 nm/min. Epitaxial ZnO layers were plasma etched using BCl3/SF0gas mixtures

Efficient Interlayer Relaxation and Transition of Excitons in Epitaxial and Non-epitaxial MoS2/WS2 Heterostructures

DOE PAGES

Yu, Yifei; Hu, Shi; Su, Liqin; ...

2014-12-03

Semiconductor heterostructurs provide a powerful platform for the engineering of excitons. Here we report on the excitonic properties of two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures that consist of monolayer MoS2 and WS2 stacked epitaxially or non-epitaxially in the vertical direction. We find similarly efficient interlayer relaxation and transition of excitons in both the epitaxial and non-epitaxial heterostructures. This is manifested by a two orders of magnitude decrease in the photoluminescence and an extra absorption peak at low energy region of both heterostructures. The MoS2/WS2 heterostructures show weak interlayer coupling and essentially act as an atomic-scale heterojunction with the intrinsic band structures of themore » two monolayers largely preserved. They are particularly promising for the applications that request efficient dissociation of excitons and strong light absorption, including photovoltaics, solar fuels, photodetectors, and optical modulators. Our results also indicate that 2D heterostructures promise to provide capabilities to engineer excitons from the atomic level without concerns of interfacial imperfection.« less

Process for selectively patterning epitaxial film growth on a semiconductor substrate

DOEpatents

Sheldon, P.; Hayes, R.E.

1984-12-04

Disclosed is a process for selectively patterning epitaxial film growth on a semiconductor substrate. The process includes forming a masking member on the surface of the substrate, the masking member having at least two layers including a first layer disposed on the substrate and the second layer covering the first layer. A window is then opened in a selected portion of the second layer by removing that portion to expose the first layer thereunder. The first layer is then subjected to an etchant introduced through the window to dissolve the first layer a sufficient amount to expose the substrate surface directly beneath the window, the first layer being adapted to preferentially dissolve at a substantially greater rate than the second layer so as to create an overhanging ledge portion with the second layer by undercutting the edges thereof adjacent the window. The epitaxial film is then deposited on the exposed substrate surface directly beneath the window. Finally, an etchant is introduced through the window to dissolve the remainder of the first layer so as to lift-off the second layer and materials deposited thereon to fully expose the balance of the substrate surface.

Process for selectively patterning epitaxial film growth on a semiconductor substrate

DOEpatents

Sheldon, Peter; Hayes, Russell E.

1986-01-01

A process is disclosed for selectively patterning epitaxial film growth on a semiconductor substrate. The process includes forming a masking member on the surface of the substrate, the masking member having at least two layers including a first layer disposed on the substrate and the second layer covering the first layer. A window is then opened in a selected portion of the second layer by removing that portion to expose the first layer thereunder. The first layer is then subjected to an etchant introduced through the window to dissolve a sufficient amount of the first layer to expose the substrate surface directly beneath the window, the first layer being adapted to preferentially dissolve at a substantially greater rate than the second layer so as to create an overhanging ledge portion with the second layer by undercutting the edges thereof adjacent to the window. The epitaxial film is then deposited on the exposed substrate surface directly beneath the window. Finally, an etchant is introduced through the window to dissolve the remainder of the first layer so as to lift-off the second layer and materials deposited thereon to fully expose the balance of the substrate surface.

Method of fabricating germanium and gallium arsenide devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jhabvala, Murzban (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A method of semiconductor diode fabrication is disclosed which relies on the epitaxial growth of a precisely doped thickness layer of gallium arsenide or germanium on a semi-insulating or intrinsic substrate, respectively, of gallium arsenide or germanium by either molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) or by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The method involves: depositing a layer of doped or undoped silicon dioxide on a germanium or gallium arsenide wafer or substrate, selectively removing the silicon dioxide layer to define one or more surface regions for a device to be fabricated thereon, growing a matched epitaxial layer of doped germanium or gallium arsenide of an appropriate thickness using MBE or MOCVD techniques on both the silicon dioxide layer and the defined one or more regions; and etching the silicon dioxide and the epitaxial material on top of the silicon dioxide to leave a matched epitaxial layer of germanium or gallium arsenide on the germanium or gallium arsenide substrate, respectively, and upon which a field effect device can thereafter be formed.

Fabrication of optically reflecting ohmic contacts for semiconductor devices

DOEpatents

Sopori, B.L.

1995-07-04

A method is provided to produce a low-resistivity ohmic contact having high optical reflectivity on one side of a semiconductor device. The contact is formed by coating the semiconductor substrate with a thin metal film on the back reflecting side and then optically processing the wafer by illuminating it with electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wavelength and energy level through the front side of the wafer for a predetermined period of time. This method produces a thin epitaxial alloy layer between the semiconductor substrate and the metal layer when a crystalline substrate is used. The alloy layer provides both a low-resistivity ohmic contact and high optical reflectance. 5 figs.

Buffer architecture for biaxially textured structures and method of fabricating same

DOEpatents

Norton, David P.; Park, Chan; Goyal, Amit

2004-04-06

The invention relates to an article with an improved buffer layer architecture comprising a substrate having a metal surface, and an epitaxial buffer layer on the surface of the substrate. The epitaxial buffer layer comprises at least one of the group consisting of ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, and compounds having at least one of Ca and a rare earth element stabilizing cubic phases of ZrO.sub.2 and/or HfO.sub.2. The article can also include a superconducting layer deposited on the epitaxial buffer layer. The article can also include an epitaxial capping layer between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer. A method for preparing an epitaxial article comprises providing a substrate with a metal surface, depositing on the metal surface an epitaxial buffer layer comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, and compounds having at least one of Ca and a rare earth element stabilizing cubic phases of at least one of ZrO.sub.2 and HfO.sub.2. The epitaxial layer depositing step occurs in a vacuum with a background pressure of no more than 1.times.10.sup.-5 Torr. The method can further comprise depositing a superconducting layer on the epitaxial layer, and depositing an epitaxial capping layer between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer.

Producing Silicon Carbide for Semiconductor Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, G. C.; Rohatgi, N. K.

1986-01-01

Processes proposed for production of SiC crystals for use in semiconductors operating at temperatures as high as 900 degrees C. Combination of new processes produce silicon carbide chips containing epitaxial layers. Chips of SiC first grown on porous carbon matrices, then placed in fluidized bed, where additional layer of SiC grows. Processes combined to yield complete process. Liquid crystallization process used to make SiC particles or chips for fluidized-bed process.

Electric Circuit Model Analogy for Equilibrium Lattice Relaxation in Semiconductor Heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kujofsa, Tedi; Ayers, John E.

2018-01-01

The design and analysis of semiconductor strained-layer device structures require an understanding of the equilibrium profiles of strain and dislocations associated with mismatched epitaxy. Although it has been shown that the equilibrium configuration for a general semiconductor strained-layer structure may be found numerically by energy minimization using an appropriate partitioning of the structure into sublayers, such an approach is computationally intense and non-intuitive. We have therefore developed a simple electric circuit model approach for the equilibrium analysis of these structures. In it, each sublayer of an epitaxial stack may be represented by an analogous circuit configuration involving an independent current source, a resistor, an independent voltage source, and an ideal diode. A multilayered structure may be built up by the connection of the appropriate number of these building blocks, and the node voltages in the analogous electric circuit correspond to the equilibrium strains in the original epitaxial structure. This enables analysis using widely accessible circuit simulators, and an intuitive understanding of electric circuits can easily be extended to the relaxation of strained-layer structures. Furthermore, the electrical circuit model may be extended to continuously-graded epitaxial layers by considering the limit as the individual sublayer thicknesses are diminished to zero. In this paper, we describe the mathematical foundation of the electrical circuit model, demonstrate its application to several representative structures involving In x Ga1- x As strained layers on GaAs (001) substrates, and develop its extension to continuously-graded layers. This extension allows the development of analytical expressions for the strain, misfit dislocation density, critical layer thickness and widths of misfit dislocation free zones for a continuously-graded layer having an arbitrary compositional profile. It is similar to the transition from circuit theory, using lumped circuit elements, to electromagnetics, using distributed electrical quantities. We show this development using first principles, but, in a more general sense, Maxwell's equations of electromagnetics could be applied.

Structural analysis of the epitaxial interface Ag/ZnO in hierarchical nanoantennas.

PubMed

Sanchez, John Eder; Santiago, Ulises; Benitez, Alfredo; Yacamán, Miguel José; González, Francisco Javier; Ponce, Arturo

2016-10-10

Detectors, photo-emitter, and other high order radiation devices work under the principle of directionality to enhance the power of emission/transmission in a particular direction. In order to understand such directionality, it is important to study their coupling mechanism of their active elements. In this work, we present a crystalline orientation analysis of ZnO nanorods grown epitaxially on the pentagonal faces of silver nanowires. The analysis of the crystalline orientation at the metal-semiconductor interface (ZnO/Ag) is performed with precession electron diffraction under assisted scanning mode. In addition, high resolution X-ray diffraction on a Bragg-Brentano configuration has been used to identify the crystalline phases of the arrangement between ZnO rods and silver nanowires. The work presented herein provides a fundamental knowledge to understand the metal-semiconductor behavior related to the receiving/transmitting mechanisms of ZnO/Ag nanoantennas.

Ferroelectric switching in epitaxial PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3/ZnO/GaN heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Juan; Salev, Pavel; Grigoriev, Alexei

As a wide-bandgap semiconductor, ZnO has gained substantial interest due to its favorable properties including high electron mobility, strong room-temperature luminescence, etc. The main obstacle of its application is the lack of reproducible and low-resistivity p-type ZnO. P-type doping of ZnO through the interface charge injection, which can be achieved by the polarization switching of ferroelectric films, is a tempting solution. We explored ferroelectric switching behavior of PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3/ZnO/GaN heterostructures epitaxially grown on Sapphire substrates by RF sputtering. The electrical measurements of Pt/PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3/ZnO/GaN ferroelectric-semiconductor capacitors revealed unusual behavior that is a combination of polarization switching and a diode I-V characteristics.

Tailoring Heterovalent Interface Formation with Light

DOE PAGES

Park, Kwangwook; Alberi, Kirstin

2017-08-17

Integrating different semiconductor materials into an epitaxial device structure offers additional degrees of freedom to select for optimal material properties in each layer. However, interface between materials with different valences (i.e. III-V, II-VI and IV semiconductors) can be difficult to form with high quality. Using ZnSe/GaAs as a model system, we explore the use of UV illumination during heterovalent interface growth by molecular beam epitaxy as a way to modify the interface properties. We find that UV illumination alters the mixture of chemical bonds at the interface, permitting the formation of Ga-Se bonds that help to passivate the underlying GaAsmore » layer. Illumination also helps to reduce defects in the ZnSe epilayer. Furthermore, these results suggest that moderate UV illumination during growth may be used as a way to improve the optical properties of both the GaAs and ZnSe layers on either side of the interface.« less

Formation of embedded plasmonic Ga nanoparticle arrays and their influence on GaAs photoluminescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, M.; Jeon, S.; Jen, T.; Lee, J.-E.; Sih, V.; Goldman, R. S.

2017-07-01

We introduce a novel approach to the seamless integration of plasmonic nanoparticle (NP) arrays into semiconductor layers and demonstrate their enhanced photoluminescence (PL) efficiency. Our approach utilizes focused ion beam-induced self-assembly of close-packed arrays of Ga NPs with tailorable NP diameters, followed by overgrowth of GaAs layers using molecular beam epitaxy. Using a combination of PL spectroscopy and electromagnetic computations, we identify a regime of Ga NP diameter and overgrown GaAs layer thickness where NP-array-enhanced absorption in GaAs leads to enhanced GaAs near-band-edge (NBE) PL efficiency, surpassing that of high-quality epitaxial GaAs layers. As the NP array depth and size are increased, the reduction in spontaneous emission rate overwhelms the NP-array-enhanced absorption, leading to a reduced NBE PL efficiency. This approach provides an opportunity to enhance the PL efficiency of a wide variety of semiconductor heterostructures.

Low-Cost Approaches to III–V Semiconductor Growth for Photovoltaic Applications

DOE PAGES

Greenaway, Ann L.; Boucher, Jason W.; Oener, Sebastian Z.; ...

2017-08-31

III–V semiconductors form the most efficient single- and multijunction photovoltaics. Metal–organic vapor-phase epitaxy, which uses toxic and pyrophoric gas-phase precursors, is the primary commercial growth method for these materials. In order for the use of highly efficient III–V-based devices to be expanded as the demand for renewable electricity grows, a lower-cost approach to the growth of these materials is needed. This Review focuses on three deposition techniques compatible with current device architectures: hydride vapor-phase epitaxy, close-spaced vapor transport, and thin-film vapor–liquid–solid growth. Here, we consider recent advances in each technique, including the available materials space, before providing an in-depth comparisonmore » of growth technology advantages and limitations and considering the impact of modifications to the method of production on the cost of the final photovoltaics.« less

Atomically engineered epitaxial anatase TiO2 metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Brian S. Y.; Minohara, Makoto; Hikita, Yasuyuki; Bell, Christopher; Hwang, Harold Y.

2018-03-01

Anatase TiO2 is a promising material for a vast array of electronic, energy, and environmental applications, including photocatalysis, photovoltaics, and sensors. A key requirement for these applications is the ability to modulate its electrical properties without dominant dopant scattering and while maintaining high carrier mobility. Here, we demonstrate the room temperature field-effect modulation of the conducting epitaxial interface between anatase TiO2 and LaAlO3 (001), which arises for LaO-terminated LaAlO3, while the AlO2-terminated interface is insulating. This approach, together with the metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor geometry, naturally bypasses the gate/channel interface traps, resulting in a high field-effect mobility μ FE of 3.14 cm2 (V s)-1 approaching 98% of the corresponding Hall mobility μ Hall . Accordingly, the channel conductivity is modulated over 6 orders of magnitude over a gate voltage range of ˜4 V.

Tuning of thermally induced first-order semiconductor-to-metal transition in pulsed laser deposited VO2 epitaxial thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behera, Makhes K.; Pradhan, Dhiren K.; Pradhan, Sangram K.; Pradhan, Aswini K.

2017-12-01

Vanadium oxide (VO2) thin films have drawn significant research and development interest in recent years because of their intriguing physical origin and wide range of functionalities useful for many potential applications, including infrared imaging, smart windows, and energy and information technologies. However, the growth of highly epitaxial films of VO2, with a sharp and distinct controllable transition, has remained a challenge. Here, we report the structural and electronic properties of high quality and reproducible epitaxial thin films of VO2, grown on c-axis oriented sapphire substrates using pulsed laser deposition at different deposition pressures and temperatures, followed by various annealing schedules. Our results demonstrate that the annealing of epitaxial VO2 films significantly enhances the Semiconductor to Metal Transition (SMT) to that of bulk VO2 transition. The effect of oxygen partial pressure during the growth of VO2 films creates a significant modulation of the SMT from around room temperature to as high as the theoretical value of 68 °C. We obtained a bulk order transition ≥104 while reducing the transition temperature close to 60 °C, which is comparatively less than the theoretical value of 68 °C, demonstrating a clear and drastic improvement in the SMT switching characteristics. The results reported here will open the door to fundamental studies of VO2, along with tuning of the transition temperatures for potential applications for multifunctional devices.

Epitaxial Gd2O3 on GaN and AlGaN: a potential candidate for metal oxide semiconductor based transistors on Si for high power application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Kankat; Das, S.; Khiangte, K. R.; Choudhury, N.; Laha, Apurba

2017-11-01

We report structural and electrical properties of hexagonal Gd2O3 grown epitaxially on GaN/Si (1 1 1) and AlGaN/GaN/Si(1 1 1) virtual substrates. GaN and AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE), whereas the Gd2O3 layer was grown by the pulsed laser ablation (PLA) technique. Initial structural characterizations show that Gd2O3 grown on III-nitride layers by PLA, exhibit a hexagonal structure with an epitaxial relationship as {{≤ft[ 0 0 0 1 \\right]}G{{d2}{{O}3}}}||{{≤ft[ 0 0 0 1 \\right]}GaN} and {{≤ft[ 1 \\bar{1} 0 0 \\right]}G{{d2}{{O}3}}}||{{≤ft[ 1 \\bar{1} 0 0 \\right]}GaN} . X-ray photoelectron measurements of the valence bands revealed that Gd2O3 exhibits band offsets of 0.97 eV and 0.4 eV, for GaN and Al0.3Ga0.7N, respectively. Electrical measurements such as capacitance-voltage and leakage current characteristics further confirm that epi-Gd2O3 on III-nitrides could be a potential candidate for future metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS)-based transistors also for high power applications in radio frequency range.

Quasi-free-standing bilayer epitaxial graphene field-effect transistors on 4H-SiC (0001) substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, C.; Li, J.; Song, X. B.

2016-01-04

Quasi-free-standing epitaxial graphene grown on wide band gap semiconductor SiC demonstrates high carrier mobility and good material uniformity, which make it promising for graphene-based electronic devices. In this work, quasi-free-standing bilayer epitaxial graphene is prepared and its transistors with gate lengths of 100 nm and 200 nm are fabricated and characterized. The 100 nm gate length graphene transistor shows improved DC and RF performances including a maximum current density I{sub ds} of 4.2 A/mm, and a peak transconductance g{sub m} of 2880 mS/mm. Intrinsic current-gain cutoff frequency f{sub T} of 407 GHz is obtained. The exciting DC and RF performances obtained in the quasi-free-standingmore » bilayer epitaxial graphene transistor show the great application potential of this material system.« less

Argon–germane in situ plasma clean for reduced temperature Ge on Si epitaxy by high density plasma chemical vapor deposition

DOE PAGES

Douglas, Erica A.; Sheng, Josephine J.; Verley, Jason C.; ...

2015-06-04

We found that the demand for integration of near infrared optoelectronic functionality with silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has for many years motivated the investigation of low temperature germanium on silicon deposition processes. Our work describes the development of a high density plasma chemical vapor deposition process that uses a low temperature (<460 °C) in situ germane/argon plasma surface preparation step for epitaxial growth of germanium on silicon. It is shown that the germane/argon plasma treatment sufficiently removes SiO x and carbon at the surface to enable germanium epitaxy. Finally, the use of this surface preparation step demonstratesmore » an alternative way to produce germanium epitaxy at reduced temperatures, a key enabler for increased flexibility of integration with CMOS back-end-of-line fabrication.« less

In situ pre-growth calibration using reflectance as a control strategy for MOCVD fabrication of device structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breiland, William G.; Hou, Hong Q.; Chui, Herman C.; Hammons, Burrel E.

1997-04-01

In situ normal incidence reflectance, combined with a virtual interface model, is being used routinely on a commercial metal organic chemical vapor deposition reactor to measure growth rates of compound semiconductor films. The technique serves as a pre-growth calibration tool analogous to the use of reflection high-energy electron diffraction in molecular beam epitaxy as well as a real-time monitor throughout the run. An application of the method to the growth of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device structure is presented. All necessary calibration information can be obtained using a single run lasting less than 1 h. Working VCSEL devices are obtained on the first try after calibration. Repeated runs have yielded ±0.3% reproducibility of the Fabry-Perot cavity wavelength over the course of more than 100 runs.

Stable surface passivation process for compound semiconductors

DOEpatents

Ashby, Carol I. H.

2001-01-01

A passivation process for a previously sulfided, selenided or tellurated III-V compound semiconductor surface. The concentration of undesired mid-gap surface states on a compound semiconductor surface is reduced by the formation of a near-monolayer of metal-(sulfur and/or selenium and/or tellurium)-semiconductor that is effective for long term passivation of the underlying semiconductor surface. Starting with the III-V compound semiconductor surface, any oxidation present thereon is substantially removed and the surface is then treated with sulfur, selenium or tellurium to form a near-monolayer of chalcogen-semiconductor of the surface in an oxygen-free atmosphere. This chalcogenated surface is then contacted with a solution of a metal that will form a low solubility chalcogenide to form a near-monolayer of metal-chalcogen-semiconductor. The resulting passivating layer provides long term protection for the underlying surface at or above the level achieved by a freshly chalcogenated compound semiconductor surface in an oxygen free atmosphere.

Molecular-Beam Epitaxial Growth and Device Potential of Polar/Nonpolar Semiconductor Heterostructures.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-24

research , and perhaps the most far-reaching one * A GaP -on-Si transistor was achieved, vastly better than any previous or concurrent effort towards this...the numerous conceptual and technological developments that had accumulated during the research . e) Defects in GaP -on-Si(211) Layers. With the help...Growth and Device Potential of Polar/Nonpolar Semiconductor Heterostructures Final Report by A Herbert Kroemer June 1985 -..2-- U. S. Army Research

Recent Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSELs) Developments for Sensor Applications (POSTPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

edge-emitting strained InxGa1−xSb/AlyGa1−ySb quantum well struc- tures using solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) with varying barrier heights...intersubband quantum wells. The most common high-power edge-emitting semiconductor lasers suffter from poor beam quality, due primarily to the linewidth...reduces the power scalability of semiconductor lasers. In vertical cavity surface emitting lasers ( VCSELs ), light propagates parallel to the growth

Electronic Raman scattering as an ultra-sensitive probe of strain effects in semiconductors.

PubMed

Fluegel, Brian; Mialitsin, Aleksej V; Beaton, Daniel A; Reno, John L; Mascarenhas, Angelo

2015-05-28

Semiconductor strain engineering has become a critical feature of high-performance electronics because of the significant device performance enhancements that it enables. These improvements, which emerge from strain-induced modifications to the electronic band structure, necessitate new ultra-sensitive tools to probe the strain in semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate that minute amounts of strain in thin semiconductor epilayers can be measured using electronic Raman scattering. We applied this strain measurement technique to two different semiconductor alloy systems using coherently strained epitaxial thin films specifically designed to produce lattice-mismatch strains as small as 10(-4). Comparing our strain sensitivity and signal strength in Al(x)Ga(1-x)As with those obtained using the industry-standard technique of phonon Raman scattering, we found that there was a sensitivity improvement of 200-fold and a signal enhancement of 4 × 10(3), thus obviating key constraints in semiconductor strain metrology.

Electronic Raman scattering as an ultra-sensitive probe of strain effects in semiconductors

PubMed Central

Fluegel, Brian; Mialitsin, Aleksej V.; Beaton, Daniel A.; Reno, John L.; Mascarenhas, Angelo

2015-01-01

Semiconductor strain engineering has become a critical feature of high-performance electronics because of the significant device performance enhancements that it enables. These improvements, which emerge from strain-induced modifications to the electronic band structure, necessitate new ultra-sensitive tools to probe the strain in semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate that minute amounts of strain in thin semiconductor epilayers can be measured using electronic Raman scattering. We applied this strain measurement technique to two different semiconductor alloy systems using coherently strained epitaxial thin films specifically designed to produce lattice-mismatch strains as small as 10−4. Comparing our strain sensitivity and signal strength in AlxGa1−xAs with those obtained using the industry-standard technique of phonon Raman scattering, we found that there was a sensitivity improvement of 200-fold and a signal enhancement of 4 × 103, thus obviating key constraints in semiconductor strain metrology. PMID:26017853

Integrated semiconductor quantum dot scintillation detector: Ultimate limit for speed and light yield

DOE PAGES

Oktyabrsky, Serge; Yakimov, Michael; Tokranov, Vadim; ...

2016-03-30

Here, a picosecond-range timing of charged particles and photons is a long-standing challenge for many high-energy physics, biophysics, medical and security applications. We present a design, technological pathway and challenges, and some properties important for realization of an ultrafast high-efficient room-temperature semiconductor scintillator based on self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QD) embedded in a GaAs matrix. Low QD density (<; 10 15 cm -3), fast (~5 ps) electron capture, luminescence peak redshifted by 0.2-0.3 eV from GaAs absorption edge with fast decay time (0.5-1 ns) along with the efficient energy transfer in the GaAs matrix (4.2 eV/pair) allows for fabrication ofmore » a semiconductor scintillator with the unsurpassed performance parameters. The major technological challenge is fabrication of a large volume (> 1 cm 3 ) of epitaxial QD medium. This requires multiple film separation and bonding, likely using separate epitaxial films as waveguides for improved light coupling. Compared to traditional inorganic scintillators, the semiconductor-QD based scintillators could have about 5x higher light yield and 20x faster decay time, opening a way to gamma detectors with the energy resolution better than 1% and sustaining counting rates MHz. Picosecond-scale timing requires segmented low-capacitance photodiodes integrated with the scintillator. For photons, the proposed detector inherently provides the depth-of-interaction information.« less

Scalable ferroelectric MOS capacitors comprised of single crystalline SrZrxTi1-xO3 on Ge.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moghadam, Reza; Xiao, Z.-Y.; Ahmadi-Majlan, K.; Grimley, E.; Ong, P. V.; Lebeau, J. M.; Chambers, S. A.; Hong, X.; Sushko, P.; Ngai, J. H.

The epitaxial growth of multifunctional oxides on semiconductors has opened a pathway to introduce new functionalities to semiconductor device technologies. In particular, ferroelectric materials integrated on semiconductors could lead to field-effect devices that require very little power to operate, or that possess both logic and memory functionalities. The development of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors in which the polarization of a ferroelectric gate is coupled to the surface potential of a semiconducting channel is essential in order to realize such field-effect devices. Here we demonstrate that scalable, ferroelectric MOS capacitors can be realized using single crystalline SrZrxTi1-xO3 (x = 0.7) that has been epitaxially grown on Ge. Single crystalline SrZrxTi1-xO3 exhibits characteristics that are ideal for a ferroelectric gate material, namely, a type-I band offset with respect to Ge, large coercive fields and polarization that can be enhanced with electric field. The latter characteristic stems from the relaxor nature of SrZrxTi1-xO3. These properties enable MOS capacitors with 5 nm thick SrZrxTi1-xO3 layers to exhibit a nearly 2 V wide hysteretic window in the capacitance-voltage characteristics. The realization of ferroelectric MOS capacitors with technologically relevant gate thicknesses opens the pathway to practical field effect devices. NSF DMR 1508530.

Electronic Structure, Surface Doping, and Optical Response in Epitaxial WSe2 Thin Films.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Ugeda, Miguel M; Jin, Chenhao; Shi, Su-Fei; Bradley, Aaron J; Martín-Recio, Ana; Ryu, Hyejin; Kim, Jonghwan; Tang, Shujie; Kim, Yeongkwan; Zhou, Bo; Hwang, Choongyu; Chen, Yulin; Wang, Feng; Crommie, Michael F; Hussain, Zahid; Shen, Zhi-Xun; Mo, Sung-Kwan

2016-04-13

High quality WSe2 films have been grown on bilayer graphene (BLG) with layer-by-layer control of thickness using molecular beam epitaxy. The combination of angle-resolved photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, and optical absorption measurements reveal the atomic and electronic structures evolution and optical response of WSe2/BLG. We observe that a bilayer of WSe2 is a direct bandgap semiconductor, when integrated in a BLG-based heterostructure, thus shifting the direct-indirect band gap crossover to trilayer WSe2. In the monolayer limit, WSe2 shows a spin-splitting of 475 meV in the valence band at the K point, the largest value observed among all the MX2 (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se) materials. The exciton binding energy of monolayer-WSe2/BLG is found to be 0.21 eV, a value that is orders of magnitude larger than that of conventional three-dimensional semiconductors, yet small as compared to other two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogennides (TMDCs) semiconductors. Finally, our finding regarding the overall modification of the electronic structure by an alkali metal surface electron doping opens a route to further control the electronic properties of TMDCs.

Influence of dislocation density on internal quantum efficiency of GaN-based semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jiadong; Hao, Zhibiao; Li, Linsen; Wang, Lai; Luo, Yi; Wang, Jian; Sun, Changzheng; Han, Yanjun; Xiong, Bing; Li, Hongtao

2017-03-01

By considering the effects of stress fields coming from lattice distortion as well as charge fields coming from line charges at edge dislocation cores on radiative recombination of exciton, a model of carriers' radiative and non-radiative recombination has been established in GaN-based semiconductors with certain dislocation density. Using vector average of the stress fields and the charge fields, the relationship between dislocation density and the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) is deduced. Combined with related experimental results, this relationship is fitted well to the trend of IQEs of bulk GaN changing with screw and edge dislocation density, meanwhile its simplified form is fitted well to the IQEs of AlGaN multiple quantum well LEDs with varied threading dislocation densities but the same light emission wavelength. It is believed that this model, suitable for different epitaxy platforms such as MOCVD and MBE, can be used to predict to what extent the luminous efficiency of GaN-based semiconductors can still maintain when the dislocation density increases, so as to provide a reasonable rule of thumb for optimizing the epitaxial growth of GaN-based devices.

Electronic structure, surface doping, and optical response in epitaxial WSe 2 thin films

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Yi; Ugeda, Miguel M.; Jin, Chenhao; ...

2016-03-14

High quality WSe 2 films have been grown on bilayer graphene (BLG) with layer-by-layer control of thickness using molecular beam epitaxy. The combination of angle-resolved photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, and optical absorption measurements reveal the atomic and electronic structures evolution and optical response of WSe 2/BLG. We observe that a bilayer of WSe 2 is a direct bandgap semiconductor, when integrated in a BLG-based heterostructure, thus shifting the direct–indirect band gap crossover to trilayer WSe 2. In the monolayer limit, WSe 2 shows a spin-splitting of 475 meV in the valence band at the K point, the largest value observedmore » among all the MX 2 (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se) materials. The exciton binding energy of monolayer-WSe 2/BLG is found to be 0.21 eV, a value that is orders of magnitude larger than that of conventional three-dimensional semiconductors, yet small as compared to other two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogennides (TMDCs) semiconductors. Lastly, our finding regarding the overall modification of the electronic structure by an alkali metal surface electron doping opens a route to further control the electronic properties of TMDCs.« less

Growing Cobalt Silicide Columns In Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fathauer, Obert W.

1991-01-01

Codeposition by molecular-beam epitaxy yields variety of structures. Proposed fabrication process produces three-dimensional nanometer-sized structures on silicon wafers. Enables control of dimensions of metal and semiconductor epitaxial layers in three dimensions instead of usual single dimension (perpendicular to the plane of the substrate). Process used to make arrays of highly efficient infrared sensors, high-speed transistors, and quantum wires. For fabrication of electronic devices, both shapes and locations of columns controlled. One possible technique for doing this electron-beam lithography, see "Making Submicron CoSi2 Structures on Silicon Substrates" (NPO-17736).

Spatial separation of electrons and holes for enhancing the gas-sensing property of a semiconductor: ZnO/ZnSnO3 nanorod arrays prepared by a hetero-epitaxial growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ying; Gao, Peng; Sha, Linna; Chi, Qianqian; Yang, Lei; Zhang, Jianjiao; Chen, Yujin; Zhang, Milin

2018-04-01

The construction of semiconductor composites is known as a powerful method used to realize the spatial separation of electrons and the holes in them, which can result in more electrons or holes and increase the dispersion of oxygen ions ({{{{O}}}2}- and O - ) (one of the most critical factors for their gas-sensing properties) on the surface of the semiconductor gas sensor. In this work, using 1D ZnO/ZnSnO3 nanoarrays as an example, which are prepared through a hetero-epitaxial growing process to construct a chemically bonded interface, the above strategy to attain a better semiconductor gas-sensing property has been realized. Compared with single ZnSnO3 nanotubes and no-matching ZnO/ZnSnO3 nanoarrays gas sensors, it has been proven by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectrum examination that the as-obtained ZnO/ZnSnO3 sensor showed a greatly increased quantity of active surface electrons with exceptional responses to trace target gases and much lower optimum working temperatures (less than about 170 °C). For example, the as-obtained ZnO/ZnSnO3 sensor exhibited an obvious response and short response/recovery time (less than 10 s) towards trace H2S gas (a detection limit down to 700 ppb). The high responses and dynamic repeatability observed in these sensors reveal that the strategy based on the as-presented electron and hole separation is reliable for improving the gas-sensing properties of semiconductors.

Semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes

DOEpatents

Weiss, Shimon; Bruchez, Marcel; Alivisatos, Paul

2014-01-28

A semiconductor nanocrystal compound and probe are described. The compound is capable of linking to one or more affinity molecules. The compound comprises (1) one or more semiconductor nanocrystals capable of, in response to exposure to a first energy, providing a second energy, and (2) one or more linking agents, having a first portion linked to the one or more semiconductor nanocrystals and a second portion capable of linking to one or more affinity molecules. One or more semiconductor nanocrystal compounds are linked to one or more affinity molecules to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with one or more detectable substances in a material being analyzed, and capable of, in response to exposure to a first energy, providing a second energy. Also described are processes for respectively: making the semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and treating materials with the probe.

Semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weiss, Shimon; Bruchez, Marcel; Alivisatos, Paul A.

2016-12-27

A semiconductor nanocrystal compound and probe are described. The compound is capable of linking to one or more affinity molecules. The compound comprises (1) one or more semiconductor nanocrystals capable of, in response to exposure to a first energy, providing a second energy, and (2) one or more linking agents, having a first portion linked to the one or more semiconductor nanocrystals and a second portion capable of linking to one or more affinity molecules. One or more semiconductor nanocrystal compounds are linked to one or more affinity molecules to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with onemore » or more detectable substances in a material being analyzed, and capable of, in response to exposure to a first energy, providing a second energy. Also described are processes for respectively: making the semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and treating materials with the probe.« less

Electrical transport and structural characterization of epitaxial monolayer MoS2 /n- and p-doped GaN vertical lattice-matched heterojunctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzmetov, D.; O'Regan, T.; Zhang, K.; Herzing, A.; Mazzoni, A.; Chin, M.; Huang, S.; Zhang, Z.; Burke, R.; Neupane, M.; Birdwell, Ag; Shah, P.; Crowne, F.; Kolmakov, A.; Leroy, B.; Robinson, J.; Davydov, A.; Ivanov, T.

We investigate vertical semiconductor junctions consisting of monolayer MoS2 that is epitaxially grown on n- and p-doped GaN crystals. Such a junction represents a building block for 2D/3D vertical semiconductor heterostructures. Epitaxial, lattice-matched growth of MoS2 on GaN is important to ensure high quality interfaces that are crucial for the efficient vertical transport. The MoS2/GaN junctions were characterized with cross-sectional and planar scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), scanning tunneling microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The MoS2/GaN lattice mismatch is measured to be near 1% using STEM. The electrical transport in the out-of-plane direction across the MoS2/GaN junctions was measured using conductive atomic force microscopy and mechanical nano-probes inside a scanning electron microscope. Nano-disc metal contacts to MoS2 were fabricated by e-beam lithography and evaporation. The current-voltage curves of the vertical MoS2/GaN junctions exhibit rectification with opposite polarities for n-doped and p-doped GaN. The metal contact determines the general features of the current-voltage curves, and the MoS2 monolayer modifies the electrical transport across the contact/GaN interface.

Numerical simulations of epitaxial growth process in MOVPE reactor as a tool for design of modern semiconductors for high power electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skibinski, Jakub; Caban, Piotr; Wejrzanowski, Tomasz; Kurzydlowski, Krzysztof J.

2014-10-01

In the present study numerical simulations of epitaxial growth of gallium nitride in Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy reactor AIX-200/4RF-S is addressed. Epitaxial growth means crystal growth that progresses while inheriting the laminar structure and the orientation of substrate crystals. One of the technological problems is to obtain homogeneous growth rate over the main deposit area. Since there are many agents influencing reaction on crystal area such as temperature, pressure, gas flow or reactor geometry, it is difficult to design optimal process. According to the fact that it's impossible to determine experimentally the exact distribution of heat and mass transfer inside the reactor during crystal growth, modeling is the only solution to understand the process precisely. Numerical simulations allow to understand the epitaxial process by calculation of heat and mass transfer distribution during growth of gallium nitride. Including chemical reactions in numerical model allows to calculate the growth rate of the substrate and estimate the optimal process conditions for obtaining the most homogeneous product.

Semiconductor nanowhiskers: Synthesis, properties, and applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dubrovskii, V. G., E-mail: dubrovskii@mail.ioffe.ru; Cirlin, G. E., E-mail: Cirlin@beam.ioffe.ru; Ustinov, V. M., E-mail: Vmust@beam.ioffe.ru

2009-12-15

Recent results of studying the semiconductor's whisker nanocrystals are reviewed. Physical grounds of growing whisker nanocrystals using the mechanism vapor-liquid-crystal are given and the main epitaxial technologies of synthesis of whisker nanocrystals are described. Thermodynamic and kinetic factors controlling the morphological properties, composition, and crystal structure of whisker nanocrystals are considered in detail. The main theoretical models of the growth and structure of whisker nanocrystals are described. The data on physical properties of whisker nanocrystals and possibilities of their use in nanophotonics, nanoelectronics, and nanobiotechnology are presented.

Improved Electrostatic Optical System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, B. F.

1984-01-01

Device suitable for molecular epitaxial formation of semiconductor components. Improved electrostatic lens system uses cylindrical mirror as central element between two tubular lenses. Abberations introduced by mirror tend to cancel those introduced by tubular lenses. Result is order-of-magnitude improvement in chromatic or spherical compensation.

TaC-coated graphite prepared via a wet ceramic process: Application to CVD susceptors for epitaxial growth of wide-bandgap semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Daisuke; Kimura, Taishi; Narita, Tetsuo; Suzumura, Akitoshi; Kimoto, Tsunenobu; Nakashima, Kenji

2017-11-01

A novel sintered tantalum carbide coating (SinTaC) prepared via a wet ceramic process is proposed as an approach to reducing the production cost and improving the crystal quality of bulk-grown crystals and epitaxially grown films of wide-bandgap semiconductors. Here, we verify the applicability of the SinTaC components as susceptors for chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-SiC and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-GaN epitaxial growth in terms of impurity incorporation from the SinTaC layers and also clarify the surface-roughness controllability of SinTaC layers and its advantage in CVD applications. The residual impurity elements in the SinTaC layers were confirmed to not severely incorporate into the CVD-SiC and MOCVD-GaN epilayers grown using the SinTaC susceptors. The quality of the epilayers was also confirmed to be equivalent to that of epilayers grown using conventional susceptors. Furthermore, the surface roughness of the SinTaC components was controllable over a wide range of average roughness (0.4 ≤ Ra ≤ 5 μm) and maximum height roughness (3 ≤ Rz ≤ 36 μm) through simple additional surface treatment procedures, and the surface-roughened SinTaC susceptor fabricated using these procedures was predicted to effectively reduce thermal stress on epi-wafers. These results confirm that SinTaC susceptors are applicable to epitaxial growth processes and are advantageous over conventional susceptor materials for reducing the epi-cost and improving the quality of epi-wafers.

Surface passivation process of compound semiconductor material using UV photosulfidation

DOEpatents

Ashby, Carol I. H.

1995-01-01

A method for passivating compound semiconductor surfaces by photolytically disrupting molecular sulfur vapor with ultraviolet radiation to form reactive sulfur which then reacts with and passivates the surface of compound semiconductors.

Method of passivating semiconductor surfaces

DOEpatents

Wanlass, M.W.

1990-06-19

A method is described for passivating Group III-V or II-VI semiconductor compound surfaces. The method includes selecting a passivating material having a lattice constant substantially mismatched to the lattice constant of the semiconductor compound. The passivating material is then grown as an ultrathin layer of passivating material on the surface of the Group III-V or II-VI semiconductor compound. The passivating material is grown to a thickness sufficient to maintain a coherent interface between the ultrathin passivating material and the semiconductor compound. In addition, a device formed from such method is also disclosed.

Method of passivating semiconductor surfaces

DOEpatents

Wanlass, Mark W.

1990-01-01

A method of passivating Group III-V or II-VI semiconductor compound surfaces. The method includes selecting a passivating material having a lattice constant substantially mismatched to the lattice constant of the semiconductor compound. The passivating material is then grown as an ultrathin layer of passivating material on the surface of the Group III-V or II-VI semiconductor compound. The passivating material is grown to a thickness sufficient to maintain a coherent interface between the ultrathin passivating material and the semiconductor compound. In addition, a device formed from such method is also disclosed.

Apparatus For Linewidth Reduction in Distributed Feedback or Distributed Bragg Reflector Semiconductor Lasers Using Vertical Emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, Anthony L. (Inventor); Hendricks, Herbert D. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

The linewidth of a distributed feedback semiconductor laser or a distributed Bragg reflector laser having one or more second order gratings is reduced by using an external cavity to couple the vertical emission back into the laser. This method and device prevent disturbance of the main laser beam, provide unobstructed access to laser emission for the formation of the external cavity, and do not require a very narrow heat sink. Any distributed Bragg reflector semiconductor laser or distributed feedback semiconductor laser that can produce a vertical emission through the epitaxial material and through a window in the top metallization can be used. The external cavity can be formed with an optical fiber or with a lens and a mirror or grating.

Method and Apparatus for Linewidth Reduction in Distributed Feedback or Distributed Bragg Reflector Semiconductor Lasers using Vertical Emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, Anthony L. (Inventor); Hendricks, Herbert D. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

The linewidth of a distributed feedback semiconductor laser or a distributed Bragg reflector laser having one or more second order gratings is reduced by using an external cavity to couple the vertical emission back into the laser. This method and device prevent disturbance of the main laser beam. provide unobstructed access to laser emission for the formation of the external cavity. and do not require a very narrow heat sink. Any distributed Bragg reflector semiconductor laser or distributed feedback semiconductor laser that can produce a vertical emission through the epitaxial material and through a window in the top metallization can be used. The external cavity can be formed with an optical fiber or with a lens and a mirror of grating.

Deep UV LEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jung; Amano, Hiroshi; Schowalter, Leo

2014-06-01

Deep ultraviolet (DUV) photons interact strongly with a broad range of chemical and biological molecules; compact DUV light sources could enable a wide range of applications in chemi/bio-sensing, sterilization, agriculture, and industrial curing. The much shorter wavelength also results in useful characteristics related to optical diffraction (for lithography) and scattering (non-line-of-sight communication). The family of III-N (AlGaInN) compound semiconductors offers a tunable energy gap from infrared to DUV. While InGaN-based blue light emitters have been the primary focus for the obvious application of solid state lighting, there is a growing interest in the development of efficient UV and DUV light-emitting devices. In the past few years we have witnessed an increasing investment from both government and industry sectors to further the state of DUV light-emitting devices. The contributions in Semiconductor Science and Technology 's special issue on DUV devices provide an up-to-date snapshot covering many relevant topics in this field. Given the expected importance of bulk AlN substrate in DUV technology, we are pleased to include a review article by Hartmann et al on the growth of AlN bulk crystal by physical vapour transport. The issue of polarization field within the deep ultraviolet LEDs is examined in the article by Braut et al. Several commercial companies provide useful updates in their development of DUV emitters, including Nichia (Fujioka et al ), Nitride Semiconductors (Muramoto et al ) and Sensor Electronic Technology (Shatalov et al ). We believe these articles will provide an excellent overview of the state of technology. The growth of AlGaN heterostructures by molecular beam epitaxy, in contrast to the common organo-metallic vapour phase epitaxy, is discussed by Ivanov et al. Since hexagonal boron nitride (BN) has received much attention as both a UV and a two-dimensional electronic material, we believe it serves readers well to include the article by Jiang et al on using BN for UV devices; potentially as a p-type wide band gap semiconductor contact. Finally, an in-depth discussion of one DUV application in defense, the non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communication, is given by Drost and Sadler. Overall, we believe that this special issue of Semiconductor Science and Technology provides a useful overview of the state-of-art in the field on DUV materials and devices. In view of the rapidly growing interest in this field, the demonstrated enhanced device performance, and the wide range of applications, this special issue can be considered a very timely contribution. Finally, we would like to thank the IOP editorial staff, in particular Alice Malhador, for their support and also like to thank all contributors for their efforts to make this special issue possible.

Crystal Growth of ZnSe and Related Ternary Compound Semiconductors by Vapor Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ching-Hua; Brebrick, Robert F.; Burger, Arnold; Dudley, Michael; Matyi, Richard J.; Ramachandran, Narayanan; Sha, Yi-Gao; Volz, Martin; Shih, Hung-Dah

2000-01-01

Interest in optical devices which can operate in the visible spectrum has motivated research interest in the II-VI wide band gap semiconductor materials. The recent challenge for semiconductor opto-electronics is the development of a laser which can operate at short visible wavelengths. In the past several years, major advances in thin film technology such as molecular beam epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapor deposition have demonstrated the applicability of II-VI materials to important devices such as light-emitting diodes, lasers, and ultraviolet detectors. With an energy gap of 2.7 eV at room temperature, and an efficient band- to-band transition, ZnSe has been studied extensively as the primary candidate for a blue light emitting diode for optical displays, high density recording, and military communications. By employing a ternary or quaternary system, the energy band gap of II-VI materials can be tuned to a specific range. While issues related to the compositional inhomogeneity and defect incorporation are still to be fully resolved, ZnSe bulk crystals and ZnSe-based heterostructures such as ZnSe/ZnSeS, ZnSe/ZnCdSe and ZnCdSe/ZnSeS have showed photopumped lasing capability in the blue-green region at a low threshold power and high temperatures. The demonstration of its optical bistable properties in bulk and thin film forms also make ZnSe a possible candidate material for the building blocks of a digital optical computer. Despite this, developments in the crystal growth of bulk H-VI semiconductor materials has not advanced far enough to provide the low price, high quality substrates needed for the thin film growth technology.

Atomically engineered epitaxial anatase TiO 2 metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Brian S. Y.; Minohara, Makoto; Hikita, Yasuyuki

Here, anatase TiO 2 is a promising material for a vast array of electronic, energy, and environmental applications, including photocatalysis, photovoltaics, and sensors. A key requirement for these applications is the ability to modulate its electrical properties without dominant dopant scattering and while maintaining high carrier mobility. Here, we demonstrate the room temperature field-effect modulation of the conducting epitaxial interface between anatase TiO 2 and LaAlO 3 (001), which arises for LaO-terminated LaAlO 3, while the AlO 2-terminated interface is insulating. This approach, together with the metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor geometry, naturally bypasses the gate/channel interface traps, resulting in a highmore » field-effect mobility μ FE of 3.14 cm 2 (V s) –1 approaching 98% of the corresponding Hall mobility μ Hall. Accordingly, the channel conductivity is modulated over 6 orders of magnitude over a gate voltage range of ~4 V.« less

B 12P 2: Improved Epitaxial Growth and Evaluation of Alpha Irradiation on its Electrical Transport Properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frye, Clint D.

The wide bandgap (3.35 eV) semiconductor icosahedral boron phosphide (B 12P 2) has been reported to self-heal from radiation damage from β particles (electrons) with energies up to 400 keV by demonstrating no lattice damage using transmission electron microscopy. This property could be exploited to create radioisotope batteries–semiconductor devices that directly convert the decay energy from a radioisotope to electricity. Such devices potentially have enormous power densities and decades-long lifetimes. To date, the radiation hardness of B 12P 2 has not been characterized by electrical measurements nor have B 12P 2 radioisotope batteries been realized. Therefore, this study was undertakenmore » to evaluate the radiation hardness of B 12P 2 after improving its epitaxial growth, developing ohmic electrical contacts, and reducing the residual impurities. Subsequently, the effects of radiation from a radioisotope on the electrical transport properties of B 12P 2 were tested.« less

Strain effect in epitaxial VO2 thin films grown on sapphire substrates using SnO2 buffer layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Heungsoo; Bingham, Nicholas S.; Charipar, Nicholas A.; Piqué, Alberto

2017-10-01

Epitaxial VO2/SnO2 thin film heterostructures were deposited on m-cut sapphire substrates via pulsed laser deposition. By adjusting SnO2 (150 nm) growth conditions, we are able to control the interfacial strain between the VO2 film and SnO2 buffer layer such that the semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature (TC) of VO2 films can be tuned without diminishing the magnitude of the transition. It is shown that in-plane tensile strain and out-of-plane compressive strain of the VO2 film leads to a decrease of Tc. Interestingly, VO2 films on SnO2 buffer layers exhibit a structural phase transition from tetragonal-like VO2 to tetragonal-VO2 during the semiconductor-to-metal transition. These results suggest that the strain generated by SnO2 buffer provides an effective way for tuning the TC of VO2 films.

Atomically engineered epitaxial anatase TiO 2 metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors

DOE PAGES

Kim, Brian S. Y.; Minohara, Makoto; Hikita, Yasuyuki; ...

2018-03-26

Here, anatase TiO 2 is a promising material for a vast array of electronic, energy, and environmental applications, including photocatalysis, photovoltaics, and sensors. A key requirement for these applications is the ability to modulate its electrical properties without dominant dopant scattering and while maintaining high carrier mobility. Here, we demonstrate the room temperature field-effect modulation of the conducting epitaxial interface between anatase TiO 2 and LaAlO 3 (001), which arises for LaO-terminated LaAlO 3, while the AlO 2-terminated interface is insulating. This approach, together with the metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor geometry, naturally bypasses the gate/channel interface traps, resulting in a highmore » field-effect mobility μ FE of 3.14 cm 2 (V s) –1 approaching 98% of the corresponding Hall mobility μ Hall. Accordingly, the channel conductivity is modulated over 6 orders of magnitude over a gate voltage range of ~4 V.« less

Epitaxial lift-off of electrodeposited single-crystal gold foils for flexible electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahenderkar, Naveen K.; Chen, Qingzhi; Liu, Ying-Chau; Duchild, Alexander R.; Hofheins, Seth; Chason, Eric; Switzer, Jay A.

2017-03-01

We introduce a simple and inexpensive procedure for epitaxial lift-off of wafer-size flexible and transparent foils of single-crystal gold using silicon as a template. Lateral electrochemical undergrowth of a sacrificial SiOx layer was achieved by photoelectrochemically oxidizing silicon under light irradiation. A 28-nanometer-thick gold foil with a sheet resistance of 7 ohms per square showed only a 4% increase in resistance after 4000 bending cycles. A flexible organic light-emitting diode based on tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) that was spin-coated on a foil exploited the transmittance and flexibility of the gold foil. Cuprous oxide as an inorganic semiconductor that was epitaxially electrodeposited onto the gold foils exhibited a diode quality factor n of 1.6 (where n = 1.0 for an ideal diode), compared with a value of 3.1 for a polycrystalline deposit. Zinc oxide nanowires electrodeposited epitaxially on a gold foil also showed flexibility, with the nanowires intact up to 500 bending cycles.

Molecular Beam Epitaxial Growth of Iron Nitrides on Zinc-Blende Gallium Nitride(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, Jeongihm; Lin, Wenzhi; Chinchore, Abhijit; Wang, Kangkang; Smith, Arthur R.

2008-03-01

Iron nitrides are attractive materials for their high magnetic moments, corrosion, and oxidation resistance. We present the successful epitaxial growth of iron nitride on zinc-blende gallium nitride (c-GaN) in order to develop a novel magnetic transition metal nitride/semiconductor system. First, GaN is grown on magnesium oxide (MgO) substrates having (001) orientation using rf N2-plasma molecular beam epitaxy. Then we grow FeN at substrate temperature of ˜ 210 ^oC up to a thickness of ˜ 10.5 nm. In-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) is used to monitor the surface during growth. Initial results suggest that the epitaxial relationship is FeN[001] || GaN[001] and FeN[100] || GaN[100]. Work in progress is to investigate the surface using in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to reveal the surface structure at atomic scale, as well as to explore more Fe-rich magnetic phases.

Realizing Large-Scale, Electronic-Grade Two-Dimensional Semiconductors.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Chuan; Jariwala, Bhakti; Bersch, Brian M; Xu, Ke; Nie, Yifan; Wang, Baoming; Eichfeld, Sarah M; Zhang, Xiaotian; Choudhury, Tanushree H; Pan, Yi; Addou, Rafik; Smyth, Christopher M; Li, Jun; Zhang, Kehao; Haque, M Aman; Fölsch, Stefan; Feenstra, Randall M; Wallace, Robert M; Cho, Kyeongjae; Fullerton-Shirey, Susan K; Redwing, Joan M; Robinson, Joshua A

2018-02-27

Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are of interest for next-generation electronics and optoelectronics. Here, we demonstrate device-ready synthetic tungsten diselenide (WSe 2 ) via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition and provide key insights into the phenomena that control the properties of large-area, epitaxial TMDs. When epitaxy is achieved, the sapphire surface reconstructs, leading to strong 2D/3D (i.e., TMD/substrate) interactions that impact carrier transport. Furthermore, we demonstrate that substrate step edges are a major source of carrier doping and scattering. Even with 2D/3D coupling, transistors utilizing transfer-free epitaxial WSe 2 /sapphire exhibit ambipolar behavior with excellent on/off ratios (∼10 7 ), high current density (1-10 μA·μm -1 ), and good field-effect transistor mobility (∼30 cm 2 ·V -1 ·s -1 ) at room temperature. This work establishes that realization of electronic-grade epitaxial TMDs must consider the impact of the TMD precursors, substrate, and the 2D/3D interface as leading factors in electronic performance.

The Interfacial Thermal Conductance of Epitaxial Metal-Semiconductor Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Ning

Understanding heat transport at nanometer and sub-nanometer lengthscales is critical to solving a wide range of technological challenges related to thermal management and energy conversion. In particular, finite Interfacial Thermal Conductance (ITC) often dominates transport whenever multiple interfaces are closely spaced together or when heat originates from sources that are highly confined by interfaces. Examples of the former include superlattices, thin films, quantum cascade lasers, and high density nanocomposites. Examples of the latter include FinFET transistors, phase-change memory, and the plasmonic transducer of a heat-assisted magnetic recording head. An understanding of the physics of such interfaces is still lacking, in part because experimental investigations to-date have not bothered to carefully control the structure of interfaces studied, and also because the most advanced theories have not been compared to the most robust experimental data. This thesis aims to resolve this by investigating ITC between a range of clean and structurally well-characterized metal-semiconductor interfaces using the Time-Domain Thermoreflectance (TDTR) experimental technique, and by providing theoretical/computational comparisons to the experimental data where possible. By studying the interfaces between a variety of materials systems, each with unique aspects to their tunability, I have been able to answer a number of outstanding questions regarding the importance of interfacial quality (epitaxial/non-epitaxial interfaces), semiconductor doping, matching of acoustic and optical phonon band structure, and the role of phonon transport mechanisms apart from direct elastic transmission on ITC. In particular, we are able to comment on the suitability of the diffuse mismatch model (DMM) to describe the transport across epitaxial interfaces. To accomplish this goal, I studied interfacial thermal transport across CoSi2, TiSi2, NiSi and PtSi - Si(100) and Si(111), (silicides-silicon), interfaces with varying levels of disorder (epitaxial and non-epitaxial). The ITC values of silicides-silicon interfaces observed in this study are higher than those of other metallic interfaces to Si found in literature. Most surprisingly, it is experimentally found that ITC values are independent of interfacial quality and substrate orientation. Computationally, it is found that the non-equilibrium atomistic Green's Function technique (NEGF), which is specically designed to simulate coherent elastic phonon transport across interfaces, significantly underpredicts ITC values for CoSi2-Si interfaces, suggesting that energy transport does not occur purely by coherent transmission of phonons, even for epitaxial interfaces. In contrast, the Diffuse Mismatch Model closely mimics the experimentally observed ITC values for CoSi 2-Si, NiSi-Si and TiSi2-Si interfaces, and only slightly overestimating the same for PtSi-Si interfaces. Furthermore, the results also show that ITC is independent of degenerate doping up to doping levels of ≈1 x 1019 cm-3, indicating there is no significant direct electronic transport or transport effects which depend on long-range metal-semiconductor band alignment. Then, I study the effect of phonon band structure on ITC through measurements of epitaxial NiAl1-xGax-GaAs interfaces for varying levels of alloy composition, which independently tunes the mass of the metal's heavy atom without much affect on the lattice structure or interatomic force constants. The ITC values are found to linearly increase with increasing Ga content, consistent with the disappearance of a phonon band gap in NiAl 1-xGax films with increasing Ga content, which enhances the phonon transmission coefficients due to a better density of states overlap between the two (NiAl1-xGax, GaAs) materials. Finally, I study a unique subset of epitaxial rocksalt interfaces between the Group IV metal nitrides (TiN, ZrN, and HfN) to MgO substrates as well as ScN layers. Prior to the currrent study, TiN-MgO was the only measured interface of this type, and maintained the record for the highest reported ITC for a metal-semiconductor interface. By varying the Group IV metal, the mass of the metal's light atom was independently tuned, allowing the ability to tune the acoustic phonon frequencies in the metal without significant effect to optical phonon band structure. We find that the ITC of all the studied interfaces are quite high, significantly exceeding the DMM predictions, and in the case of XN-ScN interfaces even exceed the radiative limit for elastic phonon transport. The results imply that mechanisms such as anharmonic phonon transmission, strong cross-interfacial electron phonon coupling, or direct electric transmission are required to explain the transport. The TiN-ScN interface conductance is the highest room temperature metal-dielectric conductance ever reported.

Epitaxial GeSn film formed by solid phase epitaxy and its application to Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3}-gated GeSn metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with sub-nm equivalent oxide thickness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Ching-Wei; Wu, Yung-Hsien; Hsieh, Ching-Heng

2014-11-17

Through the technique of solid phase epitaxy (SPE), an epitaxial Ge{sub 0.955}Sn{sub 0.045} film was formed on a Ge substrate by depositing an amorphous GeSn film followed by a rapid thermal annealing at 550 °C. A process that uses a SiO{sub 2} capping layer on the amorphous GeSn film during SPE was proposed and it prevents Sn precipitation from occurring while maintaining a smooth surface due to the reduced surface mobility of Sn atoms. The high-quality epitaxial GeSn film was observed to have single crystal structure, uniform thickness and composition, and tiny surface roughness with root mean square of 0.56 nm. Withmore » a SnO{sub x}-free surface, Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3}-gated GeSn metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of 0.55 nm were developed. A small amount of traps inside the Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} was verified by negligible hysteresis in capacitance measurement. Low leakage current of 0.4 A/cm{sup 2} at gate bias of flatband voltage (V{sub FB})-1 V suggests the high quality of the gate dielectric. In addition, the feasibility of using Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} to well passivate GeSn surface was also evidenced by the small interface trap density (D{sub it}) of 4.02 × 10{sup 11} eV{sup −1} cm{sup −2}, which can be attributed to smooth GeSn surface and Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} valency passivation. Both leakage current and D{sub it} performance outperform other passivation techniques at sub-nm EOT regime. The proposed epitaxial GeSn film along with Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} dielectric paves an alternative way to enable high-performance GeSn MOS devices.« less

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SEMICONDUCTOR INJECTION LASERS SELCO-87: Two-stage liquid phase epitaxy for fabrication of buried InGaAsP/InP heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Procházková, O.; Novotný, J.; Šrobár, F.

1988-11-01

The technology of growth of buried heterojunction lasers emitting at 1.3 μm and some of their physical properties are described. Mesa stripes 8-μm wide were formed on heteroepitaxial wafers grown by liquid phase epitaxy at 630°C. They were buried by a second process at a lower temperature (590°C). The threshold current was about 100 mA and the temperature sensitivity was characterized by a parameter amounting to about 60 K. Single-mode lasing was observed occasionally.

Reflection mass spectrometry technique for monitoring and controlling composition during molecular beam epitaxy

DOEpatents

Brennan, T.M.; Hammons, B.E.; Tsao, J.Y.

1992-12-15

A method for on-line accurate monitoring and precise control of molecular beam epitaxial growth of Groups III-III-V or Groups III-V-V layers in an advanced semiconductor device incorporates reflection mass spectrometry. The reflection mass spectrometry is responsive to intentional perturbations in molecular fluxes incident on a substrate by accurately measuring the molecular fluxes reflected from the substrate. The reflected flux is extremely sensitive to the state of the growing surface and the measurements obtained enable control of newly forming surfaces that are dynamically changing as a result of growth. 3 figs.

Strain Engineering of Epitaxially Transferred, Ultrathin Layers of III-V Semiconductor on Insulator

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

The structure of the source wafer is shown schematically in Fig. 2a, with both InAs and AlGaSb layers coherently strained to the GaSb 001...is due to the surface plasmon-LO phonon FIG. 2. Color online a The structure of GaSb /AlGaSb/InAs source wafer with an assumed strain state for...insulator layers obtained from an epitaxial transfer process is studied. The as-grown InAs epilayer 10–20 nm thick on the GaSb /AlGaSb source wafer has the

Perspective: Oxide molecular-beam epitaxy rocks!

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schlom, Darrell G., E-mail: schlom@cornell.edu

2015-06-01

Molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) is the “gold standard” synthesis technique for preparing semiconductor heterostructures with high purity, high mobility, and exquisite control of layer thickness at the atomic-layer level. Its use for the growth of multicomponent oxides got off to a rocky start 30 yr ago, but in the ensuing decades, it has become the definitive method for the preparation of oxide heterostructures too, particularly when it is desired to explore their intrinsic properties. Examples illustrating the unparalleled achievements of oxide MBE are given; these motivate its expanding use for exploring the potentially revolutionary states of matter possessed by oxide systems.

Reflection mass spectrometry technique for monitoring and controlling composition during molecular beam epitaxy

DOEpatents

Brennan, Thomas M.; Hammons, B. Eugene; Tsao, Jeffrey Y.

1992-01-01

A method for on-line accurate monitoring and precise control of molecular beam epitaxial growth of Groups III-III-V or Groups III-V-V layers in an advanced semiconductor device incorporates reflection mass spectrometry. The reflection mass spectrometry is responsive to intentional perturbations in molecular fluxes incident on a substrate by accurately measuring the molecular fluxes reflected from the substrate. The reflected flux is extremely sensitive to the state of the growing surface and the measurements obtained enable control of newly forming surfaces that are dynamically changing as a result of growth.

Cadmium Telluride Semiconductor Detector for Improved Spatial and Energy Resolution Radioisotopic Imaging

PubMed Central

Abbaspour, Samira; Mahmoudian, Babak; Islamian, Jalil Pirayesh

2017-01-01

The detector in single-photon emission computed tomography has played a key role in the quality of the images. Over the past few decades, developments in semiconductor detector technology provided an appropriate substitution for scintillation detectors in terms of high sensitivity, better energy resolution, and also high spatial resolution. One of the considered detectors is cadmium telluride (CdTe). The purpose of this paper is to review the CdTe semiconductor detector used in preclinical studies, small organ and small animal imaging, also research in nuclear medicine and other medical imaging modalities by a complete inspect on the material characteristics, irradiation principles, applications, and epitaxial growth method. PMID:28553175

Electronic Raman scattering as an ultra-sensitive probe of strain effects in semiconductors

DOE PAGES

Fluegel., Brian; Mialitsin, Aleksej V.; Beaton, Daniel A.; ...

2015-05-28

In this study, the semiconductor strain engineering has become a critical feature of high-performance electronics because of the significant device performance enhancements that it enables. These improvements, which emerge from strain-induced modifications to the electronic band structure, necessitate new ultra-sensitive tools to probe the strain in semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate that minute amounts of strain in thin semiconductor epilayers can be measured using electronic Raman scattering. We applied this strain measurement technique to two different semiconductor alloy systems using coherently strained epitaxial thin films specifically designed to produce lattice-mismatch strains as small as 10 –4. Comparing our strain sensitivity andmore » signal strength in Al xGa 1–xAs with those obtained using the industry-standard technique of phonon Raman scattering, we found that there was a sensitivity improvement of 200-fold and a signal enhancement of 4 × 10 3, thus obviating key constraints in semiconductor strain metrology.« less

Low temperature plasma enhanced CVD epitaxial growth of silicon on GaAs: a new paradigm for III-V/Si integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cariou, Romain; Chen, Wanghua; Maurice, Jean-Luc; Yu, Jingwen; Patriarche, Gilles; Mauguin, Olivia; Largeau, Ludovic; Decobert, Jean; Roca I Cabarrocas, Pere

2016-05-01

The integration of III-V semiconductors with silicon is a key issue for photonics, microelectronics and photovoltaics. With the standard approach, namely the epitaxial growth of III-V on silicon, thick and complex buffer layers are required to limit the crystalline defects caused by the interface polarity issues, the thermal expansion, and lattice mismatches. To overcome these problems, we have developed a reverse and innovative approach to combine III-V and silicon: the straightforward epitaxial growth of silicon on GaAs at low temperature by plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD). Indeed we show that both GaAs surface cleaning by SiF4 plasma and subsequent epitaxial growth from SiH4/H2 precursors can be achieved at 175 °C. The GaAs native oxide etching is monitored with in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and Raman spectroscopy is used to assess the epitaxial silicon quality. We found that SiH4 dilution in hydrogen during deposition controls the layer structure: the epitaxial growth happens for deposition conditions at the transition between the microcrystalline and amorphous growth regimes. SIMS and STEM-HAADF bring evidences for the interface chemical sharpness. Together, TEM and XRD analysis demonstrate that PECVD enables the growth of high quality relaxed single crystal silicon on GaAs.

Organo luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes

DOEpatents

Weiss, Shimon; Bruchez, Jr., Marcel; Alivisatos, Paul

2006-09-05

A semiconductor nanocrystal compound is described capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound comprises (1) a semiconductor nanocrystal capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation and/or absorbing energy, and/or scattering or diffracting electromagnetic radiation--when excited by an electromagnetic radiation source or a particle beam; and (2) at least one linking agent, having a first portion linked to the semiconductor nanocrystal and a second portion capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound is linked to an affinity molecule to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with a detectable substance. subsequent exposure to excitation energy will excite the semiconductor nanocrystal in the probe causing the emission of electromagnetic radiation. Further described are processes for respectively: making the luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and using the probe to determine the presence of a detectable substance in a material.

Organo luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes

DOEpatents

Weiss, Shimon [Pinole, CA; Bruchez, Jr., Marcel; Alivisatos, Paul [Oakland, CA

2004-03-02

A semiconductor nanocrystal compound is described capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound comprises (1) a semiconductor nanocrystal capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation and/or absorbing energy, and/or scattering or diffracting electromagnetic radiation--when excited by an electromagnetic radiation source or a particle beam; and (2) at least one linking agent, having a first portion linked to the semiconductor nanocrystal and a second portion capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound is linked to an affinity molecule to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with a detectable substance. Subsequent exposure to excitation energy will excite the semiconductor nanocrystal in the probe, causing the emission of electromagnetic radiation. Further described are processes for respectively: making the semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and using the probe to determine the presence of a detectable substance in a material.

Organo luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes

DOEpatents

Weiss, Shimon; Bruchez, Jr., Marcel; Alivisatos, Paul

2005-08-09

A semiconductor nanocrystal compound is described capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound comprises (1) a semiconductor nanocrystal capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation and/or absorbing energy, and/or scattering or diffracting electromagnetic radiation--when excited by an electromagnetic radiation source or a particle beam; and (2) at least one linking agent, having a first portion linked to the semiconductor nanocrystal and a second portion capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound is linked to an affinity molecule to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with a detectable substance. Subsequent exposure to excitation energy will excite the semiconductor nanocrystal in the probe causing the emission of electromagnetic radiation. Further described are processes for respectively: making the luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and using the probe to determine the presence of a detectable substance in a material.

Organo luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes

DOEpatents

Weiss, Shimon; Bruchez, Jr., Marcel; Alivisatos, Paul

2002-01-01

A semiconductor nanocrystal compound is described capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound comprises (1) a semiconductor nanocrystal capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation and/or absorbing energy, and/or scattering or diffracting electromagnetic radiation--when excited by an electromagnetic radiation source or a particle beam; and (2) at least one linking agent, having a first portion linked to the semiconductor nanocrystal and a second portion capable of linking to an affity molecule. The compound is linked to an affinity molecule to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with a detectable substance. Subsequent exposure to excitation energy will excite the semiconductor nanocrystal in he probe, causing the emission of electromagnetic radiation. Further described are processes for respectively: making the semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and using the probe to determine the presence of a detectable substance in a material.

Room Temperature Hard Radiation Detectors Based on Solid State Compound Semiconductors: An Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirzaei, Ali; Huh, Jeung-Soo; Kim, Sang Sub; Kim, Hyoun Woo

2018-05-01

Si and Ge single crystals are the most common semiconductor radiation detectors. However, they need to work at cryogenic temperatures to decrease their noise levels. In contrast, compound semiconductors can be operated at room temperature due to their ability to grow compound materials with tunable densities, band gaps and atomic numbers. Highly efficient room temperature hard radiation detectors can be utilized in biomedical diagnostics, nuclear safety and homeland security applications. In this review, we discuss room temperature compound semiconductors. Since the field of radiation detection is broad and a discussion of all compound materials for radiation sensing is impossible, we discuss the most important materials for the detection of hard radiation with a focus on binary heavy metal semiconductors and ternary and quaternary chalcogenide compounds.

On the origin and elimination of macroscopic defects in MBE films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, C. E. C.; Rathbun, L.; Ohno, H.; DeSimone, D.

1981-02-01

Spitting of group III metal droplets from Knudsen type effusion cells has been found culpable for a genre of problematical macroscopic surface topographical defects observed in the growth of semiconductor films by molecular beam epitaxy. Successful precautions are described which virtually eliminate the problem.

Colloidal CdSe Quantum Rings.

PubMed

Fedin, Igor; Talapin, Dmitri V

2016-08-10

Semiconductor quantum rings are of great fundamental interest because their non-trivial topology creates novel physical properties. At the same time, toroidal topology is difficult to achieve for colloidal nanocrystals and epitaxially grown semiconductor nanostructures. In this work, we introduce the synthesis of luminescent colloidal CdSe nanorings and nanostructures with double and triple toroidal topology. The nanorings form during controlled etching and rearrangement of two-dimensional nanoplatelets. We discuss a possible mechanism of the transformation of nanoplatelets into nanorings and potential utility of colloidal nanorings for magneto-optical (e.g., Aharonov-Bohm effect) and other applications.

Organo luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes

DOEpatents

Weiss, Shimon [Pinole, CA; Bruchez, Jr., Marcel; Alivisatos, Paul [Oakland, CA

2008-01-01

A semiconductor nanocrystal compound is described capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound comprises (1) a semiconductor nanocrystal capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation and/or absorbing energy, and/or scattering or diffracting electromagnetic radiation--when excited by an electromagnetic radiation source or a particle beam; and (2) an affinity molecule linked to the semiconductor nanocrystal. The semiconductor nanocrystal is linked to an affinity molecule to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with a detectable substance. Exposure of the semiconductor nanocrystal to excitation energy will excite the semiconductor nanocrystal causing the emission of electromagnetic radiation. Further described are processes for respectively: making the luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and using the probe to determine the presence of a detectable substance in a material.

Native gallium adatoms discovered on atomically-smooth gallium nitride surfaces at low temperature.

PubMed

Alam, Khan; Foley, Andrew; Smith, Arthur R

2015-03-11

In advanced compound semiconductor devices, such as in quantum dot and quantum well systems, detailed atomic configurations at the growth surfaces are vital in determining the structural and electronic properties. Therefore, it is important to investigate the surface reconstructions in order to make further technological advancements. Usually, conventional semiconductor surfaces (e.g., arsenides, phosphides, and antimonides) are highly reactive due to the existence of a high density of group V (anion) surface dangling bonds. However, in the case of nitrides, group III rich growth conditions in molecular beam epitaxy are usually preferred leading to group III (Ga)-rich surfaces. Here, we use low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy to reveal a uniform distribution of native gallium adatoms with a density of 0.3%-0.5% of a monolayer on the clean, as-grown surface of nitrogen polar GaN(0001̅) having the centered 6 × 12 reconstruction. Unseen at room temperature, these Ga adatoms are strongly bound to the surface but move with an extremely low surface diffusion barrier and a high density saturation coverage in thermodynamic equilibrium with Ga droplets. Furthermore, the Ga adatoms reveal an intrinsic surface chirality and an asymmetric site occupation. These observations can have important impacts in the understanding of gallium nitride surfaces.

Effets magneto-plasmoniques dans les milieux effectifs composes de metaux ferromagnetiques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monette, Gabriel

A precipitated metallic and ferromagnetic phase in an epitaxial semiconductor host matrix is an interesting effective medium for both fundamental research and technological applications. At first seen as an unwanted byproduct resulting from the implantation of magnetic ions in semiconductors for the synthesis of diluted magnetic semiconductors, those precipitated phases can offer much more than was first anticipated. The precipitate phase strongly couples to optical excitations, maintains an high ferromagnetic transition temperature, and the epitaxial semiconductor matrix is easily grown on various substrates. GaP:MnP samples studied in this thesis represent this kind of material where metallic ferromagnetic nanoclusters (MnP) are embedded in an epitaxial semiconductor matrix (GaP). In order to further analyze the effect and the role of the surrounding matrix on the MnP and overall effective properties, an MnP thin film grown on glass and a polystyrene membrane containing MnP nanospheres were also studied. Optical and magneto-optical measurements were made with a homemade experimental apparatus entirely assembled in the laboratory. It's modular design allows to switch between temperature, magnetic field, probe wavelength and polarization measurements, or to combine them as needed. The precision and uncertainties associated with the measures were duly evaluated. The magneto-optical characterization of the heterogeneous GaP:MnP shows an impressive gyrotropy that amounts to 6°/microm (per effective thickness of MnP) at 210 K and 410 mT, in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This gyrotropy is higher than that of a thin film entirely made of MnP (3°/microm), for the same temperature and applied magnetic field. The origin of the optical activity generated by the applied magnetic field is identified as being the MnP phase magnetization, for both the heterogeneous epilayers and the thin film. Magnetometric and magneto-optic hysteresis curves measured at various temperatures clearly show that the applied magnetic field is not the important contributor to the overall gyrotropic behaviour, but rather the cause of the magnetization state that, in turn, dominates the magneto-optical effects. An effective medium approach based on Maxwell-Garnett mixing rules is employed to model the electromagnetic response of the GaP:MnP compounds in the visible and infrared portion of the spectrum. The model is entirely classic and considers a Drude-like permittivity for the MnP nanoclusters and a constant real permittivity for the GaP matrix below the semiconductor band gap. The gyrotropy in the rank two tensorial permittivity is classically due to the cyclotronic response under an applied magnetic field. It is magnified by a Weisslike effective field contribution to simulate the spin-orbit coupling. The model takes into account inclusions of various shapes (revolution ellipsoids of varying aspect ratio) allowed to orient themselves randomly within the GaP matrix. The magnetometric and magneto-optic measurements as a function of temperature allowed to probe and discuss the MnP ferromagnetic phase transition. The Curie temperature of bulk MnP is known to be 291,5 K, whereas magnetometric measurements on GaP:MnP indicate a phase transition temperature that is slightly higher (≈ 296,5 K, depending on the effective medium parameters). A technique based on the optical probing of the magnetic susceptibility is developed to corroborate those results. The method confirms results from magnetometric measurements, with a good precision, and additionally gives information on the phase transition temperature distribution of the magnetic objects (nanoclusters in GaP:MnP epilayers and in-plane grains for the MnP thin film) in the samples. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Method of physical vapor deposition of metal oxides on semiconductors

DOEpatents

Norton, David P.

2001-01-01

A process for growing a metal oxide thin film upon a semiconductor surface with a physical vapor deposition technique in a high-vacuum environment and a structure formed with the process involves the steps of heating the semiconductor surface and introducing hydrogen gas into the high-vacuum environment to develop conditions at the semiconductor surface which are favorable for growing the desired metal oxide upon the semiconductor surface yet is unfavorable for the formation of any native oxides upon the semiconductor. More specifically, the temperature of the semiconductor surface and the ratio of hydrogen partial pressure to water pressure within the vacuum environment are high enough to render the formation of native oxides on the semiconductor surface thermodynamically unstable yet are not so high that the formation of the desired metal oxide on the semiconductor surface is thermodynamically unstable. Having established these conditions, constituent atoms of the metal oxide to be deposited upon the semiconductor surface are directed toward the surface of the semiconductor by a physical vapor deposition technique so that the atoms come to rest upon the semiconductor surface as a thin film of metal oxide with no native oxide at the semiconductor surface/thin film interface. An example of a structure formed by this method includes an epitaxial thin film of (001)-oriented CeO.sub.2 overlying a substrate of (001) Ge.

van der Waals epitaxy of Ge films on mica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Littlejohn, A. J.; Xiang, Y.; Rauch, E.; Lu, T.-M.; Wang, G.-C.

2017-11-01

To date, many materials have been successfully grown on substrates through van der Waals epitaxy without adhering to the constraint of lattice matching as is required for traditional chemical epitaxy. However, for elemental semiconductors such as Ge, this has been challenging and therefore it has not been achieved thus far. In this paper, we report the observation of Ge epitaxially grown on mica at a narrow substrate temperature range around 425 °C. Despite the large lattice mismatch (23%) and the lack of high in-plane symmetry in the mica surface, an epitaxial Ge film with [111] out-of-plane orientation is observed. Crystallinity and electrical properties degrade upon deviation from the ideal growth temperature, as shown by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Hall effect measurements. X-ray pole figure analysis reveals that there exist multiple rotational domains in the epitaxial Ge film with dominant in-plane orientations between Ge [" separators="|1 ¯10 ] and mica[100] of (20 n )°, where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. A superlattice area mismatch model was used to account for the likelihood of the in-plane orientation formation and was found to be qualitatively consistent with the observed dominant orientations. Our observation of Ge epitaxy with one out-of-plane growth direction through van der Waals forces is a step toward the growth of single crystal Ge films without the constraint in the lattice and symmetry matches with the substrates.

GROWTH AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OF RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS.

DTIC Science & Technology

SINGLE CRYSTALS, CRYSTAL GROWTH), (*CRYSTAL GROWTH, SINGLE CRYSTALS), (*RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS, SINGLE CRYSTALS), EPITAXIAL GROWTH, SODIUM COMPOUNDS, CHLORIDES, VAPOR PLATING, ELECTROSTATIC FIELDS, ENERGY, ATOMIC PROPERTIES , BONDING

Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Lian

2017-03-08

Our BES supported program integrates molecular beam epitaxy growth with in situ atomic scale imaging using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Aided by density functional theory calculations, we explore enhanced functionalities emerging from the interplay of strain, proximity, and spin-orbit interactions in heterostructures of wide band gap semiconductors, graphene, and Dirac materials, focusing on three thrusts: 1) doping wide bandgap semiconductors and graphene; 2) graphene nanoribbons and graphene-semiconductor heterostructures; and 3) Dirac materials. Our findings and discoveries have led to the publication of one book chapter and twenty-three refereed journal articles, including several in high impact journals suchmore » as Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, and Nano Letters. Highlights of each thrust are provided in the report.« less

Bulk unipolar diodes formed in GaAs by ion implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchinson, S.; Kelly, M. J.; Gwilliam, R.; Sealy, B. J.; Carr, M.

1999-01-01

In an attempt to emulate epitaxially manufactured semiconductor multilayers for microwave device applications, we have produced a camel diode structure in GaAs for the first time, using the tail of a Mg + implant into a molecular beam epitaxially grown n +-n --n + structure. Using a range of ion energies and doses, samples are observed to exhibit bulk unipolar diode characteristics. With low dose and energy, a diode with barrier height of ˜0.8 V and ideality factor ˜1.25 is achieved. 'Punch through' diode characteristics are obtained at high ion dose and energy, some with knee voltages in excess of 7 V.

II-VI Narrow-Bandgap Semiconductors for Optoelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Ian

The field of narrow-gap II-VI materials is dominated by the compound semiconductor mercury cadmium telluride, (Hg1-x Cd x Te or MCT), which supports a large industry in infrared detectors, cameras and infrared systems. It is probably true to say that HgCdTe is the third most studied semiconductor after silicon and gallium arsenide. Hg1-x Cd x Te is the material most widely used in high-performance infrared detectors at present. By changing the composition x the spectral response of the detector can be made to cover the range from 1 μm to beyond 17 μm. The advantages of this system arise from a number of features, notably: close lattice matching, high optical absorption coefficient, low carrier generation rate, high electron mobility and readily available doping techniques. These advantages mean that very sensitive infrared detectors can be produced at relatively high operating temperatures. Hg1-x Cd x Te multilayers can be readily grown in vapor-phase epitaxial processes. This provides the device engineer with complex doping and composition profiles that can be used to further enhance the electro-optic performance, leading to low-cost, large-area detectors in the future. The main purpose of this chapter is to describe the applications, device physics and technology of II-VI narrow-bandgap devices, focusing on HgCdTe but also including Hg1-x Mn x Te and Hg1-x Zn x Te. It concludes with a review of the research and development programs into third-generation infrared detector technology (so-called GEN III detectors) being performed in centers around the world.

Graphene-silicon layered structures on single-crystalline Ir(111) thin films

DOE PAGES

Que, Yande D.; Tao, Jing; Zhang, Yong; ...

2015-01-20

Epitaxial growth of graphene on transition metal crystals, such as Ru,⁽¹⁻³⁾ Ir,⁽⁴⁻⁶⁾ and Ni,⁽⁷⁾ provides large-area, uniform graphene layers with controllable defect density, which is crucial for practical applications in future devices. To decrease the high cost of single-crystalline metal bulks, single-crystalline metal films are strongly suggested as the substrates for epitaxial growth large-scale high-quality graphene.⁽⁸⁻¹⁰⁾ Moreover, in order to weaken the interactions of graphene with its metal host, which may result in a suppression of the intrinsic properties of graphene,⁽¹¹ ¹²⁾ the method of element intercalation of semiconductors at the interface between an epitaxial graphene layer and a transitionmore » metal substrate has been successfully realized.⁽¹³⁻¹⁶⁾« less

Subeutectic Synthesis of Epitaxial Si-NWs with Diverse Catalysts Using a Novel Si Precursor

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The applicability of a novel silicon precursor with respect to reasonable nanowire (NW) growth rates, feasibility of epitaxial NW growth and versatility with respect to diverse catalysts was investigated. Epitaxial growth of Si-NWs was achieved using octochlorotrisilane (OCTS) as Si precursor and Au as catalyst. In contrast to the synthesis approach with SiCl4 as precursor, OCTS provides Si without the addition of H2. By optimizing the growth conditions, effective NW synthesis is shown for alternative catalysts, in particular, Cu, Ag, Ni, and Pt with the latter two being compatible to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. As for these catalysts, the growth temperatures are lower than the lowest liquid eutectic; we suggest that the catalyst particle is in the solid state during NW growth and that a solid-phase diffusion process, either in the bulk, on the surface, or both, must be responsible for NW nucleation. PMID:20843058

Self-assembled Metallic Dots and Antidots: Epitaxial Co on Ru(0001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Chengtao; Li, Dongqi; Pearson, J.; Bader, S. D.

2001-03-01

We have grown 1-420 nm thick epitaxial Co wedge on Ru(0001) with molecular beam epitaxy at 350^oC to investigate self-assembly in metals utilizing ex-situ atomic force microscopy. A novel growth mode was observed whereby three-dimensional islands (dots) or a flat film network with deep holes (antidots) in truncated pyramidal shapes exist below or above 20 nm, respectively. The tops of the islands and the rims of the holes are flat with a root mean square roughness values of 0.3 nm. The lateral sizes of these dots/antidots, 10^2 nm, tend to be uniform. We postulate that this growth mode, similar to that of self-assembled quantum dots in semiconductors, is mainly driven by strain as a result of an 8% lateral mismatch between the basil plane lattice constants of bulk Co and Ru.

Effects of La-doped BaSnO3epitaxial electrode on the ferroelectric properties of BaTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hahoon; Kim, Young Mo; Kim, Youjung; Shin, Juyeon; Char, Kookrin

In order to integrate the newly discovered high-mobility perovskite semiconductor BaSnO3 with a ferroelectric perovskite, we have grown epitaxial ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) on top of the 4 % La-doped BaSnO3 (BLSO). X-ray diffraction measurement suggests that the BTO film on top of BLSO electrode is tensilely strained due to the larger lattice constant of BLSO. An all epitaxial sandwich structure of BLSO/BTO/BLSO was fabricated in order to measure the ferroelectric properties of the BTO under tensile strain. The polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis curve will be discussed from the viewpoint of the tensile strain. In addition, the breakdown field will be measured to evaluate the potential of BTO for a gate oxide on top of BLSO. Samsung science and technology foundation.

Thermal stability of MBE-grown epitaxial MoSe2 and WSe2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Young Jun; Choy, Byoung Ki; Phark, Soo-Hyon; Kim, Minu

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) draw much attention, because of its unique optical properties and band structures depending on the layer thicknesses. However, MBE growth of epitaxial films demands information about thermal stability of stoichiometry and related electronic structure for high temperature range. We grow epitaxial MoSe2 and WSe2 ultrathin films by using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We characterize stoichiometry of films grown at various growth temperature by using various methods, XPS, EDX, and TOF-MEIS. We further test high temperature stability of electronic structure for those films by utilizing in-situ ellipsometry attached to UHV chamber. We discuss threshold temperatures up to 700~1000oC, at which electronic phases changes from semiconductor to metal due to selenium deficiency. This information can be useful for potential application of TMDs for fabrication of Van der Waals multilayers and related devices. This research was supported by Nano.Material Technology Development Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. (2009-0082580), NRF-2014R1A1A1002868.

Epitaxial growth and magnetic properties of ultraviolet transparent Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer thin films.

PubMed

Guo, Daoyou; An, Yuehua; Cui, Wei; Zhi, Yusong; Zhao, Xiaolong; Lei, Ming; Li, Linghong; Li, Peigang; Wu, Zhenping; Tang, Weihua

2016-04-28

Multilayer thin films based on the ferromagnetic and ultraviolet transparent semiconductors may be interesting because their magnetic/electronic/photonic properties can be manipulated by the high energy photons. Herein, the Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films were obtained by alternating depositing of wide band gap Ga2O3 layer and Fe ultrathin layer due to inter diffusion between two layers at high temperature using the laser molecular beam epitaxy technique. The multilayer films exhibits a preferred growth orientation of crystal plane, and the crystal lattice expands as Fe replaces Ga site. Fe ions with a mixed valence of Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) are stratified distributed in the film and exhibit obvious agglomerated areas. The multilayer films only show a sharp absorption edge at about 250 nm, indicating a high transparency for ultraviolet light. What's more, the Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films also exhibits room temperature ferromagnetism deriving from the Fe doping Ga2O3.

Strontium ruthenate-anatase titanium dioxide heterojunctions from first-principles: Electronic structure, spin, and interface dipoles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdous, Naheed; Ertekin, Elif

2016-07-01

The epitaxial integration of functional oxides with wide band gap semiconductors offers the possibility of new material systems for electronics and energy conversion applications. We use first principles to consider an epitaxial interface between the correlated metal oxide SrRuO3 and the wide band gap semiconductor TiO2, and assess energy level alignment, interfacial chemistry, and interfacial dipole formation. Due to the ferromagnetic, half-metallic character of SrRuO3, according to which only one spin is present at the Fermi level, we demonstrate the existence of a spin dependent band alignment across the interface. For two different terminations of SrRuO3, the interface is found to be rectifying with a Schottky barrier of ≈1.3-1.6 eV, in good agreement with experiment. In the minority spin, SrRuO3 exhibits a Schottky barrier alignment with TiO2 and our calculated Schottky barrier height is in excellent agreement with previous experimental measurements. For majority spin carriers, we find that SrRuO3 recovers its exchange splitting gap and bulk-like properties within a few monolayers of the interface. These results demonstrate a possible approach to achieve spin-dependent transport across a heteroepitaxial interface between a functional oxide material and a conventional wide band gap semiconductor.

Photovoltage field-effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adinolfi, Valerio; Sargent, Edward H.

2017-02-01

The detection of infrared radiation enables night vision, health monitoring, optical communications and three-dimensional object recognition. Silicon is widely used in modern electronics, but its electronic bandgap prevents the detection of light at wavelengths longer than about 1,100 nanometres. It is therefore of interest to extend the performance of silicon photodetectors into the infrared spectrum, beyond the bandgap of silicon. Here we demonstrate a photovoltage field-effect transistor that uses silicon for charge transport, but is also sensitive to infrared light owing to the use of a quantum dot light absorber. The photovoltage generated at the interface between the silicon and the quantum dot, combined with the high transconductance provided by the silicon device, leads to high gain (more than 104 electrons per photon at 1,500 nanometres), fast time response (less than 10 microseconds) and a widely tunable spectral response. Our photovoltage field-effect transistor has a responsivity that is five orders of magnitude higher at a wavelength of 1,500 nanometres than that of previous infrared-sensitized silicon detectors. The sensitization is achieved using a room-temperature solution process and does not rely on traditional high-temperature epitaxial growth of semiconductors (such as is used for germanium and III-V semiconductors). Our results show that colloidal quantum dots can be used as an efficient platform for silicon-based infrared detection, competitive with state-of-the-art epitaxial semiconductors.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SEMICONDUCTOR INJECTION LASERS SELCO-87: Determination of the quantum efficiency of InGaAsP/InP double heterostructures from spontaneous emission measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rheinländer, B.; Anton, A.; Heilmann, R.; Oelgart, G.; Gottschalch, V.

1988-11-01

A method was developed for determination of the suitability of epitaxial InGaAsP/InP double heterostructures in fabrication of ridge-waveguide lasers. The method is based on determination of the quantum efficiency of electroluminescence.

Selective nanoscale growth of lattice mismatched materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Seung-Chang; Brueck, Steven R. J.

Exemplary embodiments provide materials and methods of forming high-quality semiconductor devices using lattice-mismatched materials. In one embodiment, a composite film including one or more substantially-single-particle-thick nanoparticle layers can be deposited over a substrate as a nanoscale selective growth mask for epitaxially growing lattice-mismatched materials over the substrate.

Atomic Structure Studies of Semiconductor-Electrolyte, Metal and Vacuum Interfaces.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-12

Channeling Studies of Metal Interaction with Silicon R. Haight, T. Itoh, T. Narusawa, W.M. Gibson and A. Hiraki Epitaxial Growth of Germanium on Si(lll...Stages of Metal-Silicide Formation (Invited Paper) A. Hiraki , T. Narusawa and W.M. Gibson 44 American Physical Society, Dallas, TX, March 1982 Structure

Structure and method for controlling band offset and alignment at a crystalline oxide-on-semiconductor interface

DOEpatents

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick J.

2003-11-25

A crystalline oxide-on-semiconductor structure and a process for constructing the structure involves a substrate of silicon, germanium or a silicon-germanium alloy and an epitaxial thin film overlying the surface of the substrate wherein the thin film consists of a first epitaxial stratum of single atomic plane layers of an alkaline earth oxide designated generally as (AO).sub.n and a second stratum of single unit cell layers of an oxide material designated as (A'BO.sub.3).sub.m so that the multilayer film arranged upon the substrate surface is designated (AO).sub.n (A'BO.sub.3).sub.m wherein n is an integer repeat of single atomic plane layers of the alkaline earth oxide AO and m is an integer repeat of single unit cell layers of the A'BO.sub.3 oxide material. Within the multilayer film, the values of n and m have been selected to provide the structure with a desired electrical structure at the substrate/thin film interface that can be optimized to control band offset and alignment.

Magnetic phase change in Mn-doped ZnSnAs2 thin films depending on Mn concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchitomi, Naotaka; Hidaka, Shiro; Saito, Shin; Asubar, Joel T.; Toyota, Hideyuki

2018-04-01

The relationship between Mn concentration and Curie temperature (TC) is studied for Mn-doped ZnSnAs2 ferromagnetic semiconductors, epitaxially grown on InP substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. In the ferromagnetic phase, Mn distributions in a (Zn,Mn,Sn)As2 thin film with 7.2 cation percent (cat. %) Mn are investigated using three-dimensional atom probe tomography. The results indicate an inhomogeneous distribution which spreads to a relatively high Mn concentration of 9.0 at. % (at. %). In the paramagnetic phase, it is found that the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition takes place sharply with a TC of 334 K when the Mn doping concentration increases to about 4 cat. % Mn, which corresponds to a magnetic percolation threshold for ferromagnetism in (Zn,Mn,Sn)As2. An effective Curie temperature ⟨TC⟩ is considered to bridge the Curie temperatures obtained experimentally to those calculated theoretically in inhomogeneous magnetic semiconductors. The behavior of magnetism in Mn-doped ZnSnAs2 can be explained by three different phases within the present framework.

Deep-UV emission at 219 nm from ultrathin MBE GaN/AlN quantum heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, S. M.; Protasenko, Vladimir; Lee, Kevin; Rouvimov, Sergei; Verma, Jai; Xing, Huili Grace; Jena, Debdeep

2017-08-01

Deep ultraviolet (UV) optical emission below 250 nm (˜5 eV) in semiconductors is traditionally obtained from high aluminum containing AlGaN alloy quantum wells. It is shown here that high-quality epitaxial ultrathin binary GaN quantum disks embedded in an AlN matrix can produce efficient optical emission in the 219-235 nm (˜5.7-5.3 eV) spectral range, far above the bulk bandgap (3.4 eV) of GaN. The quantum confinement energy in these heterostructures is larger than the bandgaps of traditional semiconductors, made possible by the large band offsets. These molecular beam epitaxy-grown extreme quantum-confinement GaN/AlN heterostructures exhibit an internal quantum efficiency of 40% at wavelengths as short as 219 nm. These observations together with the ability to engineer the interband optical matrix elements to control the direction of photon emission in such binary quantum disk active regions offer unique advantages over alloy AlGaN quantum well counterparts for the realization of deep-UV light-emitting diodes and lasers.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor having group II-group VI compounds doped with nitrogen

DOEpatents

Compaan, Alvin D.; Price, Kent J.; Ma, Xianda; Makhratchev, Konstantin

2005-02-08

A method of making a semiconductor comprises depositing a group II-group VI compound onto a substrate in the presence of nitrogen using sputtering to produce a nitrogen-doped semiconductor. This method can be used for making a photovoltaic cell using sputtering to apply a back contact layer of group II-group VI compound to a substrate in the presence of nitrogen, the back coating layer being doped with nitrogen. A semiconductor comprising a group II-group VI compound doped with nitrogen, and a photovoltaic cell comprising a substrate on which is deposited a layer of a group II-group VI compound doped with nitrogen, are also included.

Graphitic nanofilms of zinc-blende materials: ab initio calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, San-Lue; Zhao, Li; Li, Yan-Li

2017-12-01

Ab initio calculations on ultra-thin nanofilms of 25 kinds of zinc-blende semiconductors demonstrate their stable geometry structures growth along (1 1 1) surface. Our results show that the (1 1 1) surfaces of 9 kinds of zinc-blende semiconductors can transform into a stable graphitelike structure within a certain thickness. The tensile strain effect on the thickness of graphitic films is not obvious. The band gaps of stable graphitic films can be tuned over a wide range by epitaxial tensile strain, which is important for applications in microelectronic devices, solar cells and light-emitting diodes.

Organo Luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes

DOEpatents

Weiss, Shimon; Bruchez, Jr., Marcel; Alivisatos, Paul

1999-01-01

A luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal compound is described which is capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The compound comprises (1) a semiconductor nanocrystal capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation (luminescing) in a narrow wavelength band and/or absorbing energy, and/or scattering or diffracting electromagnetic radiation--when excited by an electromagnetic radiation source (of narrow or broad bandwidth) or a particle beam; and (2) at least one linking agent, having a first portion linked to the semiconductor nanocrystal and a second portion capable of linking to an affinity molecule. The luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal compound is linked to an affinity molecule to form an organo luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with a detectable substance in a material being analyzed, and capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation in a narrow wavelength band and/or absorbing, scattering, or diffracting energy when excited by an electromagnetic radiation source (of narrow or broad bandwidth) or a particle beam. The probe is stable to repeated exposure to light in the presence of oxygen and/or other radicals. Further described is a process for making the luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal compound and for making the organo luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probe comprising the luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal compound linked to an affinity molecule capable of bonding to a detectable substance. A process is also described for using the probe to determine the presence of a detectable substance in a material.

Characterization of β-FeSi II films as a novel solar cell semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuzawa, Yasuhiro; Ootsuka, Teruhisa; Otogawa, Naotaka; Abe, Hironori; Nakayama, Yasuhiko; Makita, Yunosuke

2006-04-01

β-FeSi II is an attractive semiconductor owing to its extremely high optical absorption coefficient (α>10 5 cm -1), and is expected to be an ideal semiconductor as a thin film solar cell. For solar cell use, to prepare high quality β-FeSi II films holding a desired Fe/Si ratio, we chose two methods; one is a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method in which Fe and Si were evaporated by using normal Knudsen cells, and occasionally by e-gun for Si. Another one is the facing-target sputtering (FTS) method in which deposition of β-FeSi II films is made on Si substrate that is placed out of gas plasma cloud. In both methods to obtain β-FeSi II films with a tuned Fe/Si ratio, Fe/Si super lattice was fabricated by varying Fe and Si deposition thickness. Results showed significant in- and out-diffusion of host Fe and Si atoms at the interface of Si substrates into β-FeSi II layers. It was experimentally demonstrated that this diffusion can be suppressed by the formation of template layer between the epitaxial β-FeSi II layer and the substrate. The template layer was prepared by reactive deposition epitaxy (RDE) method. By fixing the Fe/Si ratio as precisely as possible at 1/2, systematic doping experiments of acceptor (Ga and B) and donor (As) impurities into β-FeSi II were carried out. Systematical changes of electron and hole carrier concentration in these samples along variation of incorporated impurities were observed through Hall effect measurements. Residual carrier concentrations can be ascribed to not only the remaining undesired impurities contained in source materials but also to a variety of point defects mainly produced by the uncontrolled stoichiometry. A preliminary structure of n-β-FeSi II/p-Si used as a solar cell indicated a conversion efficiency of 3.7%.

Method of making macrocrystalline or single crystal semiconductor material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shlichta, P. J. (Inventor); Holliday, R. J. (Inventor)

1986-01-01

A macrocrystalline or single crystal semiconductive material is formed from a primary substrate including a single crystal or several very large crystals of a relatively low melting material. This primary substrate is deposited on a base such as steel or ceramic, and it may be formed from such metals as zinc, cadmium, germanium, aluminum, tin, lead, copper, brass, magnesium silicide, or magnesium stannide. These materials generally have a melting point below about 1000 C and form on the base crystals the size of fingernails or greater. The primary substrate has an epitaxial relationship with a subsequently applied layer of material, and because of this epitaxial relationship, the material deposited on the primary substrate will have essentially the same crystal size as the crystals in the primary substrate. If required, successive layers are formed, each of a material which has an epitaxial relationship with the previously deposited layer, until a layer is formed which has an epitaxial relationship with the semiconductive material. This layer is referred to as the epitaxial substrate, and its crystals serve as sites for the growth of large crystals of semiconductive material. The primary substrate is passivated to remove or otherwise convert it into a stable or nonreactive state prior to deposition of the seconductive material.

III-V Compounds and Alloys: An Update.

PubMed

Woodall, J M

1980-05-23

The III-V compounds and alloys have been studied for three decades. Until recently, these materials have been commercialized for only a few specialized optoelectronic devices and microwave devices. Advances in thin-film epitaxy techniques, such as liquid phase epitaxy and chemical vapor deposition, are now providing the ability to form good quality lattice-matched heterojunctions with III-V materials. New optoelectronic devices, such as room-temperature continuous-wave injection lasers, have already resulted. This newfound ability may also affect the field of highspeed integrated circuits.

Perspective: Rapid synthesis of complex oxides by combinatorial molecular beam epitaxy

DOE PAGES

A. T. Bollinger; Wu, J.; Bozovic, I.

2016-03-15

In this study, the molecular beam epitaxy(MBE) technique is well known for producing atomically smooth thin films as well as impeccable interfaces in multilayers of many different materials. In particular, molecular beam epitaxy is well suited to the growth of complex oxides, materials that hold promise for many applications. Rapid synthesis and high throughput characterization techniques are needed to tap into that potential most efficiently. We discuss our approach to doing that, leaving behind the traditional one-growth-one-compound scheme and instead implementing combinatorial oxide molecular beam epitaxy in a custom built system.

Admittance Investigation of MIS Structures with HgTe-Based Single Quantum Wells.

PubMed

Izhnin, Ihor I; Nesmelov, Sergey N; Dzyadukh, Stanislav M; Voitsekhovskii, Alexander V; Gorn, Dmitry I; Dvoretsky, Sergey A; Mikhailov, Nikolaj N

2016-12-01

This work presents results of the investigation of admittance of metal-insulator-semiconductor structure based on Hg1 - x Cd x Te grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The structure contains a single quantum well Hg0.35Cd0.65Te/HgTe/Hg0.35Cd0.65Te with thickness of 5.6 nm in the sub-surface layer of the semiconductor. Both the conductance-voltage and capacitance-voltage characteristics show strong oscillations when the metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure with a single quantum well based on HgTe is biased into the strong inversion mode. Also, oscillations on the voltage dependencies of differential resistance of the space charge region were observed. These oscillations were related to the recharging of quantum levels in HgTe.

Reactive codoping of GaAlInP compound semiconductors

DOEpatents

Hanna, Mark Cooper [Boulder, CO; Reedy, Robert [Golden, CO

2008-02-12

A GaAlInP compound semiconductor and a method of producing a GaAlInP compound semiconductor are provided. The apparatus and method comprises a GaAs crystal substrate in a metal organic vapor deposition reactor. Al, Ga, In vapors are prepared by thermally decomposing organometallic compounds. P vapors are prepared by thermally decomposing phospine gas, group II vapors are prepared by thermally decomposing an organometallic group IIA or IIB compound. Group VIB vapors are prepared by thermally decomposing a gaseous compound of group VIB. The Al, Ga, In, P, group II, and group VIB vapors grow a GaAlInP crystal doped with group IIA or IIB and group VIB elements on the substrate wherein the group IIA or IIB and a group VIB vapors produced a codoped GaAlInP compound semiconductor with a group IIA or IIB element serving as a p-type dopant having low group II atomic diffusion.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SEMICONDUCTOR INJECTION LASERS SELCO-87: High-performance 1.3-μm InGaAsP/InP heterostructures formed by two-phase liquid epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novotný, J.; Procházková, O.; Šrobár, F.; Zelinka, J.

1988-11-01

A description is given of a two-phase liquid epitaxy method used to grow InGaAsP/InP heterostructures intended for injection lasers emitting in the 1.3-μm range. A study was made of heterostructures of three types: double, with an additional quaternary layer (λ approx 1.1 μm) adjoining the active layer; with two quaternary layers between the active layer and the InP confining layers. The configuration with two flanking quaternary layers was found to be the best from the point of view of the threshold current density, optical output power, and reproducibility.

Enhanced van der Waals epitaxy via electron transfer enabled interfacial dative bond formation

DOE PAGES

Xie, Weiyu; Lu, Toh -Ming; Wang, Gwo -Ching; ...

2017-11-14

Enhanced van der Waals (vdW) epitaxy of semiconductors on a layered vdW substrate is identified as the formation of dative bonds. For example, despite that NbSe 2 is a vdW layeredmaterial, first-principles calculations reveal that the bond strength at a CdTe-NbSe 2 interface is five times as large as that of vdW interactions at a CdTe-graphene interface. Finally, the unconventional chemistry here is enabled by an effective net electron transfer from Cd dangling-bond states at a CdTe surface to metallic nonbonding NbSe 2 states, which is a necessary condition to activate the Cd for enhanced binding with Se.

Depletion-mode vertical Ga2O3 trench MOSFETs fabricated using Ga2O3 homoepitaxial films grown by halide vapor phase epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Kohei; Thieu, Quang Tu; Wakimoto, Daiki; Koishikawa, Yuki; Kuramata, Akito; Yamakoshi, Shigenobu

2017-12-01

We developed depletion-mode vertical Ga2O3 trench metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors by using n+ contact and n- drift layers. These epilayers were grown on an n+ (001) Ga2O3 single-crystal substrate by halide vapor phase epitaxy. Cu and HfO2 were used for the gate metal and dielectric film, respectively. The mesa width and gate length were approximately 2 and 1 µm, respectively. The devices showed good DC characteristics, with a specific on-resistance of 3.7 mΩ cm2 and clear current modulation. An on-off ratio of approximately 103 was obtained.

Interpretation of scanning electron microscope measurements of minority carrier diffusion lengths in semiconductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flat, A.; Milnes, A. G.

1978-01-01

In scanning electron microscope (SEM) injection measurements of minority carrier diffusion lengths some uncertainties of interpretation exist when the response current is nonlinear with distance. This is significant in epitaxial layers where the layer thickness is not large in relation to the diffusion length, and where there are large surface recombination velocities on the incident and contact surfaces. An image method of analysis is presented for such specimens. A method of using the results to correct the observed response in a simple convenient way is presented. The technique is illustrated with reference to measurements in epitaxial layers of GaAs. Average beam penetration depth may also be estimated from the curve shape.

Enhanced van der Waals epitaxy via electron transfer enabled interfacial dative bond formation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, Weiyu; Lu, Toh -Ming; Wang, Gwo -Ching

Enhanced van der Waals (vdW) epitaxy of semiconductors on a layered vdW substrate is identified as the formation of dative bonds. For example, despite that NbSe 2 is a vdW layeredmaterial, first-principles calculations reveal that the bond strength at a CdTe-NbSe 2 interface is five times as large as that of vdW interactions at a CdTe-graphene interface. Finally, the unconventional chemistry here is enabled by an effective net electron transfer from Cd dangling-bond states at a CdTe surface to metallic nonbonding NbSe 2 states, which is a necessary condition to activate the Cd for enhanced binding with Se.

Influence of the Compositional Grading on Concentration of Majority Charge Carriers in Near-Surface Layers of n(p)-HgCdTe Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voitsekhovskii, A. V.; Nesmelov, S. N.; Dzyadukh, S. M.

2018-02-01

The capacitive characteristics of metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures based on the compositionally graded Hg1-xCdxTe created by molecular beam epitaxy have been experimentally investigated in a wide temperature range (8-77 K). A program has been developed for numerical simulation of ideal capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics in the low-frequency and high-frequency approximations. The concentrations of the majority carriers in the near-surface semiconductor layer are determined from the values of the capacitances in the minima of low-frequency C-V curves. For MIS structures based on p-Hg1-xCdxTe, the effect of the presence of the compositionally graded layer on the hole concentration in the near-surface semiconductor layer, determined from capacitive measurements, has not been established. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the concentration of holes in the near-surface layer largely depends on the type of dielectric coating and the regimes of its application. For MIS structures based on n-Hg1-x Cd x Te (x = 0.22-0.23) without a graded-gap layer, the electron concentration determined by the proposed method is close to the average concentration determined by the Hall measurements. The electron concentration in the near-surface semiconductor layer of the compositionally graded n-Hg1-x Cd x Te (x = 0.22-0.23) found from the minimum capacitance value is much higher than the average electron concentration determined by the Hall measurements. The results are qualitatively explained by the creation of additional intrinsic donor-type defects in the near-surface compositionally graded layer of n-Hg1-x Cd x Te.

An Optoelectronics Research Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-08

compared with a -2 mm wide slab, -200 nrn thick silicon (SOl) top-only-gate planar MOSFET with otherwise similar doping profiles, gate length and...acoustic phonons, impurity doping profile and surface roughness influences the transport process in the channel regions. The electron mobility in the...application areas including: nanoscale epitaxial growth for semiconductor heterostructures; nanofluidics for biological separations; nanomagnetics for

Synthesis of Freestanding Single-crystal Perovskite Films and Heterostructures by Etching of Sacrificial Water-soluble Layers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Di; Baek, David J.; Hong, Seung Sae

2016-08-22

The ability to create and manipulate materials in two-dimensional (2D) form has repeatedly had transformative impact on science and technology. In parallel with the exfoliation and stacking of intrinsically layered crystals, atomic-scale thin film growth of complex materials has enabled the creation of artificial 2D heterostructures with novel functionality and emergent phenomena, as seen in perovskite heterostructures. However, separation of these layers from the growth substrate has proven challenging, limiting the manipulation capabilities of these heterostructures with respect to exfoliated materials. Here we present a general method to create freestanding perovskite membranes. The key is the epitaxial growth of water-solublemore » Sr 3Al 2O 6 on perovskite substrates, followed by in situ growth of films and heterostructures. Millimetre-size single-crystalline membranes are produced by etching the Sr 3Al 2O 6 layer in water, providing the opportunity to transfer them to arbitrary substrates and integrate them with heterostructures of semiconductors and layered compounds.« less

Separating strain from composition in unit cell parameter maps obtained from aberration corrected high resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schulz, T.; Remmele, T.; Korytov, M.

2014-01-21

Based on the evaluation of lattice parameter maps in aberration corrected high resolution transmission electron microscopy images, we propose a simple method that allows quantifying the composition and disorder of a semiconductor alloy at the unit cell scale with high accuracy. This is realized by considering, next to the out-of-plane, also the in-plane lattice parameter component allowing to separate the chemical composition from the strain field. Considering only the out-of-plane lattice parameter component not only yields large deviations from the true local alloy content but also carries the risk of identifying false ordering phenomena like formations of chains or platelets.more » Our method is demonstrated on image simulations of relaxed supercells, as well as on experimental images of an In{sub 0.20}Ga{sub 0.80}N quantum well. Principally, our approach is applicable to all epitaxially strained compounds in the form of quantum wells, free standing islands, quantum dots, or wires.« less

Upper bound for the s -d exchange integral in n -(Ga,Mn)N:Si from magnetotransport studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, R.; Stefanowicz, W.; Faina, B.; Capuzzo, G.; Sawicki, M.; Dietl, T.; Bonanni, A.

2015-05-01

A series of recent magneto-optical studies pointed to contradicting values of the s -d exchange energy N0α in Mn-doped GaAs and GaN as well as in Fe-doped GaN. Here, a strong sensitivity of weak-localization phenomena to symmetry-breaking perturbations (such as spin-splitting and spin-disorder scattering) is exploited to evaluate the magnitude of N0α for n -type wurtzite (Ga,Mn)N:Si films grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Millikelvin magnetoresistance studies and their quantitative interpretation point to N0α <40 meV, a value at least 5 times smaller than the one found with similar measurements on, e.g., n -(Zn,Mn)O. It is shown that this striking difference in the values of the s -d coupling between n -type III-V and II-VI dilute magnetic semiconductors can be explained by a theory that takes into account the acceptor character of Mn in III-V compounds.

Crystal Growth Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheel, Hans J.; Fukuda, Tsuguo

2004-06-01

This volume deals with the technologies of crystal fabrication, of crystal machining, and of epilayer production and is the first book on industrial and scientific aspects of crystal and layer production. The major industrial crystals are treated: Si, GaAs, GaP, InP, CdTe, sapphire, oxide and halide scintillator crystals, crystals for optical, piezoelectric and microwave applications and more. Contains 29 contributions from leading crystal technologists covering the following topics:

General aspects of crystal growth technology Silicon Compound semiconductors Oxides and halides Crystal machining Epitaxy and layer deposition Scientific and technological problems of production and machining of industrial crystals are discussed by top experts, most of them from the major growth industries and crystal growth centers. In addition, it will be useful for the users of crystals, for teachers and graduate students in materials sciences, in electronic and other functional materials, chemical and metallurgical engineering, micro-and optoelectronics including nanotechnology, mechanical engineering and precision-machining, microtechnology, and in solid-state sciences.

Tin-gallium-oxide-based UV-C detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, Partha; Toporkov, Mykyta; Schoenfeld, Winston V.

2018-02-01

The emergence of conductive gallium oxide single crystal substrates offers the potential for vertical Schottky detectors operating in the UV-C spectral region. We report here on our recent work in the development of Tin Gallium oxide (TGO) thin film metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) and Schottky detectors using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on c plane sapphire and bulk Ga2O3 substrates. Tin alloying of gallium oxide thin films was found to systematically reduce the optical band gap of the compound, providing tunability in the UV-C spectral region. Tin concentration in the TGO epilayers was found to be highly dependent on growth conditions, and Ga flux in particular. First attempts to demonstrate vertical Schottky photodetectors using TGO epilayers on bulk n-type Ga2O3 substrates were successful. Resultant devices showed strong photoresponse to UV-C light with peak responsivities clearly red shifted in comparison to Ga2O3 homoepitaxial Schottky detectors due to TGO alloying.

Lead-germanium ohmic contact on to gallium arsenide formed by the solid phase epitaxy of germanium: A microstructure study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radulescu, Fabian

2000-12-01

Driven by the remarkable growth in the telecommunication market, the demand for more complex GaAs circuitry continued to increase in the last decade. As a result, the GaAs industry is faced with new challenges in its efforts to fabricate devices with smaller dimensions that would permit higher integration levels. One of the limiting factors is the ohmic contact metallurgy of the metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET), which, during annealing, induces a high degree of lateral diffusion into the substrate. Because of its limited reaction with the substrate, the Pd-Ge contact seems to be the most promising candidate to be used in the next generation of MESFET's. The Pd-Ge system belongs to a new class of ohmic contacts to compound semiconductors, part of an alloying strategy developed only recently, which relies on solid phase epitaxy (SPE) and solid phase regrowth to "un-pin" the Fermi level at the surface of the compound semiconductor. However, implementing this alloy into an integrated process flow proved to be difficult due to our incomplete understanding of the microstructure evolution during annealing and its implications on the electrical properties of the contact. The microstructure evolution and the corresponding solid state reactions that take place during annealing of the Pd-Ge thin films on to GaAs were studied in connection with their effects on the electrical properties of the ohmic contact. The phase transformations sequence, transition temperatures and activation energies were determined by combining differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for thermal analysis with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for microstructure identification. In-situ TEM annealing experiments on the Pd/Ge/Pd/GaAs ohmic contact system have permitted real time determination of the evolution of contact microstructure. The kinetics of the solid state reactions, which occur during ohmic contact formation, were determined by measuring the grain growth rates associated with each phase from the videotape recordings. With the exception of the Pd-GaAs interactions, it was found that four phase transformations occur during annealing of the Pd:Ge thin films on top of GaAs. The microstructural information was correlated with specific ohmic contact resistivity measurements performed in accordance with the transmission line method (TLM) and these results demonstrated that the Ge SPE growth on top of GaAs renders the optimal electrical properties for the contact. By using the focused ion beam (FIB) method to produce microcantilever beams, the residual stress present in the thin film system was studied in connection with the microstructure. Although, the PdGe/epi-Ge/GaAs seemed to be the optimal microstructural configuration, the presence of PdGe at the interface with GaAs did not damage the contact resistivity significantly. These results made it difficult to establish a charge transport mechanism across the interface but they explained the wide processing window associated with this contact.

Structural and electronic properties of the heterointerfaces for Cu2ZnSnS4 photovoltaic cells: a density-functional theory study.

PubMed

Xiao, W; Wang, J N; Wang, J W; Huang, G J; Cheng, L; Jiang, L J; Wang, L G

2016-04-28

The quaternary compound semiconductor Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is a promising photovoltaic absorber material for thin-film solar cell applications. Density-functional theory calculations have been performed to investigate the structural and electronic properties of the CdS/CZTS heterointerfaces in CZTS-based cells. We find that CdS favors epitaxial growth on the Cu-Zn plane of CZTS along the direction of [100], which can eliminate the effects of the wrong bonds at the interfaces and enhance the energetic barrier for charge carrier recombination across the interfaces with an increased band gap. The band alignment is calculated for the epitaxial CZTS/CdS heterointerface by employing the HSE06 functional and the results show a type-II band alignment with VBO and CBO values of 0.95 eV and -0.05 eV, respectively. Also, the experimental phenomenon of Zn segregation at CdS/CZTS interfaces is corroborated. Zn segregation can enhance the stability of the heterointerfaces, but damage the solar cell performance by decreasing the band gap when the Zn concentration is sufficiently high. We show that besides the defects and undesired phases in CZTS, the heterointerfaces between the absorption layers (CZTS) and the buffer layer (CdS) can also be an important factor that affects the performance of CZTS cells. The present work provides a theoretical base for engineering the heterointerfaces and achieving better performance of CZTS-based solar cells.

Thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same

DOEpatents

Basol, Bulent M.; Tseng, Eric S.; Rod, Robert L.

1983-06-14

A method of fabricating a thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cell which comprises depositing a film of a near intrinsic or n-type semiconductor compound formed of at least one of the metal elements of Class II B of the Periodic Table of Elements and at least tellurium and then heating said film at a temperature between about 250.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. for a time sufficient to convert said film to a suitably low resistivity p-type semiconductor compound. Such film may be deposited initially on the surface of an n-type semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, there may be deposited on the converted film a layer of n-type semiconductor compound different from the film semiconductor compound. The resulting photovoltaic cell exhibits a substantially increased power output over similar cells not subjected to the method of the present invention.

Spin Interactions and Spin Dynamics in Electronic Nanostructures

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-31

in Semiconductor Nanostructures,” D. D. Awschalom, Plenary Speaker, 36th International Symposium on Compound Semiconductors, San Diego, CA, August 25...Electrical Manipulation of Spin Orientation in Compound Semiconductors”, M. E. Flatté, W. H. Lau, C. E. Pryor, and I. Tifrea, International Symposium...on Compound Semiconductors 2003, San Diego, August 25, 2003. 73. “Spin Dynamics in Semiconductors”, M. E. Flatté, SPINTECH II: 2nd International

Artifacts for Calibration of Submicron Width Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grunthaner, Frank; Grunthaner, Paula; Bryson, Charles, III

2003-01-01

Artifacts that are fabricated with the help of molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) are undergoing development for use as dimensional calibration standards with submicron widths. Such standards are needed for calibrating instruments (principally, scanning electron microscopes and scanning probe microscopes) for measuring the widths of features in advanced integrated circuits. Dimensional calibration standards fabricated by an older process that involves lithography and etching of trenches in (110) surfaces of single-crystal silicon are generally reproducible to within dimensional tolerances of about 15 nm. It is anticipated that when the artifacts of the present type are fully developed, their critical dimensions will be reproducible to within 1 nm. These artifacts are expected to find increasing use in the semiconductor-device and integrated- circuit industries as the width tolerances on semiconductor devices shrink to a few nanometers during the next few years. Unlike in the older process, one does not rely on lithography and etching to define the critical dimensions. Instead, one relies on the inherent smoothness and flatness of MBE layers deposited under controlled conditions and defines the critical dimensions as the thicknesses of such layers. An artifact of the present type is fabricated in two stages (see figure): In the first stage, a multilayer epitaxial wafer is grown on a very flat substrate. In the second stage, the wafer is cleaved to expose the layers, then the exposed layers are differentially etched (taking advantage of large differences between the etch rates of the different epitaxial layer materials). The resulting structure includes narrow and well-defined trenches and a shelf with thicknesses determined by the thicknesses of the epitaxial layers from which they were etched. Eventually, it should be possible to add a third fabrication stage in which durable, electronically inert artifacts could be replicated in diamondlike carbon from a master made by MBE and etching as described above.

Epitaxial growth and magnetic properties of ultraviolet transparent Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer thin films

PubMed Central

Guo, Daoyou; An, Yuehua; Cui, Wei; Zhi, Yusong; Zhao, Xiaolong; Lei, Ming; Li, Linghong; Li, Peigang; Wu, Zhenping; Tang, Weihua

2016-01-01

Multilayer thin films based on the ferromagnetic and ultraviolet transparent semiconductors may be interesting because their magnetic/electronic/photonic properties can be manipulated by the high energy photons. Herein, the Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films were obtained by alternating depositing of wide band gap Ga2O3 layer and Fe ultrathin layer due to inter diffusion between two layers at high temperature using the laser molecular beam epitaxy technique. The multilayer films exhibits a preferred growth orientation of crystal plane, and the crystal lattice expands as Fe replaces Ga site. Fe ions with a mixed valence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ are stratified distributed in the film and exhibit obvious agglomerated areas. The multilayer films only show a sharp absorption edge at about 250 nm, indicating a high transparency for ultraviolet light. What’s more, the Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films also exhibits room temperature ferromagnetism deriving from the Fe doping Ga2O3. PMID:27121446

Scanning Hall probe microscopy of a diluted magnetic semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kweon, Seongsoo; Samarth, Nitin; de Lozanne, Alex

2009-05-01

We have measured the micromagnetic properties of a diluted magnetic semiconductor as a function of temperature and applied field with a scanning Hall probe microscope built in our laboratory. The design philosophy for this microscope and some details are described. The samples analyzed in this work are Ga0.94Mn0.06As films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. We find that the magnetic domains are 2-4 μm wide and fairly stable with temperature. Magnetic clusters are observed above TC, which we ascribe to MnAs defects too small and sparse to be detected by a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer.

The 3-5 semiconductor solid solution single crystal growth. [low gravity float zone growth experiments using gallium indium antimonides and cadmium tellurides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gertner, E. R.

1980-01-01

Techniques used for liquid and vapor phase epitaxy of gallium indium arsenide are described and the difficulties encountered are examined. Results show that the growth of bulk III-V solid solution single crystals in a low gravity environment will not have a major technological impact. The float zone technique in a low gravity environment is demonstrated using cadmium telluride. It is shown that this approach can result in the synthesis of a class of semiconductors that can not be grown in normal gravity because of growth problems rooted in the nature of their phase diagrams.

Strain Imaging of Nanoscale Semiconductor Heterostructures with X-Ray Bragg Projection Ptychography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holt, Martin V.; Hruszkewycz, Stephan O.; Murray, Conal E.; Holt, Judson R.; Paskiewicz, Deborah M.; Fuoss, Paul H.

2014-04-01

We report the imaging of nanoscale distributions of lattice strain and rotation in complementary components of lithographically engineered epitaxial thin film semiconductor heterostructures using synchrotron x-ray Bragg projection ptychography (BPP). We introduce a new analysis method that enables lattice rotation and out-of-plane strain to be determined independently from a single BPP phase reconstruction, and we apply it to two laterally adjacent, multiaxially stressed materials in a prototype channel device. These results quantitatively agree with mechanical modeling and demonstrate the ability of BPP to map out-of-plane lattice dilatation, a parameter critical to the performance of electronic materials.

The preparation method of terahertz monolithic integrated device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Cong; Su, Bo; He, Jingsuo; Zhang, Hongfei; Wu, Yaxiong; Zhang, Shengbo; Zhang, Cunlin

2018-01-01

The terahertz monolithic integrated device is to integrate the pumping area of the terahertz generation, the detection area of the terahertz receiving and the metal waveguide of terahertz transmission on the same substrate. The terahertz generation and detection device use a photoconductive antenna structure the metal waveguide use a microstrip line structure. The evanescent terahertz-bandwidth electric field extending above the terahertz transmission line interacts with, and is modified by, overlaid dielectric samples, thus enabling the characteristic vibrational absorption resonances in the sample to be probed. In this device structure, since the semiconductor substrate of the photoconductive antenna is located between the strip conductor and the dielectric layer of the microstrip line, and the semiconductor substrate cannot grow on the dielectric layer directly. So how to prepare the semiconductor substrate of the photoconductive antenna and how to bond the semiconductor substrate to the dielectric layer of the microstrip line is a key step in the terahertz monolithic integrated device. In order to solve this critical problem, the epitaxial wafer structure of the two semiconductor substrates is given and transferred to the desired substrate by two methods, respectively.

Electronic Raman Scattering as an Ultra-Sensitive Probe of Strain Effects in Semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mascarenhas, Angelo; Fluegel, Brian; Beaton, Dan

Semiconductor strain engineering has become a critical feature of high-performance electronics due to the significant device performance enhancements it enables. These improvements that emerge from strain induced modifications to the electronic band structure necessitate new ultra-sensitive tools for probing strain in semiconductors. Using electronic Raman scattering, we recently showed that it is possible to measure minute amounts of strain in thin semiconductor epilayers. We applied this strain measurement technique to two different semiconductor alloy systems, using coherently strained epitaxial thin films specifically designed to produce lattice-mismatch strains as small as 10-4. Comparing our strain sensitivity and signal strength in AlxGa1-xAs with those obtained using the industry-standard technique of phonon Raman scattering we found a sensitivity improvement of ×200, and a signal enhancement of 4 ×103 thus obviating key constraints in semiconductor strain metrology. The sensitivity of this approach rivals that of contemporary techniques and opens up a new realm for optically probing strain effects on electronic band structure. We acknowledge the financial support of the DOE Office of Science, BES under DE-AC36-80GO28308.

Rhombohedral cubic semiconductor materials on trigonal substrate with single crystal properties and devices based on such materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Elliott, James R. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Growth conditions are developed, based on a temperature-dependent alignment model, to enable formation of cubic group IV, group II-V and group II-VI crystals in the [111] orientation on the basal (0001) plane of trigonal crystal substrates, controlled such that the volume percentage of primary twin crystal is reduced from about 40% to about 0.3%, compared to the majority single crystal. The control of stacking faults in this and other embodiments can yield single crystalline semiconductors based on these materials that are substantially without defects, or improved thermoelectric materials with twinned crystals for phonon scattering while maintaining electrical integrity. These methods can selectively yield a cubic-on-trigonal epitaxial semiconductor material in which the cubic layer is substantially either directly aligned, or 60 degrees-rotated from, the underlying trigonal material.

Strain-based control of crystal anisotropy for perovskite oxides on semiconductor-based material

DOEpatents

McKee, Rodney Allen; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

A crystalline structure and a semiconductor device includes a substrate of a semiconductor-based material and a thin film of an anisotropic crystalline material epitaxially arranged upon the surface of the substrate so that the thin film couples to the underlying substrate and so that the geometries of substantially all of the unit cells of the thin film are arranged in a predisposed orientation relative to the substrate surface. The predisposition of the geometries of the unit cells of the thin film is responsible for a predisposed orientation of a directional-dependent quality, such as the dipole moment, of the unit cells. The predisposed orientation of the unit cell geometries are influenced by either a stressed or strained condition of the lattice at the interface between the thin film material and the substrate surface.

Ultrafast all-optical imaging technique using low-temperature grown GaAs/AlxGa1 - xAs multiple-quantum-well semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Guilong; Tian, Jinshou; Wang, Tao; He, Kai; Zhang, Chunmin; Zhang, Jun; Chen, Shaorong; Jia, Hui; Yuan, Fenfang; Liang, Lingliang; Yan, Xin; Li, Shaohui; Wang, Chao; Yin, Fei

2017-11-01

We report and experimentally demonstrate an ultrafast all-optical imaging technique capable of single-shot ultrafast recording with a picosecond-scale temporal resolution and a micron-order two-dimensional spatial resolution. A GaAs/AlxGa1 - xAs multiple-quantum-well (MQW) semiconductor with a picosecond response time, grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) at a low temperature (LT), is used for the first time in ultrafast imaging technology. The semiconductor transforms the signal beam information to the probe beam, the birefringent delay crystal time-serializes the input probe beam, and the beam displacer maps different polarization probe beams onto different detector locations, resulting in two frames with an approximately 9 ps temporal separation and approximately 25 lp/mm spatial resolution in the visible range.

Engineering hybrid epitaxial InAsSb/Al nanowires for stronger topological protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sestoft, Joachim E.; Kanne, Thomas; Gejl, Aske Nørskov; von Soosten, Merlin; Yodh, Jeremy S.; Sherman, Daniel; Tarasinski, Brian; Wimmer, Michael; Johnson, Erik; Deng, Mingtang; Nygârd, Jesper; Jespersen, Thomas Sand; Marcus, Charles M.; Krogstrup, Peter

2018-04-01

The combination of strong spin-orbit coupling, large g factors, and the coupling to a superconductor can be used to create a topologically protected state in a semiconductor nanowire. Here we report on growth and characterization of hybrid epitaxial InAsSb/Al nanowires, with varying composition and crystal structure. We find the strongest spin-orbit interaction at intermediate compositions in zinc-blende InAs1 -xSbx nanowires, exceeding that of both InAs and InSb materials, confirming recent theoretical studies. We show that the epitaxial InAsSb/Al interface allows for a hard induced superconducting gap and 2 e transport in Coulomb charging experiments, similarly to experiments on InAs/Al and InSb/Al materials, and find measurements consistent with topological phase transitions at low magnetic fields due to large effective g factors. Finally we present a method to grow pure wurtzite InAsSb nanowires which are predicted to exhibit even stronger spin-orbit coupling than the zinc-blende structure.

Electrical properties of epitaxial yttrium iron garnet ultrathin films at high temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiery, N.; Naletov, V. V.; Vila, L.; Marty, A.; Brenac, A.; Jacquot, J.-F.; de Loubens, G.; Viret, M.; Anane, A.; Cros, V.; Ben Youssef, J.; Beaulieu, N.; Demidov, V. E.; Divinskiy, B.; Demokritov, S. O.; Klein, O.

2018-02-01

We report a study on the electrical properties of 19-nm-thick yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films grown by liquid phase epitaxy on gadolinium gallium garnet single crystal. The electrical conductivity and Hall coefficient are measured in the high-temperature range [300,400] K using a Van der Pauw four-point probe technique. We find that the electrical resistivity decreases exponentially with increasing temperature following an activated behavior corresponding to a band gap of Eg≈2 eV. It drops to values about 5 ×103Ω cm at T =400 K, thus indicating that epitaxial YIG ultrathin films behave as large gap semiconductors. We also infer the Hall mobility, which is found to be positive (p type) at 5 cm2V-1sec-1 and almost independent of temperature. We discuss the consequence for nonlocal spin transport experiments performed on YIG at room temperature and demonstrate the existence of electrical offset voltages to be disentangled from pure spin effects.

Boron Arsenide and Boron Phosphide for High Temperature and Luminescent Devices. [semiconductor devices - crystal growth/crystal structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, T. L.

1975-01-01

The crystal growth of boron arsenide and boron phosphide in the form of bulk crystals and epitaxial layers on suitable substrates is discussed. The physical, chemical, and electrical properties of the crystals and epitaxial layers are examined. Bulk crystals of boron arsenide were prepared by the chemical transport technique, and their carrier concentration and Hall mobility were measured. The growth of boron arsenide crystals from high temperature solutions was attempted without success. Bulk crystals of boron phosphide were also prepared by chemical transport and solution growth techniques. Techniques required for the fabrication of boron phosphide devices such as junction shaping, diffusion, and contact formation were investigated. Alloying techniques were developed for the formation of low-resistance ohmic contacts to boron phosphide. Four types of boron phosphide devices were fabricated: (1) metal-insulator-boron phosphide structures, (2) Schottky barriers; (3) boron phosphide-silicon carbide heterojunctions; and (4) p-n homojunctions. Easily visible red electroluminescence was observed from both epitaxial and solution grown p-n junctions.

Self-assembled Multilayers of Silica Nanospheres for Defect Reduction in Non- and Semipolar Gallium Nitride Epitaxial Layers

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Non- and semipolar GaN have great potential to improve the efficiency of light emitting devices due to much reduced internal electric fields. However, heteroepitaxial GaN growth in these crystal orientations suffers from very high dislocation and stacking faults densities. Here, we report a facile method to obtain low defect density non- and semipolar heteroepitaxial GaN via selective area epitaxy using self-assembled multilayers of silica nanospheres (MSN). Nonpolar (11–20) and semipolar (11–22) GaN layers with high crystal quality have been achieved by epitaxial integration of the MSN and a simple one-step overgrowth process, by which both dislocation and basal plane stacking fault densities can be significantly reduced. The underlying defect reduction mechanisms include epitaxial growth through the MSN covered template, island nucleation via nanogaps in the MSN, and lateral overgrowth and coalescence above the MSN. InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells structures grown on a nonpolar GaN/MSN template show more than 30-fold increase in the luminescence intensity compared to a control sample without the MSN. This self-assembled MSN technique provides a new platform for epitaxial growth of nitride semiconductors and offers unique opportunities for improving the material quality of GaN grown on other orientations and foreign substrates or heteroepitaxial growth of other lattice-mismatched materials. PMID:27065755

Integration of (208) oriented epitaxial Hf-doped Bi4Ti3O12 with (0002) GaN using SrTiO3/TiO2 buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, W. B.; Zhu, J.; Li, Y. R.; Wang, X. P.; Zhang, Y.

2009-05-01

Hf-doped Bi4Ti3O12 (BTH) ferroelectric films with excellent electrical properties were epitaxially integrated with GaN semiconductor using (111) SrTiO3 (STO)/rutile (200) TiO2 as buffer layer. The STO/TiO2 buffer layer was deposited by laser molecular beam epitaxy. The structural characteristics of the buffer layer were in situ and ex situ characterized by reflective high energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and high resolution transmission microscopy. The overlaying SrRuO3 (SRO) and BTH films were then deposited by pulsed laser deposition. XRD spectra, including θ-2θ and Φ scans, show that the (208) BTH films were epitaxially grown on GaN, and the BTH films inherit the in-plane twin-domain of STO buffer layer. Electrical measurements demonstrate that the non-c axis BTH films possess a large remnant polarization (2Pr=45 μC/cm2), excellent fatigue endurance (10.2% degradation after 1.1×1010 switching cycles), and a low leakage current density (1.94×10-7 A/cm2 at an electric field of 200 kV/cm). These results reveal that the (208) BTH films with favorable electrical performance could be epitaxially grown on GaN template using STO/TiO2 buffer layer.

Theory of multiple quantum dot formation in strained-layer heteroepitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Du, Lin; Maroudas, Dimitrios, E-mail: maroudas@ecs.umass.edu

2016-07-11

We develop a theory for the experimentally observed formation of multiple quantum dots (QDs) in strained-layer heteroepitaxy based on surface morphological stability analysis of a coherently strained epitaxial thin film on a crystalline substrate. Using a fully nonlinear model of surface morphological evolution that accounts for a wetting potential contribution to the epitaxial film's free energy as well as surface diffusional anisotropy, we demonstrate the formation of multiple QD patterns in self-consistent dynamical simulations of the evolution of the epitaxial film surface perturbed from its planar state. The simulation predictions are supported by weakly nonlinear analysis of the epitaxial filmmore » surface morphological stability. We find that, in addition to the Stranski-Krastanow instability, long-wavelength perturbations from the planar film surface morphology can trigger a nonlinear instability, resulting in the splitting of a single QD into multiple QDs of smaller sizes, and predict the critical wavelength of the film surface perturbation for the onset of the nonlinear tip-splitting instability. The theory provides a fundamental interpretation for the observations of “QD pairs” or “double QDs” and other multiple QDs reported in experimental studies of epitaxial growth of semiconductor strained layers and sets the stage for precise engineering of tunable-size nanoscale surface features in strained-layer heteroepitaxy by exploiting film surface nonlinear, pattern forming phenomena.« less

Quantized conductance doubling and hard gap in a two-dimensional semiconductor-superconductor heterostructure.

PubMed

Kjaergaard, M; Nichele, F; Suominen, H J; Nowak, M P; Wimmer, M; Akhmerov, A R; Folk, J A; Flensberg, K; Shabani, J; Palmstrøm, C J; Marcus, C M

2016-09-29

Coupling a two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor heterostructure to a superconductor opens new research and technology opportunities, including fundamental problems in mesoscopic superconductivity, scalable superconducting electronics, and new topological states of matter. One route towards topological matter is by coupling a 2D electron gas with strong spin-orbit interaction to an s-wave superconductor. Previous efforts along these lines have been adversely affected by interface disorder and unstable gating. Here we show measurements on a gateable InGaAs/InAs 2DEG with patterned epitaxial Al, yielding devices with atomically pristine interfaces between semiconductor and superconductor. Using surface gates to form a quantum point contact (QPC), we find a hard superconducting gap in the tunnelling regime. When the QPC is in the open regime, we observe a first conductance plateau at 4e 2 /h, consistent with theory. The hard-gap semiconductor-superconductor system demonstrated here is amenable to top-down processing and provides a new avenue towards low-dissipation electronics and topological quantum systems.

Atomic-Scale Engineering of Abrupt Interface for Direct Spin Contact of Ferromagnetic Semiconductor with Silicon

PubMed Central

Averyanov, Dmitry V.; Karateeva, Christina G.; Karateev, Igor A.; Tokmachev, Andrey M.; Vasiliev, Alexander L.; Zolotarev, Sergey I.; Likhachev, Igor A.; Storchak, Vyacheslav G.

2016-01-01

Control and manipulation of the spin of conduction electrons in industrial semiconductors such as silicon are suggested as an operating principle for a new generation of spintronic devices. Coherent injection of spin-polarized carriers into Si is a key to this novel technology. It is contingent on our ability to engineer flawless interfaces of Si with a spin injector to prevent spin-flip scattering. The unique properties of the ferromagnetic semiconductor EuO make it a prospective spin injector into silicon. Recent advances in the epitaxial integration of EuO with Si bring the manufacturing of a direct spin contact within reach. Here we employ transmission electron microscopy to study the interface EuO/Si with atomic-scale resolution. We report techniques for interface control on a submonolayer scale through surface reconstruction. Thus we prevent formation of alien phases and imperfections detrimental to spin injection. This development opens a new avenue for semiconductor spintronics. PMID:26957146

Optical Properties of A GaInNAs Multi-Quantum Well Semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Timothy S.; Ren, Shang-Fen; Jiang, De-Sheng; Xiaogan, Liang

2002-03-01

Optoelectronic devices used today depend on lasers that have wavelengths in the optical fiber transmission window of 1.3 to 1.55 micrometers. When using GaAs substrate semiconductor lasers, we typically see this range of light emission. Quaternary materials, such as GaInNAs grown on this substrate, not only allow us to control the output wavelength, but it also allows us to manipulate the lattice constant. Further research has potential to produce low-costing highly efficient Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSEL). Using a Fourier-Transform Spectrometer, a method of using a Michelson Interferometer to measure the interference between two coherent beams, we measured and analyzed the photoluminescence spectra of a GaInNAs multi-quantum well semiconductor, grown using the Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) growth technique. The experiments of this research were carried out in an undergraduate international research experience at the Chinese Semiconductor Institute supported by the Division of International Programs of NSF.

SNS Heterojunctions With New Combinations Of Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vasquez, Richard P.; Hunt, Brian D.; Foote, Marc C.

1992-01-01

New combinations of materials proposed for superconductor/normal-metal/superconductor (SNS) heterojunctions in low-temperature electronic devices such as fast switches, magnetometers, and mixers. Epitaxial heterojunctions formed between high-temperature superconductors and either oxide semiconductors or metals. Concept offers alternative to other three-layer heterojunction concepts; physical principles of operation permit SNS devices to have thicker barrier layers and fabricated more easily.

InP Nanoflag Growth from a Nanowire Template by in Situ Catalyst Manipulation.

PubMed

Kelrich, Alexander; Sorias, Ofir; Calahorra, Yonatan; Kauffmann, Yaron; Gladstone, Ran; Cohen, Shimon; Orenstein, Meir; Ritter, Dan

2016-04-13

Quasi-two-dimensional semiconductor materials are desirable for electronic, photonic, and energy conversion applications as well as fundamental science. We report on the synthesis of indium phosphide flag-like nanostructures by epitaxial growth on a nanowire template at 95% yield. The technique is based on in situ catalyst unpinning from the top of the nanowire and its induced migration along the nanowire sidewall. Investigation of the mechanism responsible for catalyst movement shows that its final position is determined by the structural defect density along the nanowire. The crystal structure of the "flagpole" nanowire is epitaxially transferred to the nanoflag. Pure wurtzite InP nanomembranes with just a single stacking fault originating from the defect in the flagpole that pinned the catalyst were obtained. Optical characterization shows efficient highly polarized photoluminescence at room temperature from a single nanoflag with up to 90% degree of linear polarization. Electric field intensity enhancement of the incident light was calculated to be 57, concentrated at the nanoflag tip. The presented growth method is general and thus can be employed for achieving similar nanostructures in other III-V semiconductor material systems with potential applications in active nanophotonics.

Single-crystal gallium nitride nanotubes.

PubMed

Goldberger, Joshua; He, Rongrui; Zhang, Yanfeng; Lee, Sangkwon; Yan, Haoquan; Choi, Heon-Jin; Yang, Peidong

2003-04-10

Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes in 1991 (ref. 1), there have been significant research efforts to synthesize nanometre-scale tubular forms of various solids. The formation of tubular nanostructure generally requires a layered or anisotropic crystal structure. There are reports of nanotubes made from silica, alumina, silicon and metals that do not have a layered crystal structure; they are synthesized by using carbon nanotubes and porous membranes as templates, or by thin-film rolling. These nanotubes, however, are either amorphous, polycrystalline or exist only in ultrahigh vacuum. The growth of single-crystal semiconductor hollow nanotubes would be advantageous in potential nanoscale electronics, optoelectronics and biochemical-sensing applications. Here we report an 'epitaxial casting' approach for the synthesis of single-crystal GaN nanotubes with inner diameters of 30-200 nm and wall thicknesses of 5-50 nm. Hexagonal ZnO nanowires were used as templates for the epitaxial overgrowth of thin GaN layers in a chemical vapour deposition system. The ZnO nanowire templates were subsequently removed by thermal reduction and evaporation, resulting in ordered arrays of GaN nanotubes on the substrates. This templating process should be applicable to many other semiconductor systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, Virginia R.; Nepal, Neeraj; Johnson, Scooter D.

Wide bandgap semiconducting nitrides have found wide-spread application as light emitting and laser diodes and are under investigation for further application in optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and efficient power switching technologies. Alloys of the binary semiconductors allow adjustments of the band gap, an important semiconductor material characteristic, which is 6.2 eV for aluminum nitride (AlN), 3.4 eV for gallium nitride, and 0.7 eV for (InN). Currently, the highest quality III-nitride films are deposited by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and molecular beam epitaxy. Temperatures of 900 °C and higher are required to deposit high quality AlN. Research into depositing III-nitrides with atomic layermore » epitaxy (ALEp) is ongoing because it is a fabrication friendly technique allowing lower growth temperatures. Because it is a relatively new technique, there is insufficient understanding of the ALEp growth mechanism which will be essential to development of the process. Here, grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering is employed to observe the evolving behavior of the surface morphology during growth of AlN by ALEp at temperatures from 360 to 480 °C. Increased temperatures of AlN resulted in lower impurities and relatively fewer features with short range correlations.« less

Buffer Layer Doping Concentration Measurement Using VT-VSUB Characteristics of GaN HEMT with p-GaN Substrate Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Cheng-Yu; Nakatani, Katsutoshi; Kawai, Hiroji; Ao, Jin-Ping; Ohno, Yasuo

To improve the high voltage performance of AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field effect transistors (HFETs), we have fabricated AlGaN/GaN HFETs with p-GaN epi-layer on sapphire substrate with an ohmic contact to the p-GaN (p-sub HFET). Substrate bias dependent threshold voltage variation (VT-VSUB) was used to directly determine the doping concentration profile in the buffer layer. This VT-VSUB method was developed from Si MOSFET. For HFETs, the insulator is formed by epitaxially grown and heterogeneous semiconductor layer while for Si MOSFETs the insulator is amorphous SiO2. Except that HFETs have higher channel mobility due to the epitaxial insulator/semiconductor interface, HFETs and Si MOSFETs are basically the same in the respect of device physics. Based on these considerations, the feasibility of this VT-VSUB method for AlGaN/GaN HFETs was discussed. In the end, the buffer layer doping concentration was measured to be 2 × 1017cm-3, p-type, which is well consistent with the Mg concentration obtained from secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) measurement.

Development of High Quantum Efficiency UV/Blue Photocathode Epitaxial Semiconductor Heterostructures for Scintillation and Cherenkov Radiation Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leopold, Daniel J.

2002-01-01

The primary goal of this research project was to further extend the use of advanced heteroepitaxial-semiconductor crystal growth techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and to demonstrate significant gains in UV/blue photonic detection by designing and fabricating atomically-tailored heteroepitaxial GaAlN/GaInN photocathode device structures. This NASA Explorer technology research program has focused on the development of photocathodes for Cherenkov and scintillation radiation detection. Support from the program allowed us to enhance our MBE system to include a nitrogen plasma source and a magnetic bearing turbomolecular pump for delivery and removal of high purity atomic nitrogen during GaAlN/GaInN film growth. Under this program we have also designed, built and incorporated a cesium activation stage. In addition, a connected UHV chamber with photocathode transfer/positioner components as well as a hybrid phototube stage was designed and built to make in-situ quantum efficiency measurements without ever having to remove the photocathodes from UHV conditions. Thus we have constructed a system with the capability to couple atomically-tailored MBE-grown photocathode heterostructures with real high gain readout devices for single photon detection evaluation.

GaN-on-Silicon - Present capabilities and future directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boles, Timothy

2018-02-01

Gallium Nitride, in the form of epitaxial HEMT transistors on various substrate materials, is the newest and most promising semiconductor technology for high performance devices in the RF, microwave, and mmW arenas. This is particularly true for GaN-on-Silicon based devices and MMIC's which enable both state-of-the-art high frequency functionality and the ability to scale production into large wafer diameter CMOS foundries. The design and development of GaN-on-Silicon structures and devices will be presented beginning with the basic material parameters, growth of the required epitaxial construction, and leading to the fundamental operational theory of high frequency, high power HEMTs. In this discussion comparisons will be made with alternative substrate materials with emphasis on contrasting the inherent advantages of a silicon based system. Theory of operation of microwave and mmW high power HEMT devices will be presented with special emphasis on fundamental limitations of device performance including inherent frequency limiting transit time analysis, required impedance transformations, internal and external parasitic reactance, thermal impedance optimization, and challenges improved by full integration into monolithic MMICs. Lastly, future directions for implementing GaN-on-Silicon into mainstream CMOS silicon semiconductor technologies will be discussed.

CATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF SEMICONDUCTORS.

DTIC Science & Technology

SEMICONDUCTORS, CATALYSTS), (*CATALYSIS, REACTION KINETICS), (* SODIUM COMPOUNDS, TUNGSTATES), (*GALLIUM ALLOYS, ARSENIC ALLOYS), (*YTTERBIUM...COMPOUNDS, SILICIDES ), (*GERMANIUM, CATALYSIS), INTERNAL CONVERSION, EXCHANGE REACTIONS, HEAT OF ACTIVATION, THERMODYNAMICS, DEUTERIUM, POWDERS, SURFACES, HYDROGEN

Process for removal of water and silicon mu-oxides from chlorosilanes

DOEpatents

Tom, Glenn M.; McManus, James V.

1992-03-10

A scavenger composition having utility for removal of water and silicon mu-oxide impurities from chlorosilanes, such scavenger composition comprising: (a) a support; and (b) associated with the support, one or more compound(s) selected from the group consisting of compounds of the formula: R.sub.a-x MCl.sub.x wherein: M is a metal selected from the group consisting of the monovalent metals lithium, sodium, and potassium; the divalent metals magnesium, strontium, barium, and calcium; and the trivalent metal aluminum; R is alkyl; a is a number equal to the valency of metal M; and x is a number having a value of from 0 to a, inclusive; and wherein said compound(s) of the formula R.sub.a-x MCl.sub.x have been activated for impurity-removal service by a reaction scheme selected from those of the group consisting of: (i) reaction of such compound(s) with hydrogen chloride to form a first reaction product therefrom, followed by reaction of the first reaction product with a chlorosilane of the formula: SiH.sub.4-y Cl.sub.y, wherein y is a number having a value of from 1 to 3, inclusive; and (ii) reaction of such compound(s) with a chlorosilane of the formula: SiH.sub.4-y Cl.sub.y wherein y is a number having a value of 1 to 3, inclusive. A corresponding method of making the scavenger composition, and of purifying a chlorosilane which contains oxygen and silicon mu-oxide impurities, likewise are disclosed, together with a purifier apparatus, in which a bed of the scavenger composition is disposed. The composition, purification process, and purifier apparatus of the invention have utility in purifying gaseous chlorosilanes which are employed in the semiconductor industry as silicon source reagents for forming epitaxial silicon layers.

Composition, process, and apparatus, for removal of water and silicon mu-oxides from chlorosilanes

DOEpatents

Tom, Glenn M.; McManus, James V.

1991-10-15

A scavenger composition having utility for removal of water and silicon mu-oxide impurities from chlorosilanes, such scavenger composition comprising: (a) a support; and (b) associated with the support, one or more compound(s) selected from the group consisting of compounds of the formula: R.sub.a-x MCl.sub.x wherein: M is a metal selected from the group consisting of the monovalent metals lithium, sodium, and potassium; the divalent metals magnesium, strontium, barium, and calcium; and the trivalent metal aluminum; R is alkyl; a is a number equal to the valency of metal M; and x is a number having a value from 0 to a, inclusive; and wherein said compound(s) of the formula R.sub.a-x MCl.sub.x have been activated for impurity-removal service by a reaction scheme selected from those of the group consisting of: (i) reaction of such compound(s) with hydrogen chloride to form a first reaction product therefrom, followed by reaction of the first reaction product with a chlorosilane of the formula: SiH.sub.4"y Cl.sub.y, wherein y is a number having a value of from 1 to 3, inclusive; and (ii) reaction of such compound(s) with a chlorosilane of the formula: SiH.sub.4-y Cl.sub.y wherein y is a number having a value of 1 to 3, inclusive. A corresponding method of making the scavenger composition, and of purifying a chlorosilane which contains oxygen and silicon mu-oxide impurities, likewise are disclosed, together with a purifier apparatus, in which a bed of the scavenger composition is disposed. The composition, purification process, and purifier apparatus of the invention have utility in purifying gaseous chlorosilanes which are employed in the semiconductor industry as silicon source reagents for forming epitaxial silicon layers.

Synthesis and electronic properties of Fe 2TiO 5 epitaxial thin films

DOE PAGES

Osada, Motoki; Nishio, Kazunori; Hwang, Harold Y.; ...

2018-05-02

Here, we investigate the growth phase diagram of pseudobrookite Fe 2TiO 5 epitaxial thin films on LaAlO 3 (001) substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Control of the oxygen partial pressure and temperature during deposition enabled selective stabilization of (100)- and (230)-oriented films. In this regime, we find an optical gap of 2.1 eV and room temperature resistivity in the range of 20–80 Ω cm, which are significantly lower than α-Fe 2O 3, making Fe 2TiO 5 potentially an ideal inexpensive visible-light harvesting semiconductor. These results provide a basis to incorporate Fe 2TiO 5 in oxide heterostructures for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemicalmore » applications.« less

X-Ray Diffraction Wafer Mapping Method for Rhombohedral Super-Hetero-Epitaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yoonjoon; Choi, Sang Hyouk; King, Glen C.; Elliott, James R.; Dimarcantonio, Albert L.

2010-01-01

A new X-ray diffraction (XRD) method is provided to acquire XY mapping of the distribution of single crystals, poly-crystals, and twin defects across an entire wafer of rhombohedral super-hetero-epitaxial semiconductor material. In one embodiment, the method is performed with a point or line X-ray source with an X-ray incidence angle approximating a normal angle close to 90 deg, and in which the beam mask is preferably replaced with a crossed slit. While the wafer moves in the X and Y direction, a narrowly defined X-ray source illuminates the sample and the diffracted X-ray beam is monitored by the detector at a predefined angle. Preferably, the untilted, asymmetric scans are of {440} peaks, for twin defect characterization.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SEMICONDUCTOR INJECTION LASERS SELCO-87: Liquid phase epitaxial growth of GaInAsP/InP laser structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nohavica, D.; Têminová, J.; Berková, D.; Zagrádková, M.; Kortan, I.; Zelinka, I.; Walachová, I.; Malina, V.

1988-11-01

A modified single-phase liquid phase epitaxy method was developed on the basis of a novel variant of the growth boat. The method was used to grow GaInAsP/InP double heterostructures for lasers emitting at 1.3 and 1.55 μm. The main properties of wide-contact diodes (radiation power and threshold current density) were adopted as the characteristics of the quality of heterostructures characterized by different configurations of active and guiding layers. The quality of the structure was confirmed by the fabrication of laser diodes of the following types: stripe with oxide insulation, clad-ridge waveguide, and double-channel planar buried.

Synthesis and electronic properties of Fe2TiO5 epitaxial thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osada, Motoki; Nishio, Kazunori; Hwang, Harold Y.; Hikita, Yasuyuki

2018-05-01

We investigate the growth phase diagram of pseudobrookite Fe2TiO5 epitaxial thin films on LaAlO3 (001) substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Control of the oxygen partial pressure and temperature during deposition enabled selective stabilization of (100)- and (230)-oriented films. In this regime, we find an optical gap of 2.1 eV and room temperature resistivity in the range of 20-80 Ω cm, which are significantly lower than α-Fe2O3, making Fe2TiO5 potentially an ideal inexpensive visible-light harvesting semiconductor. These results provide a basis to incorporate Fe2TiO5 in oxide heterostructures for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical applications.

Epitaxial Growth of an Organic p-n Heterojunction: C60 on Single-Crystal Pentacene.

PubMed

Nakayama, Yasuo; Mizuno, Yuta; Hosokai, Takuya; Koganezawa, Tomoyuki; Tsuruta, Ryohei; Hinderhofer, Alexander; Gerlach, Alexander; Broch, Katharina; Belova, Valentina; Frank, Heiko; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Niederhausen, Jens; Glowatzki, Hendrik; Rabe, Jürgen P; Koch, Norbert; Ishii, Hisao; Schreiber, Frank; Ueno, Nobuo

2016-06-01

Designing molecular p-n heterojunction structures, i.e., electron donor-acceptor contacts, is one of the central challenges for further development of organic electronic devices. In the present study, a well-defined p-n heterojunction of two representative molecular semiconductors, pentacene and C60, formed on the single-crystal surface of pentacene is precisely investigated in terms of its growth behavior and crystallographic structure. C60 assembles into a (111)-oriented face-centered-cubic crystal structure with a specific epitaxial orientation on the (001) surface of the pentacene single crystal. The present experimental findings provide molecular scale insights into the formation mechanisms of the organic p-n heterojunction through an accurate structural analysis of the single-crystalline molecular contact.

Europium Silicide – a Prospective Material for Contacts with Silicon

PubMed Central

Averyanov, Dmitry V.; Tokmachev, Andrey M.; Karateeva, Christina G.; Karateev, Igor A.; Lobanovich, Eduard F.; Prutskov, Grigory V.; Parfenov, Oleg E.; Taldenkov, Alexander N.; Vasiliev, Alexander L.; Storchak, Vyacheslav G.

2016-01-01

Metal-silicon junctions are crucial to the operation of semiconductor devices: aggressive scaling demands low-resistive metallic terminals to replace high-doped silicon in transistors. It suggests an efficient charge injection through a low Schottky barrier between a metal and Si. Tremendous efforts invested into engineering metal-silicon junctions reveal the major role of chemical bonding at the interface: premier contacts entail epitaxial integration of metal silicides with Si. Here we present epitaxially grown EuSi2/Si junction characterized by RHEED, XRD, transmission electron microscopy, magnetization and transport measurements. Structural perfection leads to superb conductivity and a record-low Schottky barrier with n-Si while an antiferromagnetic phase invites spin-related applications. This development opens brand-new opportunities in electronics. PMID:27211700

Europium Silicide - a Prospective Material for Contacts with Silicon.

PubMed

Averyanov, Dmitry V; Tokmachev, Andrey M; Karateeva, Christina G; Karateev, Igor A; Lobanovich, Eduard F; Prutskov, Grigory V; Parfenov, Oleg E; Taldenkov, Alexander N; Vasiliev, Alexander L; Storchak, Vyacheslav G

2016-05-23

Metal-silicon junctions are crucial to the operation of semiconductor devices: aggressive scaling demands low-resistive metallic terminals to replace high-doped silicon in transistors. It suggests an efficient charge injection through a low Schottky barrier between a metal and Si. Tremendous efforts invested into engineering metal-silicon junctions reveal the major role of chemical bonding at the interface: premier contacts entail epitaxial integration of metal silicides with Si. Here we present epitaxially grown EuSi2/Si junction characterized by RHEED, XRD, transmission electron microscopy, magnetization and transport measurements. Structural perfection leads to superb conductivity and a record-low Schottky barrier with n-Si while an antiferromagnetic phase invites spin-related applications. This development opens brand-new opportunities in electronics.

Rational Design of Zinc Phosphide Heterojunction Photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosco, Jeffrey Paul

The prospect of terawatt-scale electricity generation using a photovoltaic (PV) device places strict requirements on the active semiconductor optoelectronic properties and elemental abundance. After reviewing the constraints placed on an ``earth-abundant'' solar absorber, we find zinc phosphide (α-Zn 3P2) to be an ideal candidate. In addition to its near-optimal direct band gap of 1.5 eV, high visible-light absorption coefficient (>10. 4cm-1), and long minority-carrier diffusion length (>5 μm), Zn3P 2 is composed of abundant Zn and P elements and has excellent physical properties for scalable thin-film deposition. However, to date, a Zn 3P2 device of sufficient efficiency for commercial applications has not been demonstrated. Record efficiencies of 6.0% for multicrystalline and 4.3% for thin-film cells have been reported, respectively. Performance has been limited by the intrinsic p-type conductivity of Zn3P 2 which restricts us to Schottky and heterojunction device designs. Due to our poor understanding of Zn3P2 interfaces, an ideal heterojunction partner has not yet been found. The goal of this thesis is to explore the upper limit of solar conversion efficiency achievable with a Zn3P2 absorber through the design of an optimal heterojunction PV device. To do so, we investigate three key aspects of material growth, interface energetics, and device design. First, the growth of Zn3P2 on GaAs(001) is studied using compound-source molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). We successfully demonstrate the pseudomorphic growth of Zn3P2 epilayers of controlled orientation and optoelectronic properties. Next, the energy-band alignments of epitaxial Zn3P2 and II-VI and III-V semiconductor interfaces are measured via high-resolution x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in order to determine the most appropriate heterojunction partner. From this work, we identify ZnSe as a nearly ideal n-type emitter for a Zn3P 2 PV device. Finally, various II-VI/Zn3P2 heterojunction solar cells designs are fabricated, including substrate and superstrate architectures, and evaluated based on their solar conversion efficiency.

Photo-voltaic power generating means and methods

DOEpatents

Kroger, Ferdinand A.; Rod, Robert L.; Panicker, M. P. Ramachandra

1983-08-23

A photo-voltaic power cell based on a photoelectric semiconductor compound and the method of using and making the same. The semiconductor compound in the photo-voltaic power cell of the present invention can be electrolytically formed at a cathode in an electrolytic solution by causing discharge or decomposition of ions or molecules of a non-metallic component with deposition of the non-metallic component on the cathode and simultaneously providing ions of a metal component which discharge and combine with the non-metallic component at the cathode thereby forming the semiconductor compound film material thereon. By stoichiometrically adjusting the amounts of the components, or otherwise by introducing dopants into the desired amounts, an N-type layer can be formed and thereafter a P-type layer can be formed with a junction therebetween. The invention is effective in producing homojunction semiconductor materials and heterojunction semiconductor materials. The present invention also provides a method of using three electrodes in order to form the semiconductor compound material on one of these electrodes. Various examples are given for manufacturing different photo-voltaic cells in accordance with the present invention.

Photo-voltaic power generating means and methods

DOEpatents

Kroger, Ferdinand A.; Rod, Robert L.; Panicker, Ramachandra M. P.; Knaster, Mark B.

1984-01-10

A photo-voltaic power cell based on a photoelectric semiconductor compound and the method of using and making the same. The semiconductor compound in the photo-voltaic power cell of the present invention can be electrolytically formed at a cathode in an electrolytic solution by causing discharge or decomposition of ions or molecules of a non-metallic component with deposition of the non-metallic component on the cathode and simultaneously providing ions of a metal component which discharge and combine with the non-metallic component at the cathode thereby forming the semiconductor compound film material thereon. By stoichiometrically adjusting the amounts of the components, or otherwise by introducing dopants into the desired amounts, an N-type layer can be formed and thereafter a P-type layer can be formed with a junction therebetween. The invention is effective in producing homojunction semiconductor materials and heterojunction semiconductor materials. The present invention also provides a method of using three electrodes in order to form the semiconductor compound material on one of these electrodes. Various examples are given for manufacturing different photo-voltaic cells in accordance with the present invention.

Crystal growth of device quality GaAs in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatos, H. C.; Lagowski, J.

1986-01-01

It was established that the findings on elemental semiconductors Ge and Si regarding crystal growth, segregation, chemical composition, defect interactions, and materials properties-electronic properties relationships are not necessarily applicable to GaAs (and to other semiconductor compounds). In many instances totally unexpected relationships were found to prevail. It was further established that in compound semiconductors with a volatile constituent, control of stoichiometry is far more critical than any other crystal growth parameter. It was also shown that, due to suppression of nonstoichiometric fluctuations, the advantages of space for growth of semiconductor compounds extend far beyond those observed in elemental semiconductors. A novel configuration was discovered for partial confinement of GaAs melt in space which overcomes the two major problems associated with growth of semiconductors in total confinement. They are volume expansion during solidification and control of pressure of the volatile constituent. These problems are discussed in detail.

Development of III-nitride semiconductors by molecular beam epitaxy and cluster beam epitaxy and fabrication of LEDs based on indium gallium nitride MQWs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tai-Chou Papo

The family of III-Nitrides (the binaries InN, GaN, AIN, and their alloys) is one of the most important classes of semiconductor materials. Of the three, Indium Nitride (InN) and Aluminum Nitride (AIN) have been investigated much less than Gallium Nitride (GaN). However, both of these materials are important for optoelectronic infrared and ultraviolet devices. In particular, since InN was found recently to be a narrow gap semiconductor (Eg=0.7eV), its development should extend the applications of nitride semiconductors to the spectral region appropriate to fiber optics communication and photovoltaic applications. Similarly, the development of AIN should lead to deep UV light emitting diodes (LEDs). The first part of this work addresses the evaluation of structural, optical and transport properties of InN films grown by two different deposition methods. In one method, active nitrogen was produced in the form of nitrogen radicals by a radio frequency (RF) plasma-assisted source. In an alternative method, active nitrogen was produced in the form of clusters containing approximately 2000 nitrogen molecules. These clusters were produced by adiabatic expansion from high stagnation pressure through a narrow nozzle into vacuum. The clusters were singly or doubly ionized with positive charge by electron impact and accelerated up to approximately 20 to 25 KV prior to their disintegration on the substrate. Due to the high local temperature produced during the impact of clusters with the substrate, this method is suitable for the deposition of InN at very low temperatures. The films are auto-doped n-type with carrier concentrations varying from 3 x 1018 to 1020 cm-3 and the electron effective mass of these films was determined to be 0.09m0. The majority of the AIN films was grown by the cluster beam epitaxy method and was doped n- and p- type by incorporating silicon (Si) and magnesium (Mg) during the film deposition. All films were grown under Al-rich conditions at relatively high temperatures (800˜1050°C) in order to increase the solubility of nitrogen into the free Al on the surface of the growing film. The films were found to have smooth surface morphology with narrow on-axis X-ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curves and relatively broad off-axis XRD rocking curves attributed to the lack of a buffer layer during the film growth. The device aspect of this work involves the material formation and the device fabrication of Indium Gallium Nitride (InGaN) based LEDs on textured GaN templates produced spontaneously by either hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) or using a method of natural lithography and reactive ion etching. This part of the work includes the film deposition and characterization of InGaNJGaN quantum wells on smooth and textured GaN template.

Epitaxy of spin injectors and their application toward spin-polarized lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holub, Michael A.

Spintronics is an emerging; multidisciplinary field which examines the role of electron and nuclear spin in solid-state physics. Recent experiments suggest that the spin degree of freedom may be exploited to enhance the functionality of conventional semi conductor devices. Such endeavors require methods for efficient spin injection; spin transport, and spin detection in semiconductor heterostructures. This dissertation investigates the molecular-beam epitaxial growth and properties of ferromagnetic materials for electrical spin injection. Spin-injecting contacts are incorporated into prototype spintronic devices and their performance is examined. Two classes of materials may be used for spin injection into semiconductors: dilute magnetic semiconductor and ferromagnetic metals. The low-temperature growth and properties of (Al)Gal4nAs and In(Ga)MnAs epilayers and nanostructures are investigated, and a technique for the self-organized growth of Mn-doped InAs quantum dots is developed. The epitaxial growth of (Fe,MnAs)/(Al)GaAs Schottky tunnel barriers for electron spin injection is also investigated. The spin-injection efficiency of these contacts is assessed using a spin-valve or spin-polarized light-emitting diode. Lateral MnAs/GaAs spin-valves where Schottky tunnel barriers enable all-electrical spin injection and detection are grown, fabricated, and characterized. The Rowell criteria confirm that tunneling is the dominant, transport mechanism for the Schottky tunnel contacts. A peak magnetoresistance of 3.6% at 10 K and 1.1% at 125 K are observed for a 0.5 pin channel length spin-valve. Measurements using non-local spin-valves and other control devices verify that spurious contributions from anisotropic magnetoresistance and local Hall effects are negligible. Spin-polarized lasers offer inherent polarization control, reduced chirp, and lower threshold currents and are expected to outperform their charge-based counterparts. Initial efforts to realize a spin-VCSEL utilize (Ga,Mn)As spin aligners for hole spin injection. The polarization of the laser emission is dominated by dichroic absorption in the ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As spin-aligner layer, which greatly complicates the verification of spin injection. Significant spin-dependent effects are observed in a spin-VCSEL utilizing epitaxially regrown Fe/AlGaAs Schottky tunnel barriers. A maximum degree of circular polarization of 23% and corresponding threshold current reduction of 11% are measured for a 15 mum Fe spin-VCSEL at 50 K. A cavity spin polarization of 16.8% is estimated from rate equation analysis.

Quantitative RHEED Studies of MBE Growth of 3-5 Compounds

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-03

Vertical - Cavity Surface - Emitting Laser Using Molecular Beam Epitaxial ...Growth of Vertical Cavity Surface - emitting Lasers Our work under this ARO contract on the control of MBE growth has enhanced our ability to grow...pattern about the surface structure of nearly perfect crystals prepared by Molecular Beam Epitaxy ( MBE ) and to use these techniques

Photovoltaic Device Including A Boron Doping Profile In An I-Type Layer

DOEpatents

Yang, Liyou

1993-10-26

A photovoltaic cell for use in a single junction or multijunction photovoltaic device, which includes a p-type layer of a semiconductor compound including silicon, an i-type layer of an amorphous semiconductor compound including silicon, and an n-type layer of a semiconductor compound including silicon formed on the i-type layer. The i-type layer including an undoped first sublayer formed on the p-type layer, and a boron-doped second sublayer formed on the first sublayer.

Integrated Multi-Color Light Emitting Device Made with Hybrid Crystal Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor)

2017-01-01

An integrated hybrid crystal Light Emitting Diode ("LED") display device that may emit red, green, and blue colors on a single wafer. The various embodiments may provide double-sided hetero crystal growth with hexagonal wurtzite III-Nitride compound semiconductor on one side of (0001) c-plane sapphire media and cubic zinc-blended III-V or II-VI compound semiconductor on the opposite side of c-plane sapphire media. The c-plane sapphire media may be a bulk single crystalline c-plane sapphire wafer, a thin free standing c-plane sapphire layer, or crack-and-bonded c-plane sapphire layer on any substrate. The bandgap energies and lattice constants of the compound semiconductor alloys may be changed by mixing different amounts of ingredients of the same group into the compound semiconductor. The bandgap energy and lattice constant may be engineered by changing the alloy composition within the cubic group IV, group III-V, and group II-VI semiconductors and within the hexagonal III-Nitrides.

Integrated Multi-Color Light Emitting Device Made with Hybrid Crystal Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor)

2016-01-01

An integrated hybrid crystal Light Emitting Diode ("LED") display device that may emit red, green, and blue colors on a single wafer. The various embodiments may provide double-sided hetero crystal growth with hexagonal wurtzite III-Nitride compound semiconductor on one side of (0001) c-plane sapphire media and cubic zinc-blended III-V or II-VI compound semiconductor on the opposite side of c-plane sapphire media. The c-plane sapphire media may be a bulk single crystalline c-plane sapphire wafer, a thin free standing c-plane sapphire layer, or crack-and-bonded c-plane sapphire layer on any substrate. The bandgap energies and lattice constants of the compound semiconductor alloys may be changed by mixing different amounts of ingredients of the same group into the compound semiconductor. The bandgap energy and lattice constant may be engineered by changing the alloy composition within the cubic group IV, group III-V, and group II-VI semiconductors and within the hexagonal III-Nitrides.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SEMICONDUCTOR INJECTION LASERS SELCO-87: Calculation of the yield of fault-free laser diodes from the characteristics of the (100)InP substrate material used in epitaxial double heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baerwolff, A.; Enders, P.; Knauer, A.; Linke, D.; Zeimer, U.

1988-11-01

It is shown that the yield of fault-free laser diodes is related to the density and distribution of dislocations in the substrate. A method is described for visualization of etch pits and of their relationship to defects in the substrate.

Electron Beam "Writes" Silicon On Sapphire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinemann, Klaus

1988-01-01

Method of growing silicon on sapphire substrate uses beam of electrons to aid growth of semiconductor material. Silicon forms as epitaxial film in precisely localized areas in micron-wide lines. Promising fabrication method for fast, densely-packed integrated circuits. Silicon deposited preferentially in contaminated substrate zones and in clean zone irradiated by electron beam. Electron beam, like surface contamination, appears to stimulate decomposition of silane atmosphere.

Tuning electronic transport in epitaxial graphene-based van der Waals heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yu-Chuan; Li, Jun; de La Barrera, Sergio C.; Eichfeld, Sarah M.; Nie, Yifan; Addou, Rafik; Mende, Patrick C.; Wallace, Robert M.; Cho, Kyeongjae; Feenstra, Randall M.; Robinson, Joshua A.

2016-04-01

Two-dimensional tungsten diselenide (WSe2) has been used as a component in atomically thin photovoltaic devices, field effect transistors, and tunneling diodes in tandem with graphene. In some applications it is necessary to achieve efficient charge transport across the interface of layered WSe2-graphene, a semiconductor to semimetal junction with a van der Waals (vdW) gap. In such cases, band alignment engineering is required to ensure a low-resistance, ohmic contact. In this work, we investigate the impact of graphene electronic properties on the transport at the WSe2-graphene interface. Electrical transport measurements reveal a lower resistance between WSe2 and fully hydrogenated epitaxial graphene (EGFH) compared to WSe2 grown on partially hydrogenated epitaxial graphene (EGPH). Using low-energy electron microscopy and reflectivity on these samples, we extract the work function difference between the WSe2 and graphene and employ a charge transfer model to determine the WSe2 carrier density in both cases. The results indicate that WSe2-EGFH displays ohmic behavior at small biases due to a large hole density in the WSe2, whereas WSe2-EGPH forms a Schottky barrier junction.Two-dimensional tungsten diselenide (WSe2) has been used as a component in atomically thin photovoltaic devices, field effect transistors, and tunneling diodes in tandem with graphene. In some applications it is necessary to achieve efficient charge transport across the interface of layered WSe2-graphene, a semiconductor to semimetal junction with a van der Waals (vdW) gap. In such cases, band alignment engineering is required to ensure a low-resistance, ohmic contact. In this work, we investigate the impact of graphene electronic properties on the transport at the WSe2-graphene interface. Electrical transport measurements reveal a lower resistance between WSe2 and fully hydrogenated epitaxial graphene (EGFH) compared to WSe2 grown on partially hydrogenated epitaxial graphene (EGPH). Using low-energy electron microscopy and reflectivity on these samples, we extract the work function difference between the WSe2 and graphene and employ a charge transfer model to determine the WSe2 carrier density in both cases. The results indicate that WSe2-EGFH displays ohmic behavior at small biases due to a large hole density in the WSe2, whereas WSe2-EGPH forms a Schottky barrier junction. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01902a

Monolithic integration of GaN-based light-emitting diodes and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors.

PubMed

Lee, Ya-Ju; Yang, Zu-Po; Chen, Pin-Guang; Hsieh, Yung-An; Yao, Yung-Chi; Liao, Ming-Han; Lee, Min-Hung; Wang, Mei-Tan; Hwang, Jung-Min

2014-10-20

In this study, we report a novel monolithically integrated GaN-based light-emitting diode (LED) with metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). Without additionally introducing complicated epitaxial structures for transistors, the MOSFET is directly fabricated on the exposed n-type GaN layer of the LED after dry etching, and serially connected to the LED through standard semiconductor-manufacturing technologies. Such monolithically integrated LED/MOSFET device is able to circumvent undesirable issues that might be faced by other kinds of integration schemes by growing a transistor on an LED or vice versa. For the performances of resulting device, our monolithically integrated LED/MOSFET device exhibits good characteristics in the modulation of gate voltage and good capability of driving injected current, which are essential for the important applications such as smart lighting, interconnection, and optical communication.

Lattice matched crystalline substrates for cubic nitride semiconductor growth

DOEpatents

Norman, Andrew G; Ptak, Aaron J; McMahon, William E

2015-02-24

Disclosed embodiments include methods of fabricating a semiconductor layer or device and devices fabricated thereby. The methods include, but are not limited to, providing a substrate having a cubic crystalline surface with a known lattice parameter and growing a cubic crystalline group III-nitride alloy layer on the cubic crystalline substrate by coincident site lattice matched epitaxy. The cubic crystalline group III-nitride alloy may be prepared to have a lattice parameter (a') that is related to the lattice parameter of the substrate (a). The group III-nitride alloy may be a cubic crystalline In.sub.xGa.sub.yAl.sub.1-x-yN alloy. The lattice parameter of the In.sub.xGa.sub.yAl.sub.1-x-yN or other group III-nitride alloy may be related to the substrate lattice parameter by (a')= 2(a) or (a')=(a)/ 2. The semiconductor alloy may be prepared to have a selected band gap.

Growth and device processing of hexagonal boron nitride epilayers for thermal neutron and deep ultraviolet detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doan, T. C.; Li, J.; Lin, J. Y.

2016-07-15

Solid-state neutron detectors with high performance are highly sought after for the detection of fissile materials. However, direct-conversion neutron detectors based on semiconductors with a measureable efficiency have not been realized. We report here the first successful demonstration of a direct-conversion semiconductor neutron detector with an overall detection efficiency for thermal neutrons of 4% and a charge collection efficiency as high as 83%. The detector is based on a 2.7 μm thick {sup 10}B-enriched hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) epitaxial layer. The results represent a significant step towards the realization of practical neutron detectors based on h-BN epilayers. Neutron detectors basedmore » on h-BN are expected to possess all the advantages of semiconductor devices including wafer-scale processing, compact size, light weight, and ability to integrate with other functional devices.« less

Monolithically integrated bacteriorhodopsin/semiconductor opto-electronic integrated circuit for a bio-photoreceiver.

PubMed

Xu, J; Bhattacharya, P; Váró, G

2004-03-15

The light-sensitive protein, bacteriorhodopsin (BR), is monolithically integrated with an InP-based amplifier circuit to realize a novel opto-electronic integrated circuit (OEIC) which performs as a high-speed photoreceiver. The circuit is realized by epitaxial growth of the field-effect transistors, currently used semiconductor device and circuit fabrication techniques, and selective area BR electro-deposition. The integrated photoreceiver has a responsivity of 175 V/W and linear photoresponse, with a dynamic range of 16 dB, with 594 nm photoexcitation. The dynamics of the photochemical cycle of BR has also been modeled and a proposed equivalent circuit simulates the measured BR photoresponse with good agreement.

Electrically tunable infrared metamaterial devices

DOEpatents

Brener, Igal; Jun, Young Chul

2015-07-21

A wavelength-tunable, depletion-type infrared metamaterial optical device is provided. The device includes a thin, highly doped epilayer whose electrical permittivity can become negative at some infrared wavelengths. This highly-doped buried layer optically couples with a metamaterial layer. Changes in the transmission spectrum of the device can be induced via the electrical control of this optical coupling. An embodiment includes a contact layer of semiconductor material that is sufficiently doped for operation as a contact layer and that is effectively transparent to an operating range of infrared wavelengths, a thin, highly doped buried layer of epitaxially grown semiconductor material that overlies the contact layer, and a metallized layer overlying the buried layer and patterned as a resonant metamaterial.

Nanowire Photovoltaic Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forbes, David

2015-01-01

Firefly Technologies, in collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, developed synthesis methods for highly strained nanowires. Two synthesis routes resulted in successful nanowire epitaxy: direct nucleation and growth on the substrate and a novel selective-epitaxy route based on nanolithography using diblock copolymers. The indium-arsenide (InAs) nanowires are implemented in situ within the epitaxy environment-a significant innovation relative to conventional semiconductor nanowire generation using ex situ gold nanoparticles. The introduction of these nanoscale features may enable an intermediate band solar cell while simultaneously increasing the effective absorption volume that can otherwise limit short-circuit current generated by thin quantized layers. The use of nanowires for photovoltaics decouples the absorption process from the current extraction process by virtue of the high aspect ratio. While no functional solar cells resulted from this effort, considerable fundamental understanding of the nanowire epitaxy kinetics and nanopatterning process was developed. This approach could, in principle, be an enabling technology for heterointegration of dissimilar materials. The technology also is applicable to virtual substrates. Incorporating nanowires onto a recrystallized germanium/metal foil substrate would potentially solve the problem of grain boundary shunting of generated carriers by restricting the cross-sectional area of the nanowire (tens of nanometers in diameter) to sizes smaller than the recrystallized grains (0.5 to 1 micron(exp 2).

Semiconductor diode laser material and devices with emission in visible region of the spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ladany, I.; Kressel, H.

1975-01-01

Two alloy systems, (AlGa)As and (InGa)P, were studied for their properties relevant to obtaining laser diode operation in the visible region of the spectrum. (AlGa)As was prepared by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) and (InGa)P was prepared both by vapor-phase epitaxy and by liquid-phase epitaxy. Various schemes for LPE growth were applied to (InGa)P, one of which was found to be capable of producing device material. All the InGaP device work was done using vapor-phase epitaxy. The most successful devices were fabricated in (AlGa)As using heterojunction structures. At room temperature, the large optical cavity design yielded devices lasing in the red (7000 A). Because of the relatively high threshold due to the basic band structure limitation in this alloy, practical laser diode operation is presently limited to about 7300 A. At liquid-nitrogen temperature, practical continuous-wave operation was obtained at a wavelength of 6500 to 6600 A, with power emission in excess of 50 mW. The lowest pulsed lasing wavelength is 6280 A. At 223 K, lasing was obtained at 6770 A, but with high threshold currents. The work dealing with CW operation at room temperature was successful with practical operation having been achieved to about 7800 A.

Band engineered epitaxial 3D GaN-InGaN core-shell rod arrays as an advanced photoanode for visible-light-driven water splitting.

PubMed

Caccamo, Lorenzo; Hartmann, Jana; Fàbrega, Cristian; Estradé, Sonia; Lilienkamp, Gerhard; Prades, Joan Daniel; Hoffmann, Martin W G; Ledig, Johannes; Wagner, Alexander; Wang, Xue; Lopez-Conesa, Lluis; Peiró, Francesca; Rebled, José Manuel; Wehmann, Hergo-Heinrich; Daum, Winfried; Shen, Hao; Waag, Andreas

2014-02-26

3D single-crystalline, well-aligned GaN-InGaN rod arrays are fabricated by selective area growth (SAG) metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) for visible-light water splitting. Epitaxial InGaN layer grows successfully on 3D GaN rods to minimize defects within the GaN-InGaN heterojunctions. The indium concentration (In ∼ 0.30 ± 0.04) is rather homogeneous in InGaN shells along the radial and longitudinal directions. The growing strategy allows us to tune the band gap of the InGaN layer in order to match the visible absorption with the solar spectrum as well as to align the semiconductor bands close to the water redox potentials to achieve high efficiency. The relation between structure, surface, and photoelectrochemical property of GaN-InGaN is explored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), current-voltage, and open circuit potential (OCP) measurements. The epitaxial GaN-InGaN interface, pseudomorphic InGaN thin films, homogeneous and suitable indium concentration and defined surface orientation are properties demanded for systematic study and efficient photoanodes based on III-nitride heterojunctions.

Characterization of reclaimed GaAs substrates and investigation of reuse for thin film InGaAlP LED epitaxial growth

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Englhard, M.; Klemp, C.; Behringer, M.

This study reports a method to reuse GaAs substrates with a batch process for thin film light emitting diode (TF-LED) production. The method is based on an epitaxial lift-off technique. With the developed reclaim process, it is possible to get an epi-ready GaAs surface without additional time-consuming and expensive grinding/polishing processes. The reclaim and regrowth process was investigated with a one layer epitaxial test structure. The GaAs surface was characterized by an atomic force microscope directly after the reclaim process. The crystal structure of the regrown In{sub 0.5}(Ga{sub 0.45}Al{sub 0.55}){sub 0.5}P (Q{sub 55}) layer was investigated by high resolution x-raymore » diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy. In addition, a complete TF-LED grown on reclaimed GaAs substrates was electro-optically characterized on wafer level. The crystal structure of the epitaxial layers and the performance of the TF-LED grown on reclaimed substrates are not influenced by the developed reclaim process. This process would result in reducing costs for LEDs and reducing much arsenic waste for the benefit of a green semiconductor production.« less

Structural defects in cubic semiconductors characterized by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Arroyo Rojas Dasilva, Yadira; Kozak, Roksolana; Erni, Rolf; Rossell, Marta D

2017-05-01

The development of new electro-optical devices and the realization of novel types of transistors require a profound understanding of the structural characteristics of new semiconductor heterostructures. This article provides a concise review about structural defects which occur in semiconductor heterostructures on the basis of micro-patterned Si substrates. In particular, one- and two-dimensional crystal defects are being discussed which are due to the plastic relaxation of epitaxial strain caused by the misfit of crystal lattices. Besides a few selected examples from literature, we treat in particular crystal defects occurring in GaAs/Si, Ge/Si and β-SiC/Si structures which are studied by high-resolution annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The relevance of this article is twofold; firstly, it should provide a collection of data which are of help for the identification and characterization of defects in cubic semiconductors by means of atomic-resolution imaging, and secondly, the experimental data shall provide a basis for advancing the understanding of device characteristics with the aid of theoretical modelling by considering the defective nature of strained semiconductor heterostructures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Atomic-scale structural and electronic properties of SrTiO3/GaAs interfaces: A combined STEM-EELS and first-principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Liang; Bhatnagar, Kunal; Droopad, Ravi; Klie, Robert F.; Öǧüt, Serdar

2017-07-01

The electronic properties of epitaxial oxide thin films grown on compound semiconductors are largely determined by the interfacial atomic structure, as well as the thermodynamic conditions during synthesis. Ferroelectric polarization and Fermi-level pinning in SrTiO3 films have been attributed to the presence of oxygen vacancies at the oxide/semiconductor interface. Here, we present scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy analyses of GaAs films grown on SrTiO3 combined with first-principles calculations to determine the atomic and electronic structures of the SrTiO3/GaAs interfaces. An atomically abrupt SrO/As interface is observed and the interfacial SrO layer is found to be O-deficient. First-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations show SrO/Ga and Sr/As interfaces are favorable under O-rich and O-poor conditions, respectively. The SrO/Ga interface is reconstructed via the formation of Ga-Ga dimers while the Sr/As interface is abrupt and consistent with the experiment. DFT calculations further reveal that intrinsic two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) forms in both SrO/Ga and Sr/As interfaces, and the Fermi level is pinned to the localized 2DEG states. Interfacial O vacancies can enhance the 2DEG density while it is possible for Ga/As vacancies to unpin the Fermi level from the 2DEG states.

Integration of functional oxides and semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demkov, Alex

2012-10-01

The astounding progress of recent years in the area of oxide deposition has made possible the creation of oxide heterostructures with atomically abrupt interfaces. The ability to control the length scale, strain, and orbital order in these materials structures offers a uniquely rich toolbox for condensed matter physicists. Because the oxide layers are very thin, the physics is often controlled by the interface. The electronic properties of oxide interfaces are governed by a subtle interplay of many competing interactions such as strain, polar catastrophe, electron correlation, and Jahn-Teller coupling, as well as by defects and phase stability. It is not clear which, if any, of these newly discovered systems will find applications in future high-tech devices. However, they undoubtedly hold tremendous promise, particularly when integrated with conventional semiconductors such as Si. In this talk I will review our recent results in theoretical modeling and experimental realization of several epitaxial oxide heterostructures. I will set the stage with a brief discussion of extrinsic magnetoelectric coupling at the interface of a perovskite ferroelectric and conventional ferromagnet. I will then describe our recent successful attempt to integrate anatase, a photo-catalytic polymorph of TiO2, with Si (001) using molecular beam epitaxy. In conclusion, I will talk about strain stabilized ferromagnetism in correlated LaCoO3 (LCO) and monolithic integration of LCO and silicon for possible applications in spintronics. The integration is achieved via the single crystal SrTiO3 (STO) buffer epitaxially grown on Si. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetization measurements show that, unlike the bulk material, the ground state of the strained LaCoO3 on silicon is ferromagnetic with a TC of 85 K.

In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction study on epitaxial-growth dynamics of III–V semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahasi, Masamitu

2018-05-01

The application of in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) to the molecular-beam epitaxial (MBE) growth of III–V semiconductors is overviewed along with backgrounds of the diffraction theory and instrumentation. X-rays are sensitive not only to the surface of growing films but also to buried interfacial structures because of their large penetration depth. Moreover, a spatial coherence length up to µm order makes X-rays widely applicable to the characterization of low-dimensional structures, such as quantum dots and wires. In situ XRD studies during growth were performed using an X-ray diffractometer, which was combined with an MBE chamber. X-ray reciprocal space mapping at a speed matching a typical growth rate was achieved using intense X-rays available from a synchrotron light source and an area detector. The importance of measuring the three-dimensional distribution of XRD intensity in a reciprocal space map is demonstrated for the MBE growth of two-, one-, and zero-dimensional structures. A large amount of information about the growth process of two-dimensional InGaAs/GaAs(001) epitaxial films has been provided by three-dimensional X-ray reciprocal mappings, including the anisotropic strain relaxation, the compositional inhomogeneity, and the evolution of surface and interfacial roughness. For one-dimensional GaAs nanowires grown in a Au-catalyzed vapor-liquid–solid mode, the relationship between the diameter of the nanowires and the formation of polytypes has been suggested on the basis of in situ XRD measurements. In situ three-dimensional X-ray reciprocal space mapping is also shown to be useful for determining the lateral and vertical sizes of self-assembled InAs/GaAs(001) quantum dots as well as their internal strain distributions during growth.

Evaluation and verification of epitaxial process sequence for silicon solar-cell production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Redfield, D.

1981-01-01

To achieve the program goals, 28 minimodules were fabricated and tested, using 600 cells made from three-inch-diameter wafers processed by the sequence chosen for this purpose. Of these 600 cells, half were made from epitaxially grown layers on potentially low-cost substrates. The other half were made from commercial semiconductor-grade (SG), single-crystal silicon wafers that served as controls. Cell processing was normally performed on mixed lots containing significant numbers of each of these two types of wafers. After evaluation of the performance of all cells, they were separated by types for incorporation into modules that were to be tested for electrical performance and response to environmental stress. A simplified flow chart displaying this scheme, for quantities representing half of the planned total to be processed, is presented.

Dry etching method for compound semiconductors

DOEpatents

Shul, Randy J.; Constantine, Christopher

1997-01-01

A dry etching method. According to the present invention, a gaseous plasma comprising, at least in part, boron trichloride, methane, and hydrogen may be used for dry etching of a compound semiconductor material containing layers including aluminum, or indium, or both. Material layers of a compound semiconductor alloy such as AlGaInP or the like may be anisotropically etched for forming electronic devices including field-effect transistors and heterojunction bipolar transistors and for forming photonic devices including vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, edge-emitting lasers, and reflectance modulators.

Dry etching method for compound semiconductors

DOEpatents

Shul, R.J.; Constantine, C.

1997-04-29

A dry etching method is disclosed. According to the present invention, a gaseous plasma comprising, at least in part, boron trichloride, methane, and hydrogen may be used for dry etching of a compound semiconductor material containing layers including aluminum, or indium, or both. Material layers of a compound semiconductor alloy such as AlGaInP or the like may be anisotropically etched for forming electronic devices including field-effect transistors and heterojunction bipolar transistors and for forming photonic devices including vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, edge-emitting lasers, and reflectance modulators. 1 fig.

Semiconductor to Metal Transition Characteristics of VO2/NiO Epitaxial Heterostructures Integrated with Si(100)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molaei, Roya

The novel functionalities of Vanadium dioxide (VO2), such as, several orders of magnitude transition in resistivity and IR transmittance, provide the exciting opportunity for the development of next generation memory, sensor, and field-effect based devices. A critical issue in the development of practical devices based on metal oxides is the integration of high quality epitaxial oxide thin films with the existing silicon technology which is based on silicon (100) substrates. However, silicon is not suitable for epitaxial growth of oxides owing to its tendency to readily form an amorphous oxide layer or silicide at the film-substrate interface. The oxide films deposited directly on silicon exhibit poor crystallinity and are not suitable for device applications. To overcome this challenge, appropriate substrate templates must be developed for the growth of oxide thin films on silicon substrates. The primary objective of this dissertation was to develop an integration methodology of VO2 with Si (100) substrates so they could be used in "smart" sensor type of devices along with other multifunctional devices on the same silicon chip. This was achieved by using a NiO/c- YSZ template layer deposited in situ. It will be shown that if the deposition conditions are controlled properly. This approach was used to integrate VO 2 thin films with Si (100) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The deposition methodology of integrating VO2 thin films on silicon using various other template layers will also be discussed. Detailed epitaxial relationship of NiO/c-YSZ/Si(100) heterostructures as a template to growth of VO2 as well as were studied. We also were able to create a p-n junction within a single NiO epilayer through subsequent nanosecond laser annealing, as well as established a structure-property correlation in NiO/c-YSZ/Si(100) thin film epitaxial heterostructures with especial emphasis on the stoichiometry and crystallographic characteristics. NiO/c-YSZ/Si(100) heterostructures were used as template to grow fully relaxed VO2 thin films. The detailed x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrical characterization results for the deposited films will be presented. In the framework on domain matching epitaxy, epitaxial growth of VO2 (tetragonal crystal structure at growth temperature) on NiO has been explained. Our detailed phi-scan X-ray diffraction measurements corroborate our understanding of the epitaxial growth and in-plane atomic arrangements at the interface. It was observed that the transition characteristics (sharpness, over which electrical property changes are completed, amplitude, transition temperature, and hysteresis) are a strong function of microstructure, strain, and stoichiometry. We have shown that by the choosing the right template layer, strain in the VO2 thin films can be fully relaxed and near-bulk VO2 transition temperatures can be achieved. Finally, I will present my research work on modification of semiconductor-to-metal transition characteristics and effect on room temperature magnetic properties of VO2 thin films upon laser annealing. While the microstructure (epitaxy, crystalline quality etc.) and phase were preserved, we envisage these changes to occur as a result of introduction of oxygen vacancies upon laser treatment.

Suppression of Random Dopant-Induced Threshold Voltage Fluctuations in Sub-0.1-(micron)meter MOSFET's with Epitaxial and (delta)-Doped Channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asenov, Asen; Saini, Subhash

1999-01-01

A detailed three-dimensional (3-D) statistical 'atomistic' simulation study of fluctuation-resistant sub-0.1-(micron)meter MOSFET architectures with epitaxial channels and delta doping is presented. The need for enhancing the fluctuation resistance of the sub-0.1-(micron)meter generation transistors is highlighted by presenting summarized results from atomistic simulations of a wide range of conventional devices with uniformly doped channel. According to our atomistic results, the doping concentration dependence of the random dopant-induced threshold voltage fluctuations in conventional devices is stronger than the analytically predicted fourth-root dependence. As a result of this, the scaling of such devices will be restricted by the "intrinsic" random dopant-induced fluctuations earlier than anticipated. Our atomistic simulations confirm that the introduction of a thin epitaxial layer in the MOSFET's channel can efficiently suppress the random dopant-induced threshold voltage fluctuations in sub-0.1-(micron)meter devices. For the first time, we observe an "anomalous" reduction in the threshold voltage fluctuations with an increase in the doping concentration behind the epitaxial channel, which we attribute to screening effects. Also, for the first time we study the effect of a delta-doping, positioned behind the epitaxial layer, on the intrinsic threshold voltage fluctuations. Above a certain thickness of epitaxial layer, we observe a pronounced anomalous decrease in the threshold voltage fluctuation with the increase of the delta doping. This phenomenon, which is also associated with screening, enhances the importance of the delta doping in the design of properly scaled fluctuation-resistant sub-0.1-(micron)meter MOSFET's. Index Terms-Doping, fluctuations, MOSFET, semiconductor device simulation, silicon devices, threshold.

Epitaxial hexagonal materials on IBAD-textured substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matias, Vladimir; Yung, Christopher

2017-08-15

A multilayer structure including a hexagonal epitaxial layer, such as GaN or other group III-nitride (III-N) semiconductors, a <111> oriented textured layer, and a non-single crystal substrate, and methods for making the same. The textured layer has a crystalline alignment preferably formed by the ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) texturing process and can be biaxially aligned. The in-plane crystalline texture of the textured layer is sufficiently low to allow growth of high quality hexagonal material, but can still be significantly greater than the required in-plane crystalline texture of the hexagonal material. The IBAD process enables low-cost, large-area, flexible metal foil substratesmore » to be used as potential alternatives to single-crystal sapphire and silicon for manufacture of electronic devices, enabling scaled-up roll-to-roll, sheet-to-sheet, or similar fabrication processes to be used. The user is able to choose a substrate for its mechanical and thermal properties, such as how well its coefficient of thermal expansion matches that of the hexagonal epitaxial layer, while choosing a textured layer that more closely lattice matches that layer.« less

Strain-induced phase variation and dielectric constant enhancement of epitaxial Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shekhter, P., E-mail: Pini@tx.technion.ac.il; Amouyal, Y.; Eizenberg, M.

2016-07-07

One of the approaches for realizing advanced high k insulators for metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors based devices is the use of rare earth oxides. When these oxides are deposited as epitaxial thin films, they demonstrate dielectric properties that differ greatly from those that are known for bulk oxides. Using structural and spectroscopic techniques, as well as first-principles calculations, Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} films deposited on Si (111) and Ge (111) were characterized. It was seen that the same 4 nm thick film, grown simultaneously on Ge and Si, presents an unstrained lattice on Ge while showing a metastable phase onmore » Si. This change from the cubic lattice to the distorted metastable phase is characterized by an increase in the dielectric constant of more than 30% and a change in band gap. The case in study shows that extreme structural changes can occur in ultra-thin epitaxial rare earth oxide films and modify their dielectric properties when the underlying substrate is altered.« less

Reliability Prediction Modeling of New Devices.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-07-01

film of magnetic material on a nonmagnetic garnet crystal substrate with a surround- ing magnetic bias field mechanism to complete the basic hybrid...semiconductor processes. The magnetic domain centers are formed in a magnetic epitaxial film of garnet crystal on a nonmagnetic garnet substrate, and...polarity. The most widely used basic substrate is a high-purity gadolinium garnet . The thin- film magnetic layer is of the same crystal class with a

Advanced Infrared Photodetectors (Materials Review)

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

Telluride DMS Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor R)V Field of View FPP Focal Plane Processing IR Infrared LPE Liquid Phase Epitaxy LWIR Long Wave Infrared...operation is normal. Photoconductive (PC) cadmium mercury telluride (CdxHgl-xTe. x - 0.167) has a LWIR cutoff at room temperature; however, operation is...reliability, lightweight On-chip clocks and bias circuits An initial use of FPP is nonuniformity correction (NUC) since spatial response nonuniformity is

22 W coherent GaAlAs amplifier array with 400 emitters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krebs, D.; Herrick, R.; No, K.; Harting, W.; Struemph, F.

1991-01-01

Greater than 22 W of optical power has been demonstrated from a multiple-emitter, traveling-wave semiconductor amplifier, with approximately 87 percent of the output at the frequency of the injection source. The device integrates, in AlGaAs graded-index separate-confinement heterostructure single quantum well (GRINSCH-SQW) epitaxy, 400 ridge waveguide amplifiers with a coherent optical signal distribution circuit on a 12 x 6 mm chip.

Molecular Beam Epitaxy Growth and Characterization of Thin Layers of Semiconductor Tin

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

confirm that the thin layers of α-Sn are slightly strained, which supports theoretical prediction that α-Sn is a 3-D topological insulator (TI...topological insulator , single crystal 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UU 18. NUMBER OF...its thickness, α-Sn is a 3-D or 2-D topological insulator (TI). Three-dimensional TIs are electronic materials that have a bulk bandgap and

2D Vertical Heterostructures for Novel Tunneling Device Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

controlled by a combination of the drain-source voltage bias (VDS) and the top and bottom gate biases (VTG and VBG, respectively). The drain-source...properties that can potentially overcome some of the limitations of epitaxial 3D semiconductor heterostructures. Simulations of 2D...interlayer barrier, such as h-BN, a high-k dielectric material, or a van der Waal gap. Under appropriate bias conditions, charge carriers can tunnel

Doped Aluminum Gallium Arsenide (AlGaAs)/Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch (PCSS) Fabrication

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-27

contact regions and epitaxial capping layer are fabricated to investigate the advantages of both approaches. Devices were fabricated with various... Contacts 7 2.5 Packaging 11 3. Conclusions 12 4. References 13 Appendix. Detailed Fabrication Process 15 List of Symbols, Abbreviations, and...regions in violet (overlaying previous patterns) .......7 Fig. 6 Mask 4: intrinsic device contact window regions in orange (overlaying previous

Interface Properties of Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

oxyacetylene torch and a water cooled substrate. Studying and controlling this chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, however, can be frustrating because the...the carbide heat of formation. The precursors of chlorinated methylsilanes coupled with bias were used to deposit C films on Si(100). Textured C (lll...films were also achieved using an oxyacetylene torch . Cu forms an epitaxial rectifyingIcontact to diamond with a Schottky barrier height (SBH) of

Hg-Based Epitaxial Materials for Topological Insulators

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

Research Laboratory for investigation of properties. 15. SUBJECT TERMS EOARD, topological insulator , diluted magnetic ...topological superconductors and spintronics to quantum computation (e.g. see C.L.Kane and J.E.Moore "Topological Insulators " Physics World (2011) 24...tetradymite semiconductors Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3, and Sb2Te3 which form magnetically ordered insulators when doped with transition metal elements Cr or Fe (Rui Yu et

Monolithically Integrated InGaAs Nanowires on 3D Structured Silicon-on-Insulator as a New Platform for Full Optical Links.

PubMed

Kim, Hyunseok; Farrell, Alan C; Senanayake, Pradeep; Lee, Wook-Jae; Huffaker, Diana L

2016-03-09

Monolithically integrated III-V semiconductors on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform can be used as a building block for energy-efficient on-chip optical links. Epitaxial growth of III-V semiconductors on silicon, however, has been challenged by the large mismatches in lattice constants and thermal expansion coefficients between epitaxial layers and silicon substrates. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the monolithic integration of InGaAs nanowires on the SOI platform and its feasibility for photonics and optoelectronic applications. InGaAs nanowires are grown not only on a planar SOI layer but also on a 3D structured SOI layer by catalyst-free metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The precise positioning of nanowires on 3D structures, including waveguides and gratings, reveals the versatility and practicality of the proposed platform. Photoluminescence measurements exhibit that the composition of ternary InGaAs nanowires grown on the SOI layer has wide tunability covering all telecommunication wavelengths from 1.2 to 1.8 μm. We also show that the emission from an optically pumped single nanowire is effectively coupled and transmitted through an SOI waveguide, explicitly showing that this work lays the foundation for a new platform toward energy-efficient optical links.

Optimization Problem of Thermal Field on Surface of Revolving Susceptor in Vapor-Phase Epitaxy Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhilenkov, A. A.; Chernyi, S. G.; Nyrkov, A. P.; Sokolov, S. S.

2017-10-01

Nitrides of group III elements are a very suitable basis for deriving light-emitting devices with the radiating modes lengths of 200-600 nm. The use of such semiconductors allows obtaining full-color RGB light sources, increasing record density of a digital data storage device, getting high-capacity and efficient sources of white light. Electronic properties of such semi-conductors allow using them as a basis for high-power and high-frequency transistors and other electronic devices, the specifications of which are competitive with those of SiC-based devices. Only since 2000, the technology of cultivation of crystals III-N of group has come to the level of wide recognition by both abstract science, and the industry that has led to the creation of the multi-billion dollar market. And this is despite a rather low level of development of the production technology of devices on the basis of III-N of materials. The progress that has happened in the last decade requires the solution of the main problem, constraining further development of this technology today - ensuring cultivation of III-N structures of necessary quality. For this purpose, it is necessary to solve problems of the analysis and optimization of processes in installations of epitaxial growth, and, as a result, optimization of its constructions.

Growth and Characterization of III-V Semiconductors for Device Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Michael D.

2000-01-01

The research goal was to achieve a fundamental understanding of the physical processes occurring at the surfaces and interfaces of epitaxially grown InGaAs/GaAs (100) heterostructures. This will facilitate the development of quantum well devices for infrared optical applications and provide quantitative descriptions of key phenomena which impact their performance. Devices impacted include high-speed laser diodes and modulators for fiber optic communications at 1.55 micron wavelengths and intersub-band lasers for longer infrared wavelengths. The phenomenon of interest studied was the migration of indium in InGaAs structures. This work centered on the molecular beam epitaxy reactor and characterization apparatus donated to CAU by AT&T Bell Laboratories. The material characterization tool employed was secondary ion mass spectrometry. The training of graduate and undergraduate students was an integral part of this program. The graduate students received a thorough exposure to state-of-the-art techniques and equipment for semiconductor materials analysis as part of the Master''s degree requirement in physics. The undergraduates were exposed to a minority scientist who has an excellent track record in this area. They also had the opportunity to explore surface physics as a career option. The results of the scientific work was published in a refereed journal and several talks were presented professional conferences and academic seminars.

Passivation of GaSb using molecular beam epitaxy Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} to achieve low interfacial trap density and high-performance self-aligned inversion-channel p-metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chu, R. L.; Chiang, T. H.; Hsueh, W. J.

2014-11-03

Molecular beam epitaxy deposited rare-earth oxide of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} has effectively passivated GaSb, leading to low interfacial trap densities of (1–4) × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −2} eV{sup −1} across the energy bandgap of GaSb. A high saturation drain current density of 130 μA/μm, a peak transconductance of 90 μS/μm, a low subthreshold slope of 147 mV/decade, and a peak field-effect hole mobility of 200 cm{sup 2}/V-s were obtained in 1 μm-gate-length self-aligned inversion-channel GaSb p-Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect-Transistors (MOSFETs). In this work, high-κ/GaSb interfacial properties were better in samples with a high substrate temperature of 200 °C than in those with high κ's deposited at room temperature, in terms of themore » interfacial electrical properties, particularly, the reduction of interfacial trap densities near the conduction band and the MOSFET device performance.« less

Electrically driven deep ultraviolet MgZnO lasers at room temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suja, Mohammad; Bashar, Sunayna Binte; Debnath, Bishwajit

Semiconductor lasers in the deep ultraviolet (UV) range have numerous potential applications ranging from water purification and medical diagnosis to high-density data storage and flexible displays. Nevertheless, very little success was achieved in the realization of electrically driven deep UV semiconductor lasers to date. Here, we report the fabrication and characterization of deep UV MgZnO semiconductor lasers. These lasers are operated with continuous current mode at room temperature and the shortest wavelength reaches 284 nm. The wide bandgap MgZnO thin films with various Mg mole fractions were grown on c-sapphire substrate using radio-frequency plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM)more » random laser devices were fabricated using lithography and metallization processes. Besides the demonstration of scalable emission wavelength, very low threshold current densities of 29-33 A/cm 2 are achieved. Furthermore, numerical modeling reveals that impact ionization process is responsible for the generation of hole carriers in the MgZnO MSM devices. The interaction of electrons and holes leads to radiative excitonic recombination and subsequent coherent random lasing.« less

Semiconductor-Insulator-Semiconductor Diode Consisting of Monolayer MoS2, h-BN, and GaN Heterostructure.

PubMed

Jeong, Hyun; Bang, Seungho; Oh, Hye Min; Jeong, Hyeon Jun; An, Sung-Jin; Han, Gang Hee; Kim, Hyun; Kim, Ki Kang; Park, Jin Cheol; Lee, Young Hee; Lerondel, Gilles; Jeong, Mun Seok

2015-10-27

We propose a semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor (SIS) heterojunction diode consisting of monolayer (1-L) MoS2, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and epitaxial p-GaN that can be applied to high-performance nanoscale optoelectronics. The layered materials of 1-L MoS2 and h-BN, grown by chemical vapor deposition, were vertically stacked by a wet-transfer method on a p-GaN layer. The final structure was verified by confocal photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements were conducted to compare the device performance with that of a more classical p-n structure. In both structures (the p-n and SIS heterojunction diode), clear current-rectifying characteristics were observed. In particular, a current and threshold voltage were obtained for the SIS structure that was higher compared to that of the p-n structure. This indicated that tunneling is the predominant carrier transport mechanism. In addition, the photoresponse of the SIS structure induced by the illumination of visible light was observed by photocurrent measurements.

Method for reducing or eliminating interface defects in mismatched semiconductor epilayers

DOEpatents

Fitzgerald, Jr., Eugene A.; Ast, Dieter G.

1992-01-01

The present invention and process relates to crystal lattice mismatched semiconductor composite having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor growth layer deposited thereon to form an interface wherein the growth layer can be deposited at thicknesses in excess of the critical thickness, even up to about 10.times. critical thickness. Such composite has an interface which is substantially free of interface defects. For example, the size of the growth areas in a mismatched In.sub.0.05 Ga.sub.0.95 As/(001)GaAs interface was controlled by fabricating 2-.mu.m high pillars of various lateral geometries and lateral dimensions before the epitaxial deposition of 3500.ANG. of In.sub.0.05 Ga.sub.0.95 As. The linear dislocation density at the interface was reduced from >5000 dislocations/cm to about zero for 25-.mu.m lateral dimensions and to less than 800 dislocations/cm for lateral dimensions as large as 100 .mu.m. The fabricated pillars control the lateral dimensions of the growth layer and block the glide of misfit dislocations with the resultant decrease in dislocation density.

Method for reducing or eliminating interface defects in mismatched semiconductor eiplayers

DOEpatents

Fitzgerald, Jr., Eugene A.; Ast, Dieter G.

1991-01-01

The present invention and process relates to crystal lattice mismatched semiconductor composite having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor growth layer deposited thereon to form an interface wherein the growth layer can be deposited at thicknesses in excess of the critical thickness, even up to about 10x critical thickness. Such composite has an interface which is substantially free of interface defects. For example, the size of the growth areas in a mismatched In.sub.0.05 Ga.sub.0.95 As/(001)GaAs interface was controlled by fabricating 2-.mu.m high pillars of various lateral geometries and lateral dimensions before the epitaxial deposition of 3500.ANG. of In.sub.0.05 Ga.sub.0.95 As. The linear dislocation density at the interface was reduced from >5000 dislocations/cm to about zero for 25-.mu.m lateral dimensions and to less than 800 dislocations/cm for lateral dimensions as large as 100 .mu.m. The fabricated pillars control the lateral dimensions of the growth layer and block the glide of misfit dislocations with the resultant decrease in dislocation density.

Method for reducing or eliminating interface defects in mismatched semiconductor epilayers

DOEpatents

Fitzgerald, E.A. Jr.; Ast, D.G.

1992-10-20

The present invention and process relates to crystal lattice mismatched semiconductor composite having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor growth layer deposited thereon to form an interface wherein the growth layer can be deposited at thicknesses in excess of the critical thickness, even up to about 10[times] critical thickness. Such composite has an interface which is substantially free of interface defects. For example, the size of the growth areas in a mismatched In[sub 0.05]Ga[sub 0.95]As/(001)GaAs interface was controlled by fabricating 2-[mu]m high pillars of various lateral geometries and lateral dimensions before the epitaxial deposition of 3500 [angstrom] of In[sub 0.05]Ga[sub 0.95]As. The linear dislocation density at the interface was reduced from >5000 dislocations/cm to about zero for 25-[mu]m lateral dimensions and to less than 800 dislocations/cm for lateral dimensions as large as 100 [mu]m. The fabricated pillars control the lateral dimensions of the growth layer and block the glide of misfit dislocations with the resultant decrease in dislocation density. 7 figs.

A Designed Room Temperature Multilayered Magnetic Semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouma, Dinah Simone; Charilaou, Michalis; Bordel, Catherine; Duchin, Ryan; Barriga, Alexander; Farmer, Adam; Hellman, Frances; Materials Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Team

2015-03-01

A room temperature magnetic semiconductor has been designed and fabricated by using an epitaxial antiferromagnet (NiO) grown in the (111) orientation, which gives surface uncompensated magnetism for an odd number of planes, layered with the lightly doped semiconductor Al-doped ZnO (AZO). Magnetization and Hall effect measurements of multilayers of NiO and AZO are presented for varying thickness of each. The magnetic properties vary as a function of the number of Ni planes in each NiO layer; an odd number of Ni planes yields on each NiO layer an uncompensated moment which is RKKY-coupled to the moments on adjacent NiO layers via the carriers in the AZO. This RKKY coupling oscillates with the AZO layer thickness, and it disappears entirely in samples where the AZO is replaced with undoped ZnO. The anomalous Hall effect data indicate that the carriers in the AZO are spin-polarized according to the direction of the applied field at both low temperature and room temperature. NiO/AZO multilayers are therefore a promising candidate for spintronic applications demanding a room-temperature semiconductor.

Electrically driven deep ultraviolet MgZnO lasers at room temperature

DOE PAGES

Suja, Mohammad; Bashar, Sunayna Binte; Debnath, Bishwajit; ...

2017-06-01

Semiconductor lasers in the deep ultraviolet (UV) range have numerous potential applications ranging from water purification and medical diagnosis to high-density data storage and flexible displays. Nevertheless, very little success was achieved in the realization of electrically driven deep UV semiconductor lasers to date. Here, we report the fabrication and characterization of deep UV MgZnO semiconductor lasers. These lasers are operated with continuous current mode at room temperature and the shortest wavelength reaches 284 nm. The wide bandgap MgZnO thin films with various Mg mole fractions were grown on c-sapphire substrate using radio-frequency plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM)more » random laser devices were fabricated using lithography and metallization processes. Besides the demonstration of scalable emission wavelength, very low threshold current densities of 29-33 A/cm 2 are achieved. Furthermore, numerical modeling reveals that impact ionization process is responsible for the generation of hole carriers in the MgZnO MSM devices. The interaction of electrons and holes leads to radiative excitonic recombination and subsequent coherent random lasing.« less

Strain-engineered growth of two-dimensional materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahn, Geun Ho; Amani, Matin; Rasool, Haider

The application of strain to semiconductors allows for controlled modification of their band structure. This principle is employed for the manufacturing of devices ranging from high-performance transistors to solid-state lasers. Traditionally, strain is typically achieved via growth on lattice-mismatched substrates. For two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, this is not feasible as they typically do not interact epitaxially with the substrate. Here in this paper, we demonstrate controlled strain engineering of 2D semiconductors during synthesis by utilizing the thermal coefficient of expansion mismatch between the substrate and semiconductor. Using WSe 2 as a model system, we demonstrate stable built-in strains ranging from 1%more » tensile to 0.2% compressive on substrates with different thermal coefficient of expansion. Consequently, we observe a dramatic modulation of the band structure, manifested by a strain-driven indirect-to-direct bandgap transition and brightening of the dark exciton in bilayer and monolayer WSe 2, respectively. The growth method developed here should enable flexibility in design of more sophisticated devices based on 2D materials.« less

Strain-engineered growth of two-dimensional materials

DOE PAGES

Ahn, Geun Ho; Amani, Matin; Rasool, Haider; ...

2017-09-20

The application of strain to semiconductors allows for controlled modification of their band structure. This principle is employed for the manufacturing of devices ranging from high-performance transistors to solid-state lasers. Traditionally, strain is typically achieved via growth on lattice-mismatched substrates. For two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, this is not feasible as they typically do not interact epitaxially with the substrate. Here in this paper, we demonstrate controlled strain engineering of 2D semiconductors during synthesis by utilizing the thermal coefficient of expansion mismatch between the substrate and semiconductor. Using WSe 2 as a model system, we demonstrate stable built-in strains ranging from 1%more » tensile to 0.2% compressive on substrates with different thermal coefficient of expansion. Consequently, we observe a dramatic modulation of the band structure, manifested by a strain-driven indirect-to-direct bandgap transition and brightening of the dark exciton in bilayer and monolayer WSe 2, respectively. The growth method developed here should enable flexibility in design of more sophisticated devices based on 2D materials.« less

Basic Equations for the Modeling of Gallium Nitride (gan) High Electron Mobility Transistors (hemts)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Jon C.

2003-01-01

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a most promising wide band-gap semiconductor for use in high-power microwave devices. It has functioned at 320 C, and higher values are well within theoretical limits. By combining four devices, 20 W has been developed at X-band. GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) are unique in that the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is supported not by intentional doping, but instead by polarization charge developed at the interface between the bulk GaN region and the AlGaN epitaxial layer. The polarization charge is composed of two parts: spontaneous and piezoelectric. This behavior is unlike other semiconductors, and for that reason, no commercially available modeling software exists. The theme of this document is to develop a self-consistent approach to developing the pertinent equations to be solved. A Space Act Agreement, "Effects in AlGaN/GaN HEMT Semiconductors" with Silvaco Data Systems to implement this approach into their existing software for III-V semiconductors, is in place (summer of 2002).

The integration of InGaP LEDs with CMOS on 200 mm silicon wafers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bing; Lee, Kwang Hong; Wang, Cong; Wang, Yue; Made, Riko I.; Sasangka, Wardhana Aji; Nguyen, Viet Cuong; Lee, Kenneth Eng Kian; Tan, Chuan Seng; Yoon, Soon Fatt; Fitzgerald, Eugene A.; Michel, Jurgen

2017-02-01

The integration of photonics and electronics on a converged silicon CMOS platform is a long pursuit goal for both academe and industry. We have been developing technologies that can integrate III-V compound semiconductors and CMOS circuits on 200 mm silicon wafers. As an example we present our work on the integration of InGaP light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with CMOS. The InGaP LEDs were epitaxially grown on high-quality GaAs and Ge buffers on 200 mm (100) silicon wafers in a MOCVD reactor. Strain engineering was applied to control the wafer bow that is induced by the mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion between III-V films and silicon substrate. Wafer bonding was used to transfer the foundry-made silicon CMOS wafers to the InGaP LED wafers. Process trenches were opened on the CMOS layer to expose the underneath III-V device layers for LED processing. We show the issues encountered in the 200 mm processing and the methods we have been developing to overcome the problems.

Synthesis of freestanding single-crystal perovskite films and heterostructures by etching of sacrificial water-soluble layers

DOE PAGES

Lu, Di; Baek, David J.; Hong, Seung Sae; ...

2016-09-12

Here, the ability to create and manipulate materials in two-dimensional (2D) form has repeatedly had transformative impact on science and technology. In parallel with the exfoliation and stacking of intrinsically layered crystals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, atomic-scale thin film growth of complex materials has enabled the creation of artificial 2D heterostructures with novel functionality 6, 7, 8, 9 and emergent phenomena, as seen in perovskite heterostructures 10, 11, 12. However, separation of these layers from the growth substrate has proved challenging, limiting the manipulation capabilities of these heterostructures with respect to exfoliated materials. Here we present a general methodmore » to create freestanding perovskite membranes. The key is the epitaxial growth of water-soluble Sr 3Al 2O 6 on perovskite substrates, followed by in situ growth of films and heterostructures. Millimetre-size single-crystalline membranes are produced by etching the Sr 3Al 2O 6 layer in water, providing the opportunity to transfer them to arbitrary substrates and integrate them with heterostructures of semiconductors and layered compounds 13, 14.« less

Defect-Induced Nucleation and Epitaxy: A New Strategy toward the Rational Synthesis of WZ-GaN/3C-SiC Core-Shell Heterostructures.

PubMed

Liu, Baodan; Yang, Bing; Yuan, Fang; Liu, Qingyun; Shi, Dan; Jiang, Chunhai; Zhang, Jinsong; Staedler, Thorsten; Jiang, Xin

2015-12-09

In this work, we demonstrate a new strategy to create WZ-GaN/3C-SiC heterostructure nanowires, which feature controllable morphologies. The latter is realized by exploiting the stacking faults in 3C-SiC as preferential nucleation sites for the growth of WZ-GaN. Initially, cubic SiC nanowires with an average diameter of ∼100 nm, which display periodic stacking fault sections, are synthesized in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to serve as the core of the heterostructure. Subsequently, hexagonal wurtzite-type GaN shells with different shapes are grown on the surface of 3C-SiC wire core. In this context, it is possible to obtain two types of WZ-GaN/3C-SiC heterostructure nanowires by means of carefully controlling the corresponding CVD reactions. Here, the stacking faults, initially formed in 3C-SiC nanowires, play a key role in guiding the epitaxial growth of WZ-GaN as they represent surface areas of the 3C-SiC nanowires that feature a higher surface energy. A dedicated structural analysis of the interfacial region by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed that the disordering of the atom arrangements in the SiC defect area promotes a lattice-matching with respect to the WZ-GaN phase, which results in a preferential nucleation. All WZ-GaN crystal domains exhibit an epitaxial growth on 3C-SiC featuring a crystallographic relationship of [12̅10](WZ-GaN) //[011̅](3C-SiC), (0001)(WZ-GaN)//(111)(3C-SiC), and d(WZ-GaN(0001)) ≈ 2d(3C-SiC(111)). The approach to utilize structural defects of a nanowire core to induce a preferential nucleation of foreign shells generally opens up a number of opportunities for the epitaxial growth of a wide range of semiconductor nanostructures which are otherwise impossible to acquire. Consequently, this concept possesses tremendous potential for the applications of semiconductor heterostructures in various fields such as optics, electrics, electronics, and photocatalysis for energy harvesting and environment processing.

Metal-Semiconductor Nanocomposites for High Efficiency Thermoelectric Power Generation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-07

standard III–V compound semiconductor processing techniques with terbium- doped InGaAs of high terbium concentration, Journal of Vacuum Science...even lower the required temperature for strong covalent bonding. We performed the oxide bonding for this substrate transfer task (see Figure 16 for...appropriate controls for assessing ErSb:InGaSb and other nanocomposites of p-type III-V compound semiconductors and their alloys. UCSC group calculated

Dual passivation of intrinsic defects at the compound semiconductor/oxide interface using an oxidant and a reductant.

PubMed

Kent, Tyler; Chagarov, Evgeniy; Edmonds, Mary; Droopad, Ravi; Kummel, Andrew C

2015-05-26

Studies have shown that metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors fabricated utilizing compound semiconductors as the channel are limited in their electrical performance. This is attributed to imperfections at the semiconductor/oxide interface which cause electronic trap states, resulting in inefficient modulation of the Fermi level. The physical origin of these states is still debated mainly because of the difficulty in assigning a particular electronic state to a specific physical defect. To gain insight into the exact source of the electronic trap states, density functional theory was employed to model the intrinsic physical defects on the InGaAs (2 × 4) surface and to model the effective passivation of these defects by utilizing both an oxidant and a reductant to eliminate metallic bonds and dangling-bond-induced strain at the interface. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy were employed to experimentally determine the physical and electronic defects and to verify the effectiveness of dual passivation with an oxidant and a reductant. While subsurface chemisorption of oxidants on compound semiconductor substrates can be detrimental, it has been shown theoretically and experimentally that oxidants are critical to removing metallic defects at oxide/compound semiconductor interfaces present in nanoscale channels, oxides, and other nanostructures.

David Adler Lectureship Award Talk: III-V Semiconductor Nanowires on Silicon for Future Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riel, Heike

Bottom-up grown nanowires are very attractive materials for direct integration of III-V semiconductors on silicon thus opening up new possibilities for the design and fabrication of nanoscale devices for electronic, optoelectronic as well as quantum information applications. Template-Assisted Selective Epitaxy (TASE) allows the well-defined and monolithic integration of complex III-V nanostructures and devices on silicon. Achieving atomically abrupt heterointerfaces, high crystal quality and control of dimension down to 1D nanowires enabled the demonstration of FETs and tunnel devices based on In(Ga)As and GaSb. Furthermore, the strong influence of strain on nanowires as well as results on quantum transport studies of InAs nanowires with well-defined geometry will be presented.

Advanced 3-V semiconductor technology assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nowogrodzki, M.

1983-01-01

Components required for extensions of currently planned space communications systems are discussed for large antennas, crosslink systems, single sideband systems, Aerostat systems, and digital signal processing. Systems using advanced modulation concepts and new concepts in communications satellites are included. The current status and trends in materials technology are examined with emphasis on bulk growth of semi-insulating GaAs and InP, epitaxial growth, and ion implantation. Microwave solid state discrete active devices, multigigabit rate GaAs digital integrated circuits, microwave integrated circuits, and the exploratory development of GaInAs devices, heterojunction devices, and quasi-ballistic devices is considered. Competing technologies such as RF power generation, filter structures, and microwave circuit fabrication are discussed. The fundamental limits of semiconductor devices and problems in implementation are explored.

Characterization of Dislocations in Semiconductor Heterostructures Using X-ray Rocking Curve Pendellösung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Althowibi, Fahad A.; Ayers, John E.

2018-02-01

In this work we investigated the dislocation-dependent behavior of Pendellösung fringes from two types of semiconductor heterostructures: a uniform-composition InGaAs epitaxial layer grown on a GaAs (001) substrate with an intermediate step-graded InGaAs buffer, and an InGaAs/InAlAs high electron mobility transistor grown on an InP (001) substrate. Dynamical x-ray diffraction simulations were carried out in the 004, 115,135, and 117 geometry, assuming Cu kα1 incident radiation, for both structures. The dislocation density strongly affects the intensities and widths of Pendellösung fringes, and we have established quantitative relationships which will allow characterization of the dislocation density.

Infrared study of the absorption edge of {beta}-InN films grown on GaN/MgO structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perez-Caro, M.; Rodriguez, A. G.; Vidal, M. A.

2010-07-15

Infrared optical studies were carried out in a group of cubic InN samples grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy on MgO (001) substrates. Room temperature (RT) reflectance and low-temperature (LT) transmittance measurements were performed by using fast Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Reflectance fittings allowed to establish that {beta}-InN films have large free-carrier concentrations present (>10{sup 19} cm{sup -3}), a result that is corroborated by Hall effect measurements. Each sample explored exhibited a different optical absorption edge. The Varshni parameters that describe adequately the optical absorption edge responses with temperature are obtained for the set of samples studied. The observedmore » temperatures changes, from LT to RT, are the lowest reported for III-V semiconductor binary compounds. The temperature coefficient of the conduction band depends on the strength of the electron-phonon interaction (e-ph-i), as well as on the thermal expansion. It has been predicted that cubic InN has one of the smallest e-ph-i of all III-V compounds, which is corroborated by these results. The variation in values of absorption edges is clearly consistent with the Burstein-Moss and band renormalization effects, produced by high free electron concentrations. It is shown that the conduction band in {beta}-InN, analogous to wurtzite InN, follows a nonparabolic behavior.« less

Infrared study of the absorption edge of β-InN films grown on GaN/MgO structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez-Caro, M.; Rodríguez, A. G.; Vidal, M. A.; Navarro-Contreras, H.

2010-07-01

Infrared optical studies were carried out in a group of cubic InN samples grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy on MgO (001) substrates. Room temperature (RT) reflectance and low-temperature (LT) transmittance measurements were performed by using fast Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Reflectance fittings allowed to establish that β-InN films have large free-carrier concentrations present (>1019 cm-3), a result that is corroborated by Hall effect measurements. Each sample explored exhibited a different optical absorption edge. The Varshni parameters that describe adequately the optical absorption edge responses with temperature are obtained for the set of samples studied. The observed temperatures changes, from LT to RT, are the lowest reported for III-V semiconductor binary compounds. The temperature coefficient of the conduction band depends on the strength of the electron-phonon interaction (e-ph-i), as well as on the thermal expansion. It has been predicted that cubic InN has one of the smallest e-ph-i of all III-V compounds, which is corroborated by these results. The variation in values of absorption edges is clearly consistent with the Burstein-Moss and band renormalization effects, produced by high free electron concentrations. It is shown that the conduction band in β-InN, analogous to wurtzite InN, follows a nonparabolic behavior.

Large magnetoresistance in Heusler-alloy-based epitaxial magnetic junctions with semiconducting Cu(In{sub 0.8}Ga{sub 0.2})Se{sub 2} spacer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kasai, S.; Center for Emergent Matter Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako 351-0198; Takahashi, Y. K.

2016-07-18

We investigated the structure and magneto-transport properties of magnetic junctions using a Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5}) Heusler alloy as ferromagnetic electrodes and a Cu(In{sub 0.8}Ga{sub 0.2})Se{sub 2} (CIGS) semiconductor as spacers. Owing to the semiconducting nature of the CIGS spacer, large magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of 40% at room temperature and 100% at 8 K were obtained for low resistance-area product (RA) values between 0.3 and 3 Ω μm{sup 2}. Transmission electron microscopy observations confirmed the fully epitaxial growth of the chalcopyrite CIGS layer, and the temperature dependence of RA indicated that the large MR was due to spin dependent tunneling.

X-ray Topographic Methods and Application to Analysis of Electronic Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayo, W. E.; Liu, H. Y.; Chaudhuri, J.

1984-01-01

Three supplementary X-ray techniques new to semiconductor applications are discussed. These are the Computer Aided Rocking Curve Analyzer, the Divergent Beam Method and a new method based on enhanced X-ray flourescence. The first method is used for quantitative mapping of an elastic or plastic strain field while the other two methods are used only to measure elastic strains. The divergent beam method is used for measuring the full strain tensor while the microfluorescence method is useful for monitoring strain uniformity. These methods are discussed in detail and examples of their application is presented. Among these are determination of the full strain ellipsoid in state-of-the-art liquid phase epitaxy deposited III-V epitaxial films; mapping of the plastic strain concentrations in tensile deformed Si; and quantitative determination of damage in V3Si due to ion implantation.

Continuously controlled optical band gap in oxide semiconductor thin films

DOE PAGES

Herklotz, Andreas; Rus, Stefania Florina; Ward, Thomas Zac

2016-02-02

The optical band gap of the prototypical semiconducting oxide SnO 2 is shown to be continuously controlled through single axis lattice expansion of nanometric films induced by low-energy helium implantation. While traditional epitaxy-induced strain results in Poisson driven multidirectional lattice changes shown to only allow discrete increases in bandgap, we find that a downward shift in the band gap can be linearly dictated as a function of out-of-plane lattice expansion. Our experimental observations closely match density functional theory that demonstrates that uniaxial strain provides a fundamentally different effect on the band structure than traditional epitaxy-induced multiaxes strain effects. In conclusion,more » charge density calculations further support these findings and provide evidence that uniaxial strain can be used to drive orbital hybridization inaccessible with traditional strain engineering techniques.« less

Basic and Applied Research in the Field of Electronics and Communications

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-02-18

Epitaxy on Semiconductor Surfaces Song, S. Ph.D., 1996 Optical Frequency Metrology Lutwak , R. Ph.D., 1996 Precision Physical Measurements...Systems." J. Opt. Soc. Am. 514(8): 2167-2173 (1997). Lutwak , R., J. Holley, P.P. Chang, S. Paine, D. Kleppner, and T. Ducas. "Circular States of...Domain Analysis of Electromagnetic Interference and Radiation Problems. Ph.D. diss., Dept. of Electr. Eng. and Comput. Sei., MIT, 1995. Lutwak , R

Near Field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) of Nano Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

FEATURES OF GaN NANOWIRES Gallium Nitride (GaN) nanowires are semiconductor wires of great interest lately for its some of its unique properties. These...via chemical vapour deposition (CVD) [19] or even with gas source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) [20] The GaN nanowires growth techniques will not be...Denlinger, and Peidong Yang, Crystallographic alignment of high-density gallium nitride nanowire arrays, Nature Materials, Issue 3 Vol 8, pg 524

Life Cycle Assessment of III-V Precursors for Photovoltaic and Semiconductor Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horowitz, Kelsey A; Smith, Brittany L.; Babbitt, Callie W.

This study provides detailed information on the manufacture of III-V metal organic vapor phase epitaxy precursors through extensive literature and patent research. This data informed a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of these chemicals. Reported impacts include cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. The results were interpreted to identify sources of environmental burden within the life cycle and were compared to energy demand reported in previous studies.

Rare earth doped III-nitride semiconductors for spintronic and optoelectronic applications (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palai, Ratnakar

2016-10-01

Since last four decades the information and communication technologies are relying on the semiconductor materials. Currently a great deal of attention is being focused on adding spin degree-of-freedom into semiconductor to create a new area of solid-state electronics, called spintronics. In spintronics not only the current but also its spin state is controlled. Such materials need to be good semiconductors for easy integration in typical integrated circuits with high sensitivity to the spin orientation, especially room temperature ferromagnetism being an important desirable property. GaN is considered to be the most important semiconductor after silicon. It is widely used for the production of green, blue, UV, and white LEDs in full color displays, traffic lights, automotive lightings, and general room lighting using white LEDs. GaN-based systems also show promise for microwave and high power electronics intended for radar, satellite, wireless base stations and spintronic applications. Rare earth (Yb, Eu, Er, and Tm) doped GaN shows many interesting optoelectronic and magnetoptic properties e. g. sharp emission from UV through visible to IR, radiation hardness, and ferromagnetism. The talk will be focused on fabrication, optoelectronic (photoluminescence, cathodeluminescence, magnetic, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) properties of some rare earth doped GaN and InGaN semiconductor nanostructures grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and future applications.

Magnetic chalcogenides in 3 and lower dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furdyna, J. K.; Dong, S.-N.; Lee, S.; Liu, X.; Dobrowolska, M.

2018-06-01

In this article we review magnetic phenomena that occur in the chalcogenide family involving transition metals. Magnetic properties displayed by bulk 3D chalcogenides compounds and alloys produced by equilibrium growth methods are discussed. 2D magnetic chalcogenide systems such as epitaxial films and more complex multilayers, whose formation is made possible by epitaxial methods and/or by van der Waals epitaxy, are presented in detail. We present a brief overview of magnetic effects emerging as the dimensionality of chalcogenide materialss is reduced to 1D (nanowires and related structures) and to zero-D (quantum dots formed by both top-down and bottom-up methods).

Epitaxial growth of a mono-crystalline metastable AuIn layer at the Au/InP(001) interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renda, M.; Morita, K.

1990-01-01

Thermal annealing of a gold layer deposited on the InP(001)-p(2×4) surface has been studied in-situ by means of LEED, AES and RBS techniques and by post analysis of RBS-channeling and glancing incidence X-ray diffraction. A clean LEED pattern of p(2×2) spots was observed for the specimen annealed for 10 min at 300°C. The composition ratio of Au/In in the epitaxial compound layer was found to be 49/51 by RBS and several at% of P was also detected by post sputter-AES analysis. It was also found that the epitaxial layer shows a clear channeling dip for an incident ion beam which is aligned along the <001> axis of InP substrate. The glancing incidence X-ray diffraction analysis indicates diffraction peaks from the pseudo-orthorombic phase of AuIn. From these experimental results, it is concluded that the epitaxial Au-compound layer is a mono-crystalline metastable phase of AuIn, of which every three atomic rows of Au or In in the [110] direction would be situated on every four atomic rows in the [010] direction of the In(001) face of the InP crystal.

Novel materials for high-efficiency solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kojima, Nobuaki; Natori, Masato; Suzuki, Hidetoshi; Inagaki, Makoto; Ohshita, Yoshio; Yamaguchi, Masafumi

2009-08-01

Our Toyota Technological Institute group has investigated various novel materials for solar cells from organic to III-V compound materials. In this paper, we report our recent results in conductivity control of C60 thin films by metal-doping for organic solar cells, and mobility improvement of (In)GaAsN compounds for III-V tandem solar cells. The epitaxial growth of Mg-doped C60 films was attempted. It was found that the epitaxial growth of Mg-doped C60 film was enabled by using mica (001) substrate in the low Mg concentration region (Mg/C60 molar ratio < 1). The crystal quality of the epitaxial Mg-doped C60 film was improved drastically in compared with micro-crystalline film on glass substrate. Such drastic improvement of crystal quality in the epitaxial films resulted significant increase in conductivity. This result may indicate the significant increase of carrier mobility. Crystal quality improvement of CBE-grown GaAsN materials was investigated. We achieved the reduction of residual impurity concentration by chemical reaction control on the growing surface by modifying flow sequence of precursors and by increasing step density on the surface by using a vicinal GaAs substrate. Furthermore, the improvement in carrier mobility was observed, and it was suggested that the reduction of both residual impurities and N-related defects leads this improvement.

Thickness-modulated anisotropic ferromagnetism in Fe-doped epitaxial HfO2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wenlong; Liu, Ming; Zhang, Ruyi; Ma, Rong; Wang, Hong

2017-10-01

Epitaxial tetragonal Fe-doped Hf0.95Fe0.05O2 (FHO) thin films with various thicknesses were deposited on (001)-oriented NdCaAlO4 (NCAO) substrates by using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) system. The crystal structure and epitaxial nature of the FHO thin films were confirmed by typical x-ray diffraction (XRD) θ-2θ scan and reciprocal space mapping (RSM). The results indicate that two sets of lattice sites exist with two different crystal orientations [(001) and (100)] in the thicker FHO thin films. Further, the intensity of the (100) direction increases with the increase in thicknesses, which should have a significant effect on the anisotropic magnetization of the FHO thin films. Meanwhile, all the FHO thin films possess a tetragonal phase structure. An anisotropy behavior in magnetization has been observed in the FHO thin films. The anisotropic magnetization of the FHO thin films is slowly weakened as the thickness increases. Meanwhile, the saturation magnetization (Ms) of both in-plane and out-of-plane decreases with the increase in the thickness. The change in the anisotropic magnetization and Ms is attributed to the crystal lattice and the variation in the valence of Fe ions. These results indicate that the thickness-modulated anisotropic ferromagnetism of the tetragonal FHO epitaxial thin films is of potential use for the integration of metal-oxide semiconductors with spintronics.

Scanning Tunneling Optical Resonance Microscopy Developed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Sheila G.; Raffaelle, Ryne P.; Lau, Janis E.; Jenkins, Phillip P.; Castro, Stephanie L.; Tin, Padetha; Wilt, David M.; Pal, Anna Maria; Fahey, Stephen D.

2004-01-01

The ability to determine the in situ optoelectronic properties of semiconductor materials has become especially important as the size of device architectures has decreased and the development of complex microsystems has increased. Scanning Tunneling Optical Resonance Microscopy, or STORM, can interrogate the optical bandgap as a function of its position within a semiconductor micro-structure. This technique uses a tunable solidstate titanium-sapphire laser whose output is "chopped" using a spatial light modulator and is coupled by a fiber-optic connector to a scanning tunneling microscope in order to illuminate the tip-sample junction. The photoenhanced portion of the tunneling current is spectroscopically measured using a lock-in technique. The capabilities of this technique were verified using semiconductor microstructure calibration standards that were grown by organometallic vapor-phase epitaxy. Bandgaps characterized by STORM measurements were found to be in good agreement with the bulk values determined by transmission spectroscopy and photoluminescence and with the theoretical values that were based on x-ray diffraction results.

Electrical spin injection from an n-type ferromagnetic semiconductor into a III-V device heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kioseoglou, George; Hanbicki, Aubrey T.; Sullivan, James M.; van't Erve, Olaf M. J.; Li, Connie H.; Erwin, Steven C.; Mallory, Robert; Yasar, Mesut; Petrou, Athos; Jonker, Berend T.

2004-11-01

The use of carrier spin in semiconductors is a promising route towards new device functionality and performance. Ferromagnetic semiconductors (FMSs) are promising materials in this effort. An n-type FMS that can be epitaxially grown on a common device substrate is especially attractive. Here, we report electrical injection of spin-polarized electrons from an n-type FMS, CdCr2Se4, into an AlGaAs/GaAs-based light-emitting diode structure. An analysis of the electroluminescence polarization based on quantum selection rules provides a direct measure of the sign and magnitude of the injected electron spin polarization. The sign reflects minority rather than majority spin injection, consistent with our density-functional-theory calculations of the CdCr2Se4 conduction-band edge. This approach confirms the exchange-split band structure and spin-polarized carrier population of an FMS, and demonstrates a litmus test for these FMS hallmarks that discriminates against spurious contributions from magnetic precipitates.

Surface acceptor states in MBE-grown CdTe layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wichrowska, Karolina; Wosinski, Tadeusz; Tkaczyk, Zbigniew; Kolkovsky, Valery; Karczewski, Grzegorz

2018-04-01

A deep-level hole trap associated with surface defect states has been revealed with deep-level transient spectroscopy investigations of metal-semiconductor junctions fabricated on nitrogen doped p-type CdTe layers grown by the molecular-beam epitaxy technique. The trap displayed the hole-emission activation energy of 0.33 eV and the logarithmic capture kinetics indicating its relation to extended defect states at the metal-semiconductor interface. Strong electric-field-induced enhancement of the thermal emission rate of holes from the trap has been attributed to the phonon-assisted tunneling effect from defect states involving very large lattice relaxation around the defect and metastability of its occupied state. Passivation with ammonium sulfide of the CdTe surface, prior to metallization, results in a significant decrease in the trap density. It also results in a distinct reduction in the width of the surface-acceptor-state-induced hysteresis loops in the capacitance vs. voltage characteristics of the metal-semiconductor junctions.

Direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion via inverted metamorphic multi-junction semiconductor architectures

DOE PAGES

Young, James L.; Steiner, Myles A.; Döscher, Henning; ...

2017-03-13

Solar water splitting via multi-junction semiconductor photoelectrochemical cells provides direct conversion of solar energy to stored chemical energy as hydrogen bonds. Economical hydrogen production demands high conversion efficiency to reduce balance-of-systems costs. For sufficient photovoltage, water-splitting efficiency is proportional to the device photocurrent, which can be tuned by judicious selection and integration of optimal semiconductor bandgaps. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient, immersed water-splitting electrodes enabled by inverted metamorphic epitaxy and a transparent graded buffer that allows the bandgap of each junction to be independently varied. Voltage losses at the electrolyte interface are reduced by 0.55 V over traditional, uniformly p-dopedmore » photocathodes by using a buried p-n junction. Lastly, advanced on-sun benchmarking, spectrally corrected and validated with incident photon-to-current efficiency, yields over 16% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency with GaInP/GaInAs tandem absorbers, representing a 60% improvement over the classical, high-efficiency tandem III-V device.« less

Photogenerated Intrinsic Free Carriers in Small-molecule Organic Semiconductors Visualized by Ultrafast Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

He, Xiaochuan; Zhu, Gangbei; Yang, Jianbing; Chang, Hao; Meng, Qingyu; Zhao, Hongwu; Zhou, Xin; Yue, Shuai; Wang, Zhuan; Shi, Jinan; Gu, Lin; Yan, Donghang; Weng, Yuxiang

2015-01-01

Confirmation of direct photogeneration of intrinsic delocalized free carriers in small-molecule organic semiconductors has been a long-sought but unsolved issue, which is of fundamental significance to its application in photo-electric devices. Although the excitonic description of photoexcitation in these materials has been widely accepted, this concept is challenged by recently reported phenomena. Here we report observation of direct delocalized free carrier generation upon interband photoexcitation in highly crystalline zinc phthalocyanine films prepared by the weak epitaxy growth method using ultrafast spectroscopy. Transient absorption spectra spanning the visible to mid-infrared region revealed the existence of short-lived free electrons and holes with a diffusion length estimated to cross at least 11 molecules along the π−π stacking direction that subsequently localize to form charge transfer excitons. The interband transition was evidenced by ultraviolet-visible absorption, photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectroscopy. Our results suggest that delocalized free carriers photogeneration can also be achieved in organic semiconductors when the molecules are packed properly. PMID:26611323

Direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion via inverted metamorphic multi-junction semiconductor architectures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Young, James L.; Steiner, Myles A.; Döscher, Henning

Solar water splitting via multi-junction semiconductor photoelectrochemical cells provides direct conversion of solar energy to stored chemical energy as hydrogen bonds. Economical hydrogen production demands high conversion efficiency to reduce balance-of-systems costs. For sufficient photovoltage, water-splitting efficiency is proportional to the device photocurrent, which can be tuned by judicious selection and integration of optimal semiconductor bandgaps. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient, immersed water-splitting electrodes enabled by inverted metamorphic epitaxy and a transparent graded buffer that allows the bandgap of each junction to be independently varied. Voltage losses at the electrolyte interface are reduced by 0.55 V over traditional, uniformly p-dopedmore » photocathodes by using a buried p-n junction. Lastly, advanced on-sun benchmarking, spectrally corrected and validated with incident photon-to-current efficiency, yields over 16% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency with GaInP/GaInAs tandem absorbers, representing a 60% improvement over the classical, high-efficiency tandem III-V device.« less

Thermodynamic properties of semiconductor compounds studied based on Debye-Waller factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Hung, Nguyen; Toan, Nguyen Cong; Ba Duc, Nguyen; Vuong, Dinh Quoc

2015-08-01

Thermodynamic properties of semiconductor compounds have been studied based on Debye-Waller factors (DWFs) described by the mean square displacement (MSD) which has close relation with the mean square relative displacement (MSRD). Their analytical expressions have been derived based on the statistical moment method (SMM) and the empirical many-body Stillinger-Weber potentials. Numerical results for the MSDs of GaAs, GaP, InP, InSb, which have zinc-blende structure, are found to be in reasonable agreement with experiment and other theories. This paper shows that an elements value for MSD is dependent on the binary semiconductor compound within which it resides.

A study of the semiconductor compound СuAlO2 by the method of nuclear quadrupole resonance of Cu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matukhin, V. L.; Khabibulin, I. Kh.; Shul'gin, D. A.; Smidt, S. V.

2012-07-01

The method of nuclear quadrupole resonance of Cu (NQR Cu) is used to study the samples of a semiconductor compound CuAlO2. The crystal structure of CuAlO2 belongs to the family of delafossite - the mineral of a basic CuFeO2 structure. Transparent semiconductor oxides, such as CuAlO2, have attracted recent attention as promising thermoelectric materials.

Critical thickness of transition from 2D to 3D growth and peculiarities of quantum dots formation in GexSi1-x/Sn/Si and Ge1-ySny/Si systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozovoy, Kirill A.; Kokhanenko, Andrey P.; Voitsekhovskii, Alexander V.

2018-03-01

Nowadays using of tin as one of the deposited materials in GeSi/Sn/Si, GeSn/Si and GeSiSn/Si material systems is one of the most topical problems. These materials are very promising for various applications in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics due to possibility of band gap management and synthesis of direct band semiconductors within these systems. However, there is a lack of theoretical investigations devoted to the peculiarities of germanium on silicon growth in the presence of tin. In this paper a new theoretical approach for modeling growth processes of binary and ternary semiconductor compounds during the molecular beam epitaxy in these systems is presented. The established kinetic model based on the general nucleation theory takes into account the change in physical and mechanical parameters, diffusion coefficient and surface energies in the presence of tin. With the help of the developed model the experimentally observed significant decrease in the 2D-3D transition temperatures for GeSiSn/Si system compared to GeSi/Si system is theoretically explained for the first time in the literature. Besides that, the derived expressions allow one to explain the experimentally observed temperature dependencies of the critical thickness, as well as to predict the average size and surface density of quantum dots for different contents and temperatures in growth experiment, that confirms applicability of the model proposed. Moreover, the established model can be easily applied to other material systems in which the Stranski-Krastanow growth mode occurs.

Physics and Technology of III-V Pseudomorphic Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

AIISIRACT Iex~am uowo,, We have developed an in situ technique for determining the group -V composition in gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (GSMBE...growth of mixed group -V compounds, such as GaAsP, InAsP, and InGaAsP. The in situ technique consists of monitoring the intensity oscillations of ’ group -V...epitaxy ........................................................................... 58 13. A study of group -V desorption from InP and InAs by reflection

Oxidized film structure and method of making epitaxial metal oxide structure

DOEpatents

Gan, Shupan [Richland, WA; Liang, Yong [Richland, WA

2003-02-25

A stable oxidized structure and an improved method of making such a structure, including an improved method of making an interfacial template for growing a crystalline metal oxide structure, are disclosed. The improved method comprises the steps of providing a substrate with a clean surface and depositing a metal on the surface at a high temperature under a vacuum to form a metal-substrate compound layer on the surface with a thickness of less than one monolayer. The compound layer is then oxidized by exposing the compound layer to essentially oxygen at a low partial pressure and low temperature. The method may further comprise the step of annealing the surface while under a vacuum to further stabilize the oxidized film structure. A crystalline metal oxide structure may be subsequently epitaxially grown by using the oxidized film structure as an interfacial template and depositing on the interfacial template at least one layer of a crystalline metal oxide.

Controlling the stoichiometry and doping of semiconductor materials

DOEpatents

Albin, David; Burst, James; Metzger, Wyatt; Duenow, Joel; Farrell, Stuart; Colegrove, Eric

2016-08-16

Methods for treating a semiconductor material are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, the method includes annealing the semiconductor material in the presence of a compound that includes a first element and a second element. The first element provides an overpressure to achieve a desired stoichiometry of the semiconductor material, and the second element provides a dopant to the semiconductor material.

Nitride Semiconductors for Ultraviolet Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

intrinsic n- and p-type doped GaN, (4) deposition of monocrystalline GaN via atomic layer epitaxy, (5) the initial conduct of studies regarding the ion...crystalline quality of the films; it indicated that all the films for x ranging from I to 0 to be monocrystalline . The Al/Ga composition ratios in the...shown in Figure 1. An analysis of these RHEED patterns indicated that both the AIN buffer layer and the GaN film are monocrystalline films. The RHEED

Development of a Photoelectrochemical Etch Process to Enable Heterogeneous Substrate Integration of Epitaxial III-Nitride Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

Chung, Stephen Kelley, Kimberley Olver, Blair C. Connelly, Anand V. Sampath, and Meredith L. Reed Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate, ARL...nitride [GaN], indium nitride, and corresponding ternary alloys) provide a basis for a variety of electronic and photonic devices across several...and driven by an electron beam irradiation, which leads to high carrier densities. This necessitates the transfer/removal of the GaN substrate (or GaN

Semiconductor Laser Diode Arrays by MOCVD (Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition)

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

laser diode arrays are intended to be used as an optical pump for solid state yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) lasers. In particular, linear uniform...corresponds to about . , 8080A. Such thin layer structures, while difficult to grow by such conventional growth methods as liquid phase epitaxy ( LPE ...lower yet than for DH lasers grown by LPE . , - Conventional self-aligned stripe laser This structure is formed by growing (on an n-type GaAs substrate

Photo-Assisted Epitaxial Growth for III-V Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-01

interferometric technique with an accuracy of ±3 "C. The MOMBE growth of GaAs, InAs, and InGaAs was first studied, by monitoring intensity oscillations of...temperatures. In Section 2.1, we report the use of an infrared laser interferometric technique to calibrate the substrate temperature with a higher accuracy...of AO as a function of AT is not feasible. Therefore, we calibrated the dependence of AO on AT experimentally (the dependence of the interferometric

Gold Coating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Epner Technology Inc. responded to a need from Goddard Space Flight Center for the ultimate in electroplated reflectivity needed for the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA). Made of beryllium, the MOLA mirror was coated by Epner Technology Laser Gold process, specially improved for the project. Improved Laser Gold- coated reflectors have found use in an epitaxial reactor built for a large semiconductor manufacturer as well as the waveguide in Braun-Thermoscan tympanic thermometer and lasing cavities in various surgical instruments.

Novel Epitaxy Between Oxides and Semiconductors - Growth and Interfacial Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-16

observed to be impressively good. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Nanotechnology, Gallium Nitride 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT Same as...with precursors or gases, a high-purity sapphire was employed in this work. E-beam evaporation was used due to the high melting point of sapphire, and...were carried out on a four-circle triple -axes diffractometer, using a 12 kW rotating anode Cu K-alpha source. A pair of graphite crystals is used to

InGaAsP/InP optical waveguide switch operated by a carrier-induced change in the refractive index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikami, O.; Nakagome, H.

1985-11-01

Waveguided semiconductor optical switches operated by a carrier-induced change in the refractive-index associated with the plasma dispersion are proposed. InGaAsP/InP four-port switches having two intersecting single-mode channel waveguides are fabricated by selective liquid-phase epitaxy and investigated at 1.5 microns wavelength. Optical switching is observed as a result of mode interference in the waveguide intersection region.

Study of the pulse characteristics of semiconductor lasers with a broadened waveguide at low temperatures (110–120 K)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veselov, D. A.; Shashkin, I. S.; Bobretsova, Yu. K.

2016-10-15

Pulse-pumped MOVPE-fabricated (metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy) semiconductor lasers emitting in the spectral ranges 1000–1100 and 1400–1600 nm at temperatures of 110–120 K are studied. It is found that cooling the lasers for both spectral ranges to low temperature results in their light–current curves approaching linearity, and an optical power of, respectively, 110 and 20 W can be attained. The low-temperature effect is reduced for lasers emitting in the spectral range 1400–1600 nm. The processes affecting a rise in the internal optical loss in semiconductor lasers are considered. It is shown that an increase in the carrier concentration in the waveguide ofmore » a laser structure greatly depends on temperature and is determined by the noninstantaneous capture (capture rate) of carriers from the waveguide into the active region. It is demonstrated that, upon lowering the temperature to 115K, the concentration of electrons and holes in the waveguide becomes lower, which leads to a significant decrease in the internal optical loss and to an increase in the output optical power of the semiconductor laser.« less

Programme and Abstracts. Workshop on Expert Evaluation and Control of Compound Semiconductor Materials and Technologies (1st) Held in Ecole Centrale De Lyon, France on 19 -22 May 1992. (EXAMTEC’ 92)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-22

Evaluation and Control of Compound Semiconductor Materials and Technologies (EXMATEC󈨠) at Ecole Centrale de Lyon (Ecully, France, 19th to 22nd May...semiconductor technologies to manufacture advanced devices with improved reproducibility, better reliability and lower cost. -’Device structures...concepts are required for expert evaluation and control of still developing technologies . In this context, the EXMATEC series will constitute a major

All zinc-blende GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As core-shell nanowires with ferromagnetic ordering.

PubMed

Yu, Xuezhe; Wang, Hailong; Pan, Dong; Zhao, Jianhua; Misuraca, Jennifer; von Molnár, Stephan; Xiong, Peng

2013-04-10

Combining self-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid growth of GaAs nanowires and low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy of (Ga,Mn)As, we successfully synthesized all zinc-blende (ZB) GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As core-shell nanowires on Si(111) substrates. The ZB GaAs nanowire cores are first fabricated at high temperature by utilizing the Ga droplets as the catalyst and controlling the triple phase line nucleation, then the (Ga,Mn)As shells are epitaxially grown on the side facets of the GaAs core at low temperature. The growth window for the pure phase GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As core-shell nanowires is found to be very narrow. Both high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy observations confirm that all-ZB GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As core-shell nanowires with smooth side surface are obtained when the Mn concentration is not more than 2% and the growth temperature is 245 °C or below. Magnetic measurements with different applied field directions provide strong evidence for ferromagnetic ordering in the all-ZB GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As nanowires. The hybrid nanowires offer an attractive platform to explore spin transport and device concepts in fully epitaxial all-semiconductor nanospintronic structures.

Engineering epitaxial γ-Al2O3 gate dielectric films on 4H-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Carey M.; Toney, Michael F.; Lu, Jun; Blom, Hans-Olof; Sawkar-Mathur, Monica; Tafesse, Melat A.; Chang, Jane P.

2007-11-01

The formation of epitaxial γ-Al2O3 thin films on 4H-SiC was found to be strongly dependent on the film thickness. An abrupt interface was observed in films up to 200 Å thick with an epitaxial relationship of γ-Al2O3(111)‖4H-SiC(0001) and γ-Al2O3(44¯0)‖4H-SiC(112¯0). The in-plane alignment between the film and the substrate is nearly complete for γ-Al2O3 films up to 115 Å thick, but quickly diminishes in thicker films. The films are found to be slightly strained laterally in tension; the strain increases with thickness and then decreases in films thicker than 200 Å, indicating strain relaxation which is accompanied by increased misorientation. By controlling the structure of ultrathin Al2O3 films, metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with Al2O3 gate dielectrics on 4H-SiC were found to have a very low leakage current density, suggesting suitability of Al2O3 for SiC device integration.

Influence of cation choice on magnetic behavior of III-N dilute magnetic semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frazier, Rachel Marian

With the increasing interest in spintronics, many attempts have been made at incorporating spin-based functionality into existing semiconductor technology. One approach, utilizing dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) formed via introduction of transition metal ions into III-Nitride hosts, would allow for integration of spin based phenomena into current wide bandgap device technology. To accomplish such device structures, it is necessary to achieve single phase transition metal doped GaN and AlN which exhibit room temperature magnetic behavior. Ion implantation is an effective survey method for introduction of various transition metals into AlN. In ion implanted AlN, the Co and Cr doped films showed hysteresis at 300K while the Mn doped material did not. However, it is not a technique which will allow for the development of advanced spin based devices. Such devices will require epitaxial methods of the sort currently used for synthesis of III-Nitride optoelectronics. One such technique, Gas Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy (GSMBE), has been used to synthesize AlN films doped with Cr and Mn. Room temperature ferromagnetism has been observed for AlMnN and AlCrN grown by GSMBE. In both cases, the magnetic signal was found to depend on the flux of the dopant. The magnetization of the AlCrN was found to be an order of magnitude greater than in the AlMnN. The temperature dependent magnetic behavior of AlCrN was also superior to AlMnN; however, the AlCrN was not resistant to thermal degradation. An all-semiconductor tunneling magnetoresistive device (TMR) was grown with GaMnN as a spin injector and AlMnN as a spin filter. The resistance of the device should change with applied magnetic field depending on the magnetization of the injector and filter. However, due to the impurity bands found in the AlMnN, the resistance was found to change very little with magnetic field. To overcome such obstacles as found in the transition metal doped AlN, another dopant must be used. One viable dopant is Gd, which due to the low concentration incorporated in the semiconductor matrix should provide a single impurity level within the DMS instead of an impurity band. The incorporation of Gd into GaN and AlN may be the ultimate dopant for these III-N based DMS.

Spin injection in epitaxial MnGa(111)/GaN(0001) heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zube, Christian; Malindretos, Joerg; Watschke, Lars; Zamani, Reza R.; Disterheft, David; Ulbrich, Rainer G.; Rizzi, Angela; Iza, Michael; Keller, Stacia; DenBaars, Steven P.

2018-01-01

Ferromagnetic MnGa(111) layers were grown on GaN(0001) by molecular beam epitaxy. MnGa/GaN Schottky diodes with a doping level of around n = 7 × 1018 cm-3 were fabricated to achieve single step tunneling across the metal/semiconductor junction. Below the GaN layer, a thin InGaN quantum well served as optical spin detector ("spin-LED"). For electron spin injection from MnGa into GaN and subsequent spin transport through a 45 nm (70 nm) thick GaN layer, we observe a circular polarization of 0.3% (0.2%) in the electroluminescence at 80 K. Interface mixing, spin polarization losses during electrical transport in the GaN layer, and spin relaxation in the InGaN quantum well are discussed in relation with the low value of the optically detected spin polarization.

The role of defects in the electrical properties of NbO2thin film vertical devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Toyanath; Borisov, Pavel; Lederman, David

Epitaxial NbO2 thin films were grown on Si:GaN layers deposited on Al2O3 substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Pulsed current-voltage (IV) curves and self-sustained current oscillations were measured across a 31 nm NbO2 film and compared with a similar device made from polycrystalline NbO2 film grown on TiN-coated SiO2/Si substrate. Crystal quality of the as grown films was determined from x-ray diffractometric, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy data. The epitaxial film device was found to be more stable than the defect-rich polycrystalline sample in terms of current switching and oscillation behaviors. This work was supported in part by FAME, one of six centers of STARnet, a Semiconductor Research Corporation program sponsored by MARCO and DARPA (Contract 2013-MA-2382), and the WVU Shared Research Facilities.

Electronic and Optical Properties of a Semiconducting Spinel (Fe 2 CrO 4 )

DOE PAGES

Chambers, Scott A.; Droubay, Timothy C.; Kaspar, Tiffany C.; ...

2017-01-13

Epitaxial chromium ferrite (Fe 2CrO 4), prepared by state-of-the-art oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy, is shown to exhibit unusual electronic transport properties driven by the crystallographic structure and composition of the material. By replacing 1/3 of the Fe cations with Cr converts the host ferrimagnet from a metal into a semiconductor by virtue of its fixed valence (3+); Cr substitutes for Fe at B sites in the spinel lattice. Conversely, replacing 2/3 of the Fe cations with Cr results in an insulator. Three candidate conductive paths, all involving electron hopping between Fe 2+ and Fe 3+, are identified inmore » Fe 2CrO 4. Moreover, Fe 2CrO 4 is shown to be photoconductive across the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. As a result, this material is of potential interest for important photo-electrochemical processes such as water splitting.« less

Observation of partial relaxation mechanisms via anisotropic strain relief on epitaxial islands using semiconductor nanomembranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosa, Barbara L. T.; Marçal, Lucas A. B.; Ribeiro Andrade, Rodrigo; Dornellas Pinto, Luciana; Rodrigues, Wagner N.; Lustoza Souza, Patrícia; Pamplona Pires, Mauricio; Wagner Nunes, Ricardo; Malachias, Angelo

2017-07-01

In this work we attempt to directly observe anisotropic partial relaxation of epitaxial InAs islands using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and synchrotron x-ray diffraction on a 15 nm thick InAs:GaAs nanomembrane. We show that under such conditions TEM provides improved real-space statistics, allowing the observation of partial relaxation processes that were not previously detected by other techniques or by usual TEM cross section images. Besides the fully coherent and fully relaxed islands that are known to exist above previously established critical thickness, we prove the existence of partially relaxed islands, where incomplete 60° half-loop misfit dislocations lead to a lattice relaxation along one of the <110> directions, keeping a strained lattice in the perpendicular direction. Although individual defects cannot be directly observed, their implications to the resulting island registry are identified and discussed within the frame of half-loops propagations.

Observation of partial relaxation mechanisms via anisotropic strain relief on epitaxial islands using semiconductor nanomembranes.

PubMed

Rosa, Barbara L T; Marçal, Lucas A B; Andrade, Rodrigo Ribeiro; Pinto, Luciana Dornellas; Rodrigues, Wagner N; Souza, Patrícia Lustoza; Pires, Mauricio Pamplona; Nunes, Ricardo Wagner; Malachias, Angelo

2017-07-28

In this work we attempt to directly observe anisotropic partial relaxation of epitaxial InAs islands using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and synchrotron x-ray diffraction on a 15 nm thick InAs:GaAs nanomembrane. We show that under such conditions TEM provides improved real-space statistics, allowing the observation of partial relaxation processes that were not previously detected by other techniques or by usual TEM cross section images. Besides the fully coherent and fully relaxed islands that are known to exist above previously established critical thickness, we prove the existence of partially relaxed islands, where incomplete 60° half-loop misfit dislocations lead to a lattice relaxation along one of the 〈110〉 directions, keeping a strained lattice in the perpendicular direction. Although individual defects cannot be directly observed, their implications to the resulting island registry are identified and discussed within the frame of half-loops propagations.

Semiconductor apparatus utilizing gradient freeze and liquid-solid techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Caillat, Thierry F. (Inventor); Borshchevsky, Alexander (Inventor)

1998-01-01

Transition metals of Group VIII (Co, Rh and Ir) have been prepared as semiconductor compounds with the general formula TSb.sub.3. The skutterudite-type crystal lattice structure of these semiconductor compounds and their enhanced thermoelectric properties results in semiconductor materials which may be used in the fabrication of thermoelectric elements to substantially improve the efficiency of the resulting thermoelectric device. Semiconductor materials having the desired skutterudite-type crystal lattice structure may be prepared in accordance with the present invention by using vertical gradient freezing techniques and/or liquid phase sintering techniques. Measurements of electrical and thermal transport properties of selected semiconductor materials prepared in accordance with the present invention, demonstrated high Hall mobilities (up to 1200 cm.sup.2.V.sup.-1.s.sup.-1) and good Seebeck coefficients (up to 150 .mu.VK.sup.-1 between 300.degree. C. and 700.degree. C.). Optimizing the transport properties of semiconductor materials prepared from elemental mixtures Co, Rh, Ir and Sb resulted in a substantial increase in the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) at temperatures as high as 400.degree. C. for thermoelectric elements fabricated from such semiconductor materials.

Interfacial band alignment and structural properties of nanoscale TiO2 thin films for integration with epitaxial crystallographic oriented germanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, N.; Zhu, Y.; Maurya, D.; Varghese, R.; Priya, S.; Hudait, M. K.

2014-01-01

We have investigated the structural and band alignment properties of nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films deposited on epitaxial crystallographic oriented Ge layers grown on (100), (110), and (111)A GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The TiO2 thin films deposited at low temperature by physical vapor deposition were found to be amorphous in nature, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirmed a sharp heterointerface between the TiO2 thin film and the epitaxially grown Ge with no traceable interfacial layer. A comprehensive assessment on the effect of substrate orientation on the band alignment at the TiO2/Ge heterointerface is presented by utilizing x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. A band-gap of 3.33 ± 0.02 eV was determined for the amorphous TiO2 thin film from the Tauc plot. Irrespective of the crystallographic orientation of the epitaxial Ge layer, a sufficient valence band-offset of greater than 2 eV was obtained at the TiO2/Ge heterointerface while the corresponding conduction band-offsets for the aforementioned TiO2/Ge system were found to be smaller than 1 eV. A comparative assessment on the effect of Ge substrate orientation revealed a valence band-offset relation of ΔEV(100) > ΔEV(111) > ΔEV(110) and a conduction band-offset relation of ΔEC(110) > ΔEC(111) > ΔEC(100). These band-offset parameters are of critical importance and will provide key insight for the design and performance analysis of TiO2 for potential high-κ dielectric integration and for future metal-insulator-semiconductor contact applications with next generation of Ge based metal-oxide field-effect transistors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mascarenhas, Angelo

Isoelectronic co-doping of semiconductor compounds and alloys with acceptors and deep donors is used to decrease bandgap, to increase concentration of the dopant constituents in the resulting alloys, and to increase carrier mobilities lifetimes. For example, Group III-V compounds and alloys, such as GaAs and GaP, are isoelectronically co-doped with, for example, B and Bi, to customize solar cells, and other semiconductor devices. Isoelectronically co-doped Group II-VI compounds and alloys are also included.

Theoretical discovery of stable structures of group III-V monolayers: The materials for semiconductor devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suzuki, Tatsuo, E-mail: dr.tatsuosuzuki@gmail.com

Group III-V compounds are very important as the materials of semiconductor devices. Stable structures of the monolayers of group III-V binary compounds have been discovered by using first-principles calculations. The primitive unit cell of the discovered structures is a rectangle, which includes four group-III atoms and four group-V atoms. A group-III atom and its three nearest-neighbor group-V atoms are placed on the same plane; however, these connections are not the sp{sup 2} hybridization. The bond angles around the group-V atoms are less than the bond angle of sp{sup 3} hybridization. The discovered structure of GaP is an indirect transition semiconductor,more » while the discovered structures of GaAs, InP, and InAs are direct transition semiconductors. Therefore, the discovered structures of these compounds have the potential of the materials for semiconductor devices, for example, water splitting photocatalysts. The discovered structures may become the most stable structures of monolayers which consist of other materials.« less

High-mobility pyrene-based semiconductor for organic thin-film transistors.

PubMed

Cho, Hyunduck; Lee, Sunyoung; Cho, Nam Sung; Jabbour, Ghassan E; Kwak, Jeonghun; Hwang, Do-Hoon; Lee, Changhee

2013-05-01

Numerous conjugated oligoacenes and polythiophenes are being heavily studied in the search for high-mobility organic semiconductors. Although many researchers have designed fused aromatic compounds as organic semiconductors for organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), pyrene-based organic semiconductors with high mobilities and on-off current ratios have not yet been reported. Here, we introduce a new pyrene-based p-type organic semiconductor showing liquid crystal behavior. The thin film characteristics of this material are investigated by varying the substrate temperature during the deposition and the gate dielectric condition using the surface modification with a self-assembled monolayer, and systematically studied in correlation with the performances of transistor devices with this compound. OTFT fabricated under the optimum deposition conditions of this compound, namely, 1,6-bis(5'-octyl-2,2'-bithiophen-5-yl)pyrene (BOBTP) shows a high-performance transistor behavior with a field-effect mobility of 2.1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and an on-off current ratio of 7.6 × 10(6) and enhanced long-term stability compared to the pentacene thin-film transistor.

Biaxial stress driven tetragonal symmetry breaking and high-temperature ferromagnetic semiconductor from half-metallic CrO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xiang-Bo; Liu, Bang-Gui

2018-03-01

It is highly desirable to combine the full spin polarization of carriers with modern semiconductor technology for spintronic applications. For this purpose, one needs good crystalline ferromagnetic (or ferrimagnetic) semiconductors with high Curie temperatures. Rutile CrO2 is a half-metallic spintronic material with Curie temperature 394 K and can have nearly full spin polarization at room temperature. Here, we find through first-principles investigation that when a biaxial compressive stress is applied on rutile CrO2, the density of states at the Fermi level decreases with the in-plane compressive strain, there is a structural phase transition to an orthorhombic phase at the strain of -5.6 % , and then appears an electronic phase transition to a semiconductor phase at -6.1 % . Further analysis shows that this structural transition, accompanying the tetragonal symmetry breaking, is induced by the stress-driven distortion and rotation of the oxygen octahedron of Cr, and the half-metal-semiconductor transition originates from the enhancement of the crystal field splitting due to the structural change. Importantly, our systematic total-energy comparison indicates the ferromagnetic Curie temperature remains almost independent of the strain, near 400 K. This biaxial stress can be realized by applying biaxial pressure or growing the CrO2 epitaxially on appropriate substrates. These results should be useful for realizing full (100%) spin polarization of controllable carriers as one uses in modern semiconductor technology.

Growth and characterization of epitaxial silver indium diselenide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pena Martin, Pamela

Photovoltaics (solar cells) are a key player in the renewable energy frontier, and will become increasingly important as their cost per watt continues to drop, especially if fossil fuel costs increase. One particularly promising photovoltaic technology is based on chalcopyrite-structure semiconductors. Within the chalcopyrite compounds the highest efficiency thin film solar cell absorber material to date is Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS). While current efficiency records are over 21% for single-junction cells, there is still room for improvement. Replacing some of the Cu with Ag has been shown to be beneficial in CIGS devices. However, the Ag- containing chalcopyrites are still relatively unknown in terms of their growth mechanism, energetics, and surface atomic and electronic properties. These are best inferred through study of epitaxial films, yet they have little mention in literature and have not been the subject of a detailed study. This work describes the growth of epitaxial AgInSe2 (AIS) on GaAs substrates, studying the morphology, structure, and surface properties to understand how growth takes place. It also seeks to experimentally determine the surface electronic and atomic structure at the atomic scale to gain insight into the part of the material that forms the heterojunction that collects photon energy in the device. Finally, this work seeks to compare and contrast these findings with what is known about CIGS to determine where similarities and, more importantly, the differences may lie. This study has found that single phase tetragonal AIS can be epitaxially grown on GaAs, as illustrated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and surface morphology data. Like CIGS, the close packed polar (112) planes have the lowest energy. The morphology points to a difference in step dynamics, leading to less faceted, straight edged island shapes compared to CIGS. Epitaxial temperature as a function of growth direction shows a different trend in AIS than in CIGS. Interdiffusion of the group III elements across the substrate interface was found to result in an epitaxial intermixed layer between the film and substrate in some cases, which may help mediate the lattice mismatch. At the atomic scale, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to observe details of the surface morphology, which indicated growth of the (112)A orientation of AIS by a screw dislocation mechanism (other surfaces were not examined by STM but are expected to show similar results). The surface atomic structure was directly imaged for the first time, revealing an arrangement similar to that expected from a bulk terminated surface. The electronic structure shows a gap in surface electronic states with a width comparable to bulk AIS, n-type conduction, and a tail of states near the valence band edge that decay well into the gap. The conduction and valence bands show fluctuations as a function of position on the surface, with greater magnitude in the valence band. The fluctuations in both bands are less than those observed on the surface of CIS by STM. It seems to indicate a reduction in band tails, both in magnitude and spacial extent, in AIS compared to CIS, likely tied to a reduction in point defect concentration at the surface.

Boron, bismuth co-doping of gallium arsenide and other compounds for photonic and heterojunction bipolar transistor devices

DOEpatents

Mascarenhas, Angelo

2015-07-07

Isoelectronic co-doping of semiconductor compounds and alloys with acceptors and deep donors is sued to decrease bandgap, to increase concentration of the dopant constituents in the resulting alloys, and to increase carrier mobilities lifetimes. For example, Group III-V compounds and alloys, such as GaAs and GaP, are isoelectronically co-doped with, for example, B and Bi, to customize solar cells, and other semiconductor devices. Isoelectronically co-doped Group II-VI compounds and alloys are also included.

Method for implantation of high dopant concentrations in wide band gap materials

DOEpatents

Usov, Igor [Los Alamos, NM; Arendt, Paul N [Los Alamos, NM

2009-09-15

A method that combines alternate low/medium ion dose implantation with rapid thermal annealing at relatively low temperatures. At least one dopant is implanted in one of a single crystal and an epitaxial film of the wide band gap compound by a plurality of implantation cycles. The number of implantation cycles is sufficient to implant a predetermined concentration of the dopant in one of the single crystal and the epitaxial film. Each of the implantation cycles includes the steps of: implanting a portion of the predetermined concentration of the one dopant in one of the single crystal and the epitaxial film; annealing one of the single crystal and the epitaxial film and implanted portion at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time to repair damage to one of the single crystal and the epitaxial film caused by implantation and activates the implanted dopant; and cooling the annealed single crystal and implanted portion to a temperature of less than about 100.degree. C. This combination produces high concentrations of dopants, while minimizing the defect concentration.

Structure and Properties of VO2 and Titanium Dioxide Based Epitaxial Heterostructures Integrated with Silicon and Sapphire Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayati, Mohammad Reza

The main focus of this study was placed on structure-property correlation in TiO2 and VO2 based epitaxial heterostructures where the photochemical and electrical properties were tuned through microstructural engineering. In the framework of domain matching epitaxy, epitaxial growth of TiO2 and VO2 heterostructures on different substrates were explained. The theta-2theta and ϕ scan X-ray diffraction measurements and detailed high resolution electron microscopy studies corroborated our understanding of the epitaxial growth and the crystallographic arrangement across the interfaces. The influence of the laser and substrate variables on structural characteristics of the films was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, room temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. In addition, morphological studies were performed by atomic force microscopy. Photochemical properties of the heterostructures were assessed through measuring surface wettability characteristics and photocatalytic reaction rate constant of degradation of 4-chlorophenol under ultraviolet and visible irradiations. We also studied electrical properties employing 4-probe measurement technique. The effect of post treatment processes, such as vacuum annealing and laser treatment, on structure and properties was investigated as well. The role of point defects and deviation from the stoichiometry on photochemical and electrical properties was addressed. In this research, TiO2 epilayers with controlled phase structure, defect content, and crystallographic alignments were grown on sapphire and silicon substrates. Integration with silicon was achieved using cubic and tetragonal yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layers. I was able to tune the phase structure of the TiO2 based heterostructures from pure rutile to pure anatase and establish an epitaxial relationship across the interfaces in each case. These heterostructures were used for two different purposes. First, their application in environmental remediation was taken into account. The photochemical efficiency of the samples was evaluated under ultraviolet and visible illuminations. I was able to establish a correlation between the growth conditions and the photocatalytic activity of single crystalline TiO 2 thin films. Visible-light-responsive TiO2 films were fabricated via vacuum annealing of the samples where point defects, namely oxygen vacancies and titanium interstitial, are surmised to play a critical role. An ultrafast switching was observed in wetting characteristics of the single crystalline rutile TiO2 films from a hydrophobic state to a superhydrophilic state by single pulsed excimer laser annealing. It was observed that the laser annealing almost doubles the photocatalytic efficiency of the anatase epitaxial thin films. I was able to measure the photochemical properties of the rutile and the anatase TiO2 heterostructures in a controlled way due to the single crystalline nature of the films. Second, the rutile TiO2 epilayers with different out-of-plane orientations were deposited and used as a platform for VO2 based epitaxial heterostructures with the aim of manipulating of microstructure and electrical properties of the VO 2 films. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) is an interesting material due to the abrupt change in electrical resistivity and infrared transmittance at about 68 °C. The transition temperature can be tuned through microstructural engineering. It was the idea behind using rutile TiO2 with different crystallographic orientations as a template to tune the semiconductor to metal transition characteristics of the VO2 top layer. I successfully grew VO2(001), VO2(100), and VO2(2¯01) epitaxial thin films on TiO2(100)/c-sapphire, TiO2(101)/r-sapphire, and TiO2(001)/ m-sapphire platforms, respectively. It was observed that tetragonal phase of VO2 was stabilized at lower temperatures leading to a significant decrease in the semiconductor to metal transition temperature. In other words, we were able to tune the transition temperature of the VO 2 epitaxial heterostructures. This achievement introduces the VO 2 based single crystalline heterostructures as a promising candidate for a wide range of applications where different transition temperatures are required. The epitaxial relationships were established and atomic arrangement across the interfaces was studied in detail.

International Conference on Superlattices, Microstructures and Microdevices (3rd) Held in Chicago, Illinois on August 17-20, 1987.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-08-20

contributed) A. Scherer, P. S. 0. Lin, P. Grobbe, Tp6 electron Impact Ionization from GaAs J. Harbison, L. Schiavone , Bell imntibued) quantum well...molecular beam epitaxy. 20 :’% .•% , *U.%.*. Mp 4 eVV % % Semiconductor Microcrystallites in Porous Glass and Their Applications in Optics .1%• John C. Luong...A. Scherer, P.S.D. Lin, P. Grabbe, J. Harbison, L. Schiavone .v/- Bell Communications Research Red Bank, NJ 07701 Recent advances in electron beam

Controlled growth of ordered nanopore arrays in GaN.

PubMed

Wildeson, Isaac H; Ewoldt, David A; Colby, Robert; Stach, Eric A; Sands, Timothy D

2011-02-09

High-quality, ordered nanopores in semiconductors are attractive for numerous biological, electrical, and optical applications. Here, GaN nanorods with continuous pores running axially through their centers were grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. The porous nanorods nucleate on an underlying (0001)-oriented GaN film through openings in a SiN(x) template that are milled by a focused ion beam, allowing direct placement of porous nanorods. Nanopores with diameters ranging from 20-155 nm were synthesized with crystalline sidewalls.

Investigation of Electrical and Optical Properties of Bulk III-V Ternary Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

metalorganic vapour phase epitaxial grown (MOVPE) InxGa1-xSb with indium mole fractions less than 0.06. [28] They observed that GaSb and InxGa1-xSb had...Treideris, A. Krotkus, and K. Grigoras, “Picosecond GaAs and InGaAs photoconductive switches obtained by low-temperature metal-organic chemical vapour ...Time Dependent Annealing Study of Silicon Implanted Aluminum Gallium Nitride,” Master’s Thesis, Air Force Institute of Technology (AU), Wright

Transmission Electron Microscope Measures Lattice Parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pike, William T.

1996-01-01

Convergent-beam microdiffraction (CBM) in thermionic-emission transmission electron microscope (TEM) is technique for measuring lattice parameters of nanometer-sized specimens of crystalline materials. Lattice parameters determined by use of CBM accurate to within few parts in thousand. Technique developed especially for use in quantifying lattice parameters, and thus strains, in epitaxial mismatched-crystal-lattice multilayer structures in multiple-quantum-well and other advanced semiconductor electronic devices. Ability to determine strains in indivdual layers contributes to understanding of novel electronic behaviors of devices.

Planar Homojunction Gallium Nitride (GaN) P-i-N Device Evaluated for Betavoltaic Energy Conversion: Measurement and Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) September 2016 2. REPORT TYPE Technical Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Planar Homojunction...development of mass- production semiconductor processing methods of 4H-SiC. The ease of fabrication of thicker epitaxial layers make SiC a prime...the 0.1- and 1-nA current settings are very stable and represent the low intensity expected from radioisotope beta decay. 2.2 Planar GaN Device

INAS hole-immobilized doping superlattice long-wave-infrared detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maserjian, Joseph (Inventor)

1992-01-01

An approach to long-wave-infrared (LWIR) technology is discussed. The approach is based on molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of hole immobilized doping superlattices in narrow band gap 3-5 semiconductors, specifically, InAs and InSb. Such superlattices are incorporated into detector structures suitable for focal plane arrays. An LWIR detector that has high detectivity performance to wavelengths of about 16 microns at operating temperatures of 65K, where long-duration space refrigeration is plausible, is presented.

Epitaxial Growth, Surface, and Electronic Properties of Unconventional Semiconductors: RE-V/III-V Nanocomposites and Semiconducting Half Heusler Alloys

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

with approximately 5 × 1018 Si atoms/cm3 to yield a conductive buffer for STM and photoemsission spectroscopy measurements. On some samples a 3 nm ErAs...where S is the Seebeck coefficient, σ is the electrical conductivity , and κ is the thermal conductivity . Here the electronic information is contained... conductivities (κ = κe + κlat). While the electronic component of thermal conductivity κe is inherently tied to electrical conductivity σ via Wiedemann

High-Temperature Ferromagnetism in Transition Metal Implanted Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-07-01

to the field produces a field parallel to the applied magnetic field. Pauli param- agnetism (also called free-electron paramagnetism) occurs because of...ordering at temperatures below liquid helium (LHe) [103]. Jung et al. report the growth of Zn1−xMnxO (x = 0.1, 0.3) by laser molecular beam epitaxy...May 2003). 49. Josephson, B. D. “Possible New Effects in Superconductive Tunnelling,” Physics Letters , 1 (7):251–253 (July 1962). 50. Jung , S. W

High Luminescence Efficiency from GaAsN Layers Grown by MBE with RF Nitrogen Plasma Source

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

is the goal for applications in fiber optic communication systems. 1.3 micron edge- emitting lasers and VCSELs have been recently demonstrated by...GaAsN layers. CONCLUSIONS Molecular beam epitaxial growth of GaAsj_,N, layers has been studied as a function of nitrogen content and growth regimes. We...obtained are important for further improving the characteristics of InGaAsN lasers emitting at 1.3 micron. INTRODUCTION Group-Ill nitride semiconductors

Solid State Research, 1973:2.

DTIC Science & Technology

MERCURY COMPOUNDS, CADMIUM COMPOUNDS, TELLURIDES, NEODYMIUM COMPOUNDS, PHOSPHATES , ELECTRON TRANSITIONS, INFRARED OPTICAL MATERIALS, CRYSTAL GROWTH, MAGNESIUM OXIDES, PHOSPHORESCENT MATERIALS, SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES, MICROELECTRONICS

Tuning and synthesis of semiconductor nanostructures by mechanical compression

DOEpatents

Fan, Hongyou; Li, Binsong

2015-11-17

A mechanical compression method can be used to tune semiconductor nanoparticle lattice structure and synthesize new semiconductor nanostructures including nanorods, nanowires, nanosheets, and other three-dimensional interconnected structures. II-VI or IV-VI compound semiconductor nanoparticle assemblies can be used as starting materials, including CdSe, CdTe, ZnSe, ZnS, PbSe, and PbS.

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

The Wake Shield Facility is a free-flying research and development facility that is designed to use the pure vacuum of space to conduct scientific research in the development of new materials. The thin film materials technology developed by the WSF could some day lead to applications such as faster electronics components for computers. The WSF Free-Flyer is a 12-foot-diameter stainless steel disk that, while traveling in orbit at approximately 18,000 mph, leaves in its wake a vacuum 1,000 to 10,000 times better than the best vacuums currently achieved on Earth. While it is carried into orbit by the Space Shuttle, the WSF is a fully equipped spacecraft in its own right, with cold gas propulsion for separation from the orbiter and a momentum bias attitude control system. All WSF functions are undertaken by a spacecraft computer with the WSF remotely controlled from the ground. The ultra vacuum, nearly empty of all molecules, is then used to conduct a series of thin film growths by a process called epitaxy which produces exceptionally pure and atomically ordered thin films of semiconductor compounds such as gallium arsenide. Using this process, the WSF offers the potential of producing thin film materials, and the devices they will make possible.

Interplay between localization and magnetism in (Ga,Mn)As and (In,Mn)As

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Ye; Xu, Chi; Hübner, René; Jakiela, Rafal; Böttger, Roman; Helm, Manfred; Sawicki, Maciej; Dietl, Tomasz; Zhou, Shengqiang

2017-10-01

Ion implantation of Mn combined with pulsed laser melting is employed to obtain two representative compounds of dilute ferromagnetic semiconductors (DFSs): G a1 -xM nxAs and I n1 -xM nxAs . In contrast to films deposited by the widely used molecular beam epitaxy, neither Mn interstitials nor As antisites are present in samples prepared by the method employed here. Under these conditions the influence of localization on the hole-mediated ferromagnetism is examined in two DFSs with a differing strength of p-d coupling. On the insulating side of the transition, ferromagnetic signatures persist to higher temperatures in I n1 -xM nxAs compared to G a1 -xM nxAs with the same Mn concentration x . This substantiates theoretical suggestions that stronger p-d coupling results in an enhanced contribution to localization, which reduces hole-mediated ferromagnetism. Furthermore, the findings support strongly the heterogeneous model of electronic states at the localization boundary and point to the crucial role of weakly localized holes in mediating efficient spin-spin interactions even on the insulator side of the metal-insulator transition.

Optical Computing, 1991, Technical Digest Series, Vol. 6

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-22

lasers). Compound semiconductors may satisfy these requirements. For example, optical signal amplification by two-beam coupling and amplified phase... compound semiconductors can provide this type of implementationi. This paper presents results from a detailed investigation on potentials of the...conductivity to achieve high multichannel cell performance. We describe several high performance Gallium Phosphide multichannel Bragg cells which employ these

N-doping of organic semiconductors by bis-metallosandwich compounds

DOEpatents

Barlow, Stephen; Qi, Yabing; Kahn, Antoine; Marder, Seth; Kim, Sang Bok; Mohapatra, Swagat K.; Guo, Song

2016-01-05

The various inventions disclosed, described, and/or claimed herein relate to the field of methods for n-doping organic semiconductors with certain bis-metallosandwich compounds, the doped compositions produced, and the uses of the doped compositions in organic electronic devices. Metals can be manganese, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, rhodium, or iridium. Stable and efficient doping can be achieved.

Synthesis of Multifunctional Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

temperatures of 600’C and higher, whereas layers grown at lower temperature contained PbO inclusions. Growth of Pb(ZrxTi1 ..)0 3 ( PZT ) films by molecular...beam epitaxy was demonstrated for the first time. Single-crystal, single-phase PZT films were grown on (001) SrTiO3 substrates at a growth temperature...compounds of the PZT system, PbTiO 3 and PbZrO 3, and three-dimensional growth mode for PZT films of intermediate compositions. Epitaxial growth of PbO

Plasmonic nanohole arrays on Si-Ge heterostructures: an approach for integrated biosensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augel, L.; Fischer, I. A.; Dunbar, L. A.; Bechler, S.; Berrier, A.; Etezadi, D.; Hornung, F.; Kostecki, K.; Ozdemir, C. I.; Soler, M.; Altug, H.; Schulze, J.

2016-03-01

Nanohole array surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors offer a promising platform for high-throughput label-free biosensing. Integrating nanohole arrays with group-IV semiconductor photodetectors could enable low-cost and disposable biosensors compatible to Si-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology that can be combined with integrated circuitry for continuous monitoring of biosamples and fast sensor data processing. Such an integrated biosensor could be realized by structuring a nanohole array in the contact metal layer of a photodetector. We used Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy to investigate nanohole arrays in a 100 nm Al film deposited on top of a vertical Si-Ge photodiode structure grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We find that the presence of a protein bilayer, constitute of protein AG and Immunoglobulin G (IgG), leads to a wavelength-dependent absorptance enhancement of ~ 8 %.

On-demand semiconductor source of 780-nm single photons with controlled temporal wave packets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Béguin, Lucas; Jahn, Jan-Philipp; Wolters, Janik; Reindl, Marcus; Huo, Yongheng; Trotta, Rinaldo; Rastelli, Armando; Ding, Fei; Schmidt, Oliver G.; Treutlein, Philipp; Warburton, Richard J.

2018-05-01

We report on a fast, bandwidth-tunable single-photon source based on an epitaxial GaAs quantum dot. Exploiting spontaneous spin-flip Raman transitions, single photons at 780 nm are generated on demand with tailored temporal profiles of durations exceeding the intrinsic quantum dot lifetime by up to three orders of magnitude. Second-order correlation measurements show a low multiphoton emission probability [g2(0 ) ˜0.10 -0.15 ] at a generation rate up to 10 MHz. We observe Raman photons with linewidths as low as 200 MHz, which is narrow compared to the 1.1-GHz linewidth measured in resonance fluorescence. The generation of such narrow-band single photons with controlled temporal shapes at the rubidium wavelength is a crucial step towards the development of an optimized hybrid semiconductor-atom interface.

Self-contained sub-millimeter wave rectifying antenna integrated circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, Peter H. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

The invention is embodied in a monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit in which is formed an antenna, such as a slot dipole antenna, connected across a rectifying diode. In the preferred embodiment, the antenna is tuned to received an electromagnetic wave of about 2500 GHz so that the device is on the order of a wavelength in size, or about 200 microns across and 30 microns thick. This size is ideal for mounting on a microdevice such as a microrobot for example. The antenna is endowed with high gain in the direction of the incident radiation by providing a quarter-wavelength (30 microns) thick resonant cavity below the antenna, the cavity being formed as part of the monolithic integrated circuit. Preferably, the integrated circuit consists of a thin gallium arsenide membrane overlying the resonant cavity and supporting an epitaxial Gallium Arsenide semiconductor layer. The rectifying diode is a Schottky diode formed in the GaAs semiconductor layer and having an area that is a very small fraction of the wavelength of the 2500 GHz incident radiation. The cavity provides high forward gain in the antenna and isolation from surrounding structure.

The gatemon: a transmon with a voltage-variable superconductor-semiconductor junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersson, Karl

We have developed a superconducting transmon qubit with a semiconductor-based Josephson junction element. The junction is made from an InAs nanowire with in situ molecular beam epitaxy-grown superconducting Al contacts. This gate-controlled transmon, or gatemon, allows simple tuning of the qubit transition frequency using a gate voltage to vary the density of carriers in the semiconductor region. In the first generations of devices we have measured coherence times up to ~10 μs. These coherence times, combined with stable qubit operation, permit single qubit rotations with fidelities of ~99.5 % for all gates including voltage-controlled Z rotations. Towards multi-qubit operation we have also implemented a two qubit voltage-controlled cPhase gate. In contrast to flux-tuned transmons, voltage-tunable gatemons may simplify the task of scaling to multi-qubit circuits and enable new means of control for many qubit architectures. In collaboration with T.W. Larsen, L. Casparis, M.S. Olsen, F. Kuemmeth, T.S. Jespersen, P. Krogstrup, J. Nygard and C.M. Marcus. Research was supported by Microsoft Project Q, Danish National Research Foundation and a Marie Curie Fellowship.

X-ray characterization of Ge dots epitaxially grown on nanostructured Si islands on silicon-on-insulator substrates.

PubMed

Zaumseil, Peter; Kozlowski, Grzegorz; Yamamoto, Yuji; Schubert, Markus Andreas; Schroeder, Thomas

2013-08-01

On the way to integrate lattice mismatched semiconductors on Si(001), the Ge/Si heterosystem was used as a case study for the concept of compliant substrate effects that offer the vision to be able to integrate defect-free alternative semiconductor structures on Si. Ge nanoclusters were selectively grown by chemical vapour deposition on Si nano-islands on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates. The strain states of Ge clusters and Si islands were measured by grazing-incidence diffraction using a laboratory-based X-ray diffraction technique. A tensile strain of up to 0.5% was detected in the Si islands after direct Ge deposition. Using a thin (∼10 nm) SiGe buffer layer between Si and Ge the tensile strain increases to 1.8%. Transmission electron microscopy studies confirm the absence of a regular grid of misfit dislocations in such structures. This clear experimental evidence for the compliance of Si nano-islands on SOI substrates opens a new integration concept that is not only limited to Ge but also extendable to semiconductors like III-V and II-VI materials.

/III-V semiconductor broadband distributed Bragg reflectors for long-wavelength VCSEL and SESAM devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koeninger, Anna; Boehm, Gerhard; Meyer, Ralf; Amann, Markus-Christian

2014-12-01

Semiconductor devices such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) or semiconductor-saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) require high-reflection mirrors. Moreover, in VCSELs, it is beneficial to have a crystalline mirror, which is as thin as possible in order to ensure a high thermal conductivity for efficient heat-sinking of the laser. On the other hand, the wavelength tuning range of a SESAM is limited by the reflection bandwidth of its distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). Thus, broadband mirrors are preferable here. This paper reports a three-pair DBR grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using BaCaF2 and GaAs on a GaAs (100) substrate. Due to the high ratio in refractive indices of GaAs and the group-IIa-fluorides, high-reflectivity mirrors and wide bandwidths can be obtained with low total thicknesses. We also investigated growth and stability of the material BaCaF2, as well as its thermal conductivity both as single layer and Bragg reflector. Observed peeling of the layers could be avoided by implementing a fluorine treatment previous to the BaCaF2 growth.

Hybrid integration of III-V semiconductor lasers on silicon waveguides using optofluidic microbubble manipulation

PubMed Central

Jung, Youngho; Shim, Jaeho; Kwon, Kyungmook; You, Jong-Bum; Choi, Kyunghan; Yu, Kyoungsik

2016-01-01

Optofluidic manipulation mechanisms have been successfully applied to micro/nano-scale assembly and handling applications in biophysics, electronics, and photonics. Here, we extend the laser-based optofluidic microbubble manipulation technique to achieve hybrid integration of compound semiconductor microdisk lasers on the silicon photonic circuit platform. The microscale compound semiconductor block trapped on the microbubble surface can be precisely assembled on a desired position using photothermocapillary convective flows induced by focused laser beam illumination. Strong light absorption within the micro-scale compound semiconductor object allows real-time and on-demand microbubble generation. After the assembly process, we verify that electromagnetic radiation from the optically-pumped InGaAsP microdisk laser can be efficiently coupled to the single-mode silicon waveguide through vertical evanescent coupling. Our simple and accurate microbubble-based manipulation technique may provide a new pathway for realizing high precision fluidic assembly schemes for heterogeneously integrated photonic/electronic platforms as well as microelectromechanical systems. PMID:27431769

Emission factors of air toxics from semiconductor manufacturing in Korea.

PubMed

Eom, Yun-Sung; Hong, Ji-Hyung; Lee, Suk-Jo; Lee, Eun-Jung; Cha, Jun-Seok; Lee, Dae-Gyun; Bang, Sun-Ae

2006-11-01

The development of local, accurate emission factors is very important for the estimation of reliable national emissions and air quality management. For that, this study is performed for pollutants released to the atmosphere with source-specific emission tests from the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The semiconductor manufacturing industry is one of the major sources of air toxics or hazardous air pollutants (HAPs); thus, understanding the emission characteristics of the emission source is a very important factor in the development of a control strategy. However, in Korea, there is a general lack of information available on air emissions from the semiconductor industry. The major emission sources of air toxics examined from the semiconductor manufacturing industry were wet chemical stations, coating applications, gaseous operations, photolithography, and miscellaneous devices in the wafer fabrication and semiconductor packaging processes. In this study, analyses of emission characteristics, and the estimations of emission data and factors for air toxics, such as acids, bases, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds from the semiconductor manufacturing process have been performed. The concentration of hydrogen chloride from the packaging process was the highest among all of the processes. In addition, the emission factor of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) for the packaging process was higher than that of the wafer fabrication process. Emission factors estimated in this study were compared with those of Taiwan for evaluation, and they were found to be of similar level in the case of TVOCs and fluorine compounds.