N-polar GaN film was obtained by using a high-temperature AlN buffer layer.It was found that the polarity could be inverted by a thin low-temperature AlN interlayer with the same V/III ratio as that of the high-temper...N-polar GaN film was obtained by using a high-temperature AlN buffer layer.It was found that the polarity could be inverted by a thin low-temperature AlN interlayer with the same V/III ratio as that of the high-temperature AlN layer.Continuing to increase the V/III ratio of the low-temperature AlN interlayer,the Ga-polarity of GaN film was inverted to N-polarity again but the crystal quality and surface roughness of GaN film greatly deteriorated.Finally,we analyzed the chemical environment of the AlN layer by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),which provides a new direction for the control of GaN polarity.展开更多
The green light emitting diodes （LEDs） have lower quantum efficiency than LEDs with other emission wavelengths in the visible spectrum. In this research, a novel quantum well structure was designed to improve the el...The green light emitting diodes （LEDs） have lower quantum efficiency than LEDs with other emission wavelengths in the visible spectrum. In this research, a novel quantum well structure was designed to improve the electroluminescence （EL） of green InGaN-based LEDs. Compared with the conventional quantum well structure, the novel structure LED gained 2.14 times light out power （LOP） at 20-mA current injection, narrower FWHM and lower blue-shift at different current injection conditions.展开更多
Absorption and carrier transport behavior plays an important role in the light-to-electricity conversion process, which is difficult to characterize. Here we develop a method to visualize such a conversion process in ...Absorption and carrier transport behavior plays an important role in the light-to-electricity conversion process, which is difficult to characterize. Here we develop a method to visualize such a conversion process in the InGaN/GaN multiquantum wells embedded in a p-n junction. Under non-resonant absorption conditions, a photocurrent was generated and the photoluminescence intensity decayed by more than 70% when the p-n junction out-circuit was switched from open to short. However, when the excitation photon energy decreased to the resonant absorption edge, the photocurrent dropped drastically and the photoluminescence under open and short circuit conditions showed similar intensity. These results indicate that the escaping of the photo-generated carriers from the quantum wells is closely related to the excitation photon energy.展开更多
The optical absorption is the most important macroscopic process to characterize the microscopic optical transition in the semiconductor materials. Recently, great enhancement has been observed in the absorption of th...The optical absorption is the most important macroscopic process to characterize the microscopic optical transition in the semiconductor materials. Recently, great enhancement has been observed in the absorption of the active region within a p–n junction. In this paper, Ga As based p–i–n samples with the active region varied from 100 nm to 3 μm were fabricated and it was observed that the external quantum efficiencies are higher than the typical results, indicating a new mechanism beyond the established theories. We proposed a theoretical model about the abnormal optical absorption process in the active region within a strong electric field, which might provide new theories for the design of the solar cells,photodetectors, and other photoelectric devices.展开更多
A new mechanism of light-to-electricity conversion that uses InGaN/GaN QWs with a p-n junction is reported.According to the well established light-to-electricity conversion theory,quantum wells（QWs） cannot be used i...A new mechanism of light-to-electricity conversion that uses InGaN/GaN QWs with a p-n junction is reported.According to the well established light-to-electricity conversion theory,quantum wells（QWs） cannot be used in solar cells and photodetectors because the photogenerated carriers in QWs usually relax to ground energy levels,owing to quantum confinement,and cannot form a photocurrent.We observe directly that more than 95% of the photoexcited carriers escape from InGaN/GaN QWs to generate a photocurrent,indicating that the thermionic emission and tunneling processes proposed previously cannot explain carriers escaping from QWs.We show that photoexcited carriers can escape directly from the QWs when the device is under working conditions.Our finding challenges the current theory and demonstrates a new prospect for developing highly efficient solar cells and photodetectors.展开更多
Gallium nitride(GaN) thin film of the nitrogen polarity(N-polar) was grown on C-plane sapphire and misoriented C-plane sapphire substrates respectively by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD). The misorienta...Gallium nitride(GaN) thin film of the nitrogen polarity(N-polar) was grown on C-plane sapphire and misoriented C-plane sapphire substrates respectively by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD). The misorientation angle is off-axis from C-plane toward M-plane of the substrates, and the angle is 2°and 4°respectively. The nitrogen polarity was confirmed by examining the images of the scanning electron microscope before and after the wet etching in potassium hydroxide(KOH) solution. The morphology was studied by the optical microscope and atomic force microscope. The crystalline quality was characterized by the x-ray diffraction. The lateral coherence length, the tilt angle, the vertical coherence length, and the vertical lattice-strain were acquired using the pseudo-Voigt function to fit the x-ray diffraction curves and then calculating with four empirical formulae. The lateral coherence length increases with the misorientation angle, because higher step density and shorter distance between adjacent steps can lead to larger lateral coherence length.The tilt angle increases with the misorientation angle, which means that the misoriented substrate can degrade the identity of crystal orientation of the N-polar GaN film. The vertical lattice-strain decreases with the misorientation angle. The vertical coherence length does not change a lot as the misorientation angle increases and this value of all samples is close to the nominal thickness of the N-polar GaN layer. This study helps to understand the influence of the misorientation angle of misoriented C-plane sapphire on the morphology, the crystalline quality, and the microstructure of N-polar GaN films.展开更多
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.62004218)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB33000000).
文摘N-polar GaN film was obtained by using a high-temperature AlN buffer layer.It was found that the polarity could be inverted by a thin low-temperature AlN interlayer with the same V/III ratio as that of the high-temperature AlN layer.Continuing to increase the V/III ratio of the low-temperature AlN interlayer,the Ga-polarity of GaN film was inverted to N-polarity again but the crystal quality and surface roughness of GaN film greatly deteriorated.Finally,we analyzed the chemical environment of the AlN layer by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),which provides a new direction for the control of GaN polarity.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant Nos.2016YFB0400300 and 2016YFB0400600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11574362,61210014,and 11374340)the Innovative Clean-Energy Research and Application Program of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission(Grant No.Z151100003515001)
文摘The green light emitting diodes （LEDs） have lower quantum efficiency than LEDs with other emission wavelengths in the visible spectrum. In this research, a novel quantum well structure was designed to improve the electroluminescence （EL） of green InGaN-based LEDs. Compared with the conventional quantum well structure, the novel structure LED gained 2.14 times light out power （LOP） at 20-mA current injection, narrower FWHM and lower blue-shift at different current injection conditions.
基金Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant Nos.2016YFB0400302 and 2016YFB0400603)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11574362,61210014,and 11374340)the Innovative Clean-Energy Research and Application Program of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission,China(Grant No.Z151100003515001)
文摘Absorption and carrier transport behavior plays an important role in the light-to-electricity conversion process, which is difficult to characterize. Here we develop a method to visualize such a conversion process in the InGaN/GaN multiquantum wells embedded in a p-n junction. Under non-resonant absorption conditions, a photocurrent was generated and the photoluminescence intensity decayed by more than 70% when the p-n junction out-circuit was switched from open to short. However, when the excitation photon energy decreased to the resonant absorption edge, the photocurrent dropped drastically and the photoluminescence under open and short circuit conditions showed similar intensity. These results indicate that the escaping of the photo-generated carriers from the quantum wells is closely related to the excitation photon energy.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.61991441)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB33000000).
文摘The optical absorption is the most important macroscopic process to characterize the microscopic optical transition in the semiconductor materials. Recently, great enhancement has been observed in the absorption of the active region within a p–n junction. In this paper, Ga As based p–i–n samples with the active region varied from 100 nm to 3 μm were fabricated and it was observed that the external quantum efficiencies are higher than the typical results, indicating a new mechanism beyond the established theories. We proposed a theoretical model about the abnormal optical absorption process in the active region within a strong electric field, which might provide new theories for the design of the solar cells,photodetectors, and other photoelectric devices.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11574362,61210014,and 11374340)the Innovative Clean-energy Research and Application Program of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission,China(Grant No.Z151100003515001)
文摘A new mechanism of light-to-electricity conversion that uses InGaN/GaN QWs with a p-n junction is reported.According to the well established light-to-electricity conversion theory,quantum wells（QWs） cannot be used in solar cells and photodetectors because the photogenerated carriers in QWs usually relax to ground energy levels,owing to quantum confinement,and cannot form a photocurrent.We observe directly that more than 95% of the photoexcited carriers escape from InGaN/GaN QWs to generate a photocurrent,indicating that the thermionic emission and tunneling processes proposed previously cannot explain carriers escaping from QWs.We show that photoexcited carriers can escape directly from the QWs when the device is under working conditions.Our finding challenges the current theory and demonstrates a new prospect for developing highly efficient solar cells and photodetectors.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61991441)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB33000000)Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences。
文摘Gallium nitride(GaN) thin film of the nitrogen polarity(N-polar) was grown on C-plane sapphire and misoriented C-plane sapphire substrates respectively by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD). The misorientation angle is off-axis from C-plane toward M-plane of the substrates, and the angle is 2°and 4°respectively. The nitrogen polarity was confirmed by examining the images of the scanning electron microscope before and after the wet etching in potassium hydroxide(KOH) solution. The morphology was studied by the optical microscope and atomic force microscope. The crystalline quality was characterized by the x-ray diffraction. The lateral coherence length, the tilt angle, the vertical coherence length, and the vertical lattice-strain were acquired using the pseudo-Voigt function to fit the x-ray diffraction curves and then calculating with four empirical formulae. The lateral coherence length increases with the misorientation angle, because higher step density and shorter distance between adjacent steps can lead to larger lateral coherence length.The tilt angle increases with the misorientation angle, which means that the misoriented substrate can degrade the identity of crystal orientation of the N-polar GaN film. The vertical lattice-strain decreases with the misorientation angle. The vertical coherence length does not change a lot as the misorientation angle increases and this value of all samples is close to the nominal thickness of the N-polar GaN layer. This study helps to understand the influence of the misorientation angle of misoriented C-plane sapphire on the morphology, the crystalline quality, and the microstructure of N-polar GaN films.
