Quantum confinement is recognized to be an inherent property in low-dimensional structures.Traditionally,it is believed that the carriers trapped within the well cannot escape due to the discrete energy levels.However...Quantum confinement is recognized to be an inherent property in low-dimensional structures.Traditionally,it is believed that the carriers trapped within the well cannot escape due to the discrete energy levels.However,our previous research has revealed efficient carrier escape in low-dimensional structures,contradicting this conventional understanding.In this study,we review the energy band structure of quantum wells along the growth direction considering it as a superposition of the bulk material dispersion and quantization energy dispersion resulting from the quantum confinement across the whole Brillouin zone.By accounting for all wave vectors,we obtain a certain distribution of carrier energy at each quantized energy level,giving rise to the energy subbands.These results enable carriers to escape from the well under the influence of an electric field.Additionally,we have compiled a comprehensive summary of various energy band scenarios in quantum well structures relevant to carrier transport.Such a new interpretation holds significant value in deepening our comprehension of low-dimensional energy bands,discovering new physical phenomena,and designing novel devices with superior performance.展开更多
Band structure analysis holds significant importance for understanding the optoelectronic characteristics of semiconductor structures and exploring their potential applications in practice. For quantum well structures...Band structure analysis holds significant importance for understanding the optoelectronic characteristics of semiconductor structures and exploring their potential applications in practice. For quantum well structures, the energy of carriers in the well splits into discrete energy levels due to the confinement of barriers in the growth direction. However, the discrete energy levels obtained at a fixed wave vector cannot accurately reflect the actual energy band structure. In this work, the band structure of the type-II quantum wells is reanalyzed. When the wave vectors of the entire Brillouin region(corresponding to the growth direction) are taken into account, the quantized energy levels of the carriers in the well are replaced by subbands with certain energy distributions. This new understanding of the energy bands of low-dimensional structures not only helps us to have a deeper cognition of the structure, but also may overturn many viewpoints in traditional band theories and serve as supplementary to the band theory of low-dimensional systems.展开更多
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
We have successfully prepared GaN based high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs)on metallic substrates transferred from silicon substrates by electroplating technique.GaN HEMTs on Cu substrates are demonstrated to ba...We have successfully prepared GaN based high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs)on metallic substrates transferred from silicon substrates by electroplating technique.GaN HEMTs on Cu substrates are demonstrated to basically have the same good electric characteristics as the chips on Si substrates.Furthermore,the better heat dissipation of HEMTs on Cu substrates compared to HEMTs on Si substrates is clearly observed by thermoreflectance imaging,showing the promising potential for very high-power and high-temperature operation.This work shows the outstanding ability of HEMT chips on Cu substrates for solving the self-heating effect with the advantages of process simplicity,high yield,and low production requirement.展开更多
Absorption coefficient is a physical parameter to describe electromagnetic energy absorption of materials, which is closely related to solar cells and photodetectors. We grow a series of positive-intrinsic-negative(PI...Absorption coefficient is a physical parameter to describe electromagnetic energy absorption of materials, which is closely related to solar cells and photodetectors. We grow a series of positive-intrinsic-negative(PIN) structures on silicon wafer by a gas source molecule beam epitaxy system and the investigate the absorption coefficient through the photovoltaic processes in detail. It is found that the absorption coefficient is enhanced by one order and can be tuned greatly through the thickness of the intrinsic layer in the PIN structure, which is also demonstrated by the 730-nm-wavelength laser irradiation. These results cannot be explained by the traditional absorption theory.We speculate that there could be some uncovered mechanism in this system, which will inspire us to understand the absorption process further.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
The absorption coefficient is usually considered as a constant for certain materials at the given wavelength.However,recent experiments demonstrated that the absorption coefficient could be enhanced a lot by the PN ju...The absorption coefficient is usually considered as a constant for certain materials at the given wavelength.However,recent experiments demonstrated that the absorption coefficient could be enhanced a lot by the PN junction.The absorption coefficient varies with the thickness of the intrinsic layer in a PIN structure.Here,we interpret the anomalous absorption coefficient from the competition between recombination and drift for non-equilibrium carriers.Based on the Fokker-Planck theory,a non-equilibrium statistical model that describes the relationship between absorption coefficient and material thickness has been proposed.It could predict the experimental data well.Our results can give new ideas to design photoelectric devices.展开更多
SiGe spheres with different diameters are successfully fabricated on a virtual SiGe template using a laser irradiation method.The results from scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy reveal that the ...SiGe spheres with different diameters are successfully fabricated on a virtual SiGe template using a laser irradiation method.The results from scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy reveal that the diameter and Ge composition of the SiGe spheres can be well controlled by adjusting the laser energy density.In addition,the transmission electron microscopy results show that Ge composition inside the SiGe spheres is almost uniform in a well-defined,nearly spherical outline.As a convenient method to prepare sphere-shaped SiGe micro/nanostructures with tunable Ge composition and size,this technique is expected to be useful for SiGe-based material growth and micro/optoelectronic device fabrication.展开更多
The contact characteristic between p-InP and metal plays an important role in InP-related optoelectronic and microelectronic device applications.We investigate the low-resistance Au/Pt/Ni and Au/Ni ohmic contacts to p...The contact characteristic between p-InP and metal plays an important role in InP-related optoelectronic and microelectronic device applications.We investigate the low-resistance Au/Pt/Ni and Au/Ni ohmic contacts to p-InP based on the solid phase regrowth principle.The lowest specific contact resistivity of Au(100 nm)/Pt(115 nm)/Ni(50 nm)can reach 2.64×10^(-6)Ω·cm^(2) after annealing at 380℃ for 1 min,while the contact characteristics of Au/Ni deteriorated after annealing from 340℃ to 480℃ for 1 min.The results of scanning electron microscopy,atomic force microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy show that the Pt layer is an important factor in improving the contact characteristics.The Pt layer prevents the diffusion of In and Au,inhibits the formation of Au3In metal compounds,and prevents the deterioration of the ohmic contact.The metal structures and optimized annealing process is expected to be helpful for obtaining high-performance InP-related devices.展开更多
We demonstrate that a low-temperature Ga N insertion layer could significantly improve the surface morphology of non-polar a-plane Ga N.The two key factors in improving the surface morphology of non-polar a-plane Ga N...We demonstrate that a low-temperature Ga N insertion layer could significantly improve the surface morphology of non-polar a-plane Ga N.The two key factors in improving the surface morphology of non-polar a-plane Ga N are growth temperature and growth time of the Ga N insertion layer.The root-mean-square roughness of a-plane Ga N is reduced by 75%compared to the sample without the Ga N insertion layer.Meanwhile,the Ga N insertion layer is also beneficial for improving crystal quality.This work provides a simple and effective method to improve the surface morphology of non-polar a-plane Ga N.展开更多
It is known that the p–n junction of an absorption region is a crucial part for power conversion efficiency of photovoltaic power converters.We fabricate four samples with different dopant concentrations in base laye...It is known that the p–n junction of an absorption region is a crucial part for power conversion efficiency of photovoltaic power converters.We fabricate four samples with different dopant concentrations in base layers.The dependences of power conversion efficiency and fill factor on input power are displayed by photocurrent–voltage measurement.Photoluminescence characteristics under open circuit and connected circuit conditions are also studied.It is found that the status of p–n junction matching is the critical factor in affecting the power conversion efficiency.In addition,series resistance of photovoltaic power converters impairs the efficiency especially at high input powers.Both the key factors need to be considered to obtain high efficiency,and this work provides promising guidance on designing photovoltaic power converters.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61991441 and 62004218)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB01000000)Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.2021005).
文摘Quantum confinement is recognized to be an inherent property in low-dimensional structures.Traditionally,it is believed that the carriers trapped within the well cannot escape due to the discrete energy levels.However,our previous research has revealed efficient carrier escape in low-dimensional structures,contradicting this conventional understanding.In this study,we review the energy band structure of quantum wells along the growth direction considering it as a superposition of the bulk material dispersion and quantization energy dispersion resulting from the quantum confinement across the whole Brillouin zone.By accounting for all wave vectors,we obtain a certain distribution of carrier energy at each quantized energy level,giving rise to the energy subbands.These results enable carriers to escape from the well under the influence of an electric field.Additionally,we have compiled a comprehensive summary of various energy band scenarios in quantum well structures relevant to carrier transport.Such a new interpretation holds significant value in deepening our comprehension of low-dimensional energy bands,discovering new physical phenomena,and designing novel devices with superior performance.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61991441 and 62004218)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB01000000)Youth Innovation Promotion Association Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 2021005)。
文摘Band structure analysis holds significant importance for understanding the optoelectronic characteristics of semiconductor structures and exploring their potential applications in practice. For quantum well structures, the energy of carriers in the well splits into discrete energy levels due to the confinement of barriers in the growth direction. However, the discrete energy levels obtained at a fixed wave vector cannot accurately reflect the actual energy band structure. In this work, the band structure of the type-II quantum wells is reanalyzed. When the wave vectors of the entire Brillouin region(corresponding to the growth direction) are taken into account, the quantized energy levels of the carriers in the well are replaced by subbands with certain energy distributions. This new understanding of the energy bands of low-dimensional structures not only helps us to have a deeper cognition of the structure, but also may overturn many viewpoints in traditional band theories and serve as supplementary to the band theory of low-dimensional systems.
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Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61704008 and 11574362)。
文摘We have successfully prepared GaN based high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs)on metallic substrates transferred from silicon substrates by electroplating technique.GaN HEMTs on Cu substrates are demonstrated to basically have the same good electric characteristics as the chips on Si substrates.Furthermore,the better heat dissipation of HEMTs on Cu substrates compared to HEMTs on Si substrates is clearly observed by thermoreflectance imaging,showing the promising potential for very high-power and high-temperature operation.This work shows the outstanding ability of HEMT chips on Cu substrates for solving the self-heating effect with the advantages of process simplicity,high yield,and low production requirement.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No 11574362
文摘Absorption coefficient is a physical parameter to describe electromagnetic energy absorption of materials, which is closely related to solar cells and photodetectors. We grow a series of positive-intrinsic-negative(PIN) structures on silicon wafer by a gas source molecule beam epitaxy system and the investigate the absorption coefficient through the photovoltaic processes in detail. It is found that the absorption coefficient is enhanced by one order and can be tuned greatly through the thickness of the intrinsic layer in the PIN structure, which is also demonstrated by the 730-nm-wavelength laser irradiation. These results cannot be explained by the traditional absorption theory.We speculate that there could be some uncovered mechanism in this system, which will inspire us to understand the absorption process further.
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.61804176,61991441,and 62004218)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB01000000)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
文摘The absorption coefficient is usually considered as a constant for certain materials at the given wavelength.However,recent experiments demonstrated that the absorption coefficient could be enhanced a lot by the PN junction.The absorption coefficient varies with the thickness of the intrinsic layer in a PIN structure.Here,we interpret the anomalous absorption coefficient from the competition between recombination and drift for non-equilibrium carriers.Based on the Fokker-Planck theory,a non-equilibrium statistical model that describes the relationship between absorption coefficient and material thickness has been proposed.It could predict the experimental data well.Our results can give new ideas to design photoelectric devices.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.62004218,61991441,and 61804176)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB01000000)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.2021005).
文摘SiGe spheres with different diameters are successfully fabricated on a virtual SiGe template using a laser irradiation method.The results from scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy reveal that the diameter and Ge composition of the SiGe spheres can be well controlled by adjusting the laser energy density.In addition,the transmission electron microscopy results show that Ge composition inside the SiGe spheres is almost uniform in a well-defined,nearly spherical outline.As a convenient method to prepare sphere-shaped SiGe micro/nanostructures with tunable Ge composition and size,this technique is expected to be useful for SiGe-based material growth and micro/optoelectronic device fabrication.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.62004218,61704008,61804176,and 61991441)Youth Innovation Promotion Association,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.2021005)+2 种基金the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB01000000)Jiangsu Science and Technology Plan(Grant No.BK20180255)supported by the Center for Clean Energy,Institute of Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences。
文摘The contact characteristic between p-InP and metal plays an important role in InP-related optoelectronic and microelectronic device applications.We investigate the low-resistance Au/Pt/Ni and Au/Ni ohmic contacts to p-InP based on the solid phase regrowth principle.The lowest specific contact resistivity of Au(100 nm)/Pt(115 nm)/Ni(50 nm)can reach 2.64×10^(-6)Ω·cm^(2) after annealing at 380℃ for 1 min,while the contact characteristics of Au/Ni deteriorated after annealing from 340℃ to 480℃ for 1 min.The results of scanning electron microscopy,atomic force microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy show that the Pt layer is an important factor in improving the contact characteristics.The Pt layer prevents the diffusion of In and Au,inhibits the formation of Au3In metal compounds,and prevents the deterioration of the ohmic contact.The metal structures and optimized annealing process is expected to be helpful for obtaining high-performance InP-related devices.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11574362 and 61704008)。
文摘We demonstrate that a low-temperature Ga N insertion layer could significantly improve the surface morphology of non-polar a-plane Ga N.The two key factors in improving the surface morphology of non-polar a-plane Ga N are growth temperature and growth time of the Ga N insertion layer.The root-mean-square roughness of a-plane Ga N is reduced by 75%compared to the sample without the Ga N insertion layer.Meanwhile,the Ga N insertion layer is also beneficial for improving crystal quality.This work provides a simple and effective method to improve the surface morphology of non-polar a-plane Ga N.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61704008 and 11574362)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB33000000).
文摘It is known that the p–n junction of an absorption region is a crucial part for power conversion efficiency of photovoltaic power converters.We fabricate four samples with different dopant concentrations in base layers.The dependences of power conversion efficiency and fill factor on input power are displayed by photocurrent–voltage measurement.Photoluminescence characteristics under open circuit and connected circuit conditions are also studied.It is found that the status of p–n junction matching is the critical factor in affecting the power conversion efficiency.In addition,series resistance of photovoltaic power converters impairs the efficiency especially at high input powers.Both the key factors need to be considered to obtain high efficiency,and this work provides promising guidance on designing photovoltaic power converters.
