Effect of multi-intermediate bands on the behavior of InAs1-xNx/GaAs1-ySby quantum dot solar cell

A mathematical model of quantum dot intermediate band solar cells (QDIBSCs) is investigated using two intermediate bands (IBs). These two IBs arise from the quantum dot (QD) semiconductor material within the bandgap energy. Some parameters such as the width of the QD (W_QD) and the barrier thickness or the inter-dot distances between the QDs (B_T) are studied to show their influence on the performance of the QDIBSC. The time-independent Schrödinger equation, which is solved using the Kronig-Penney model, is used to determine the position and bandwidth energies of the two IBs. In our proposed model, the cubic shape of the QDs from InAs_0.9N_0.1 and the barrier or host semiconductor material from GaAs_0.98Sb_0.02 are utilized. It is shown from the results obtained that changing the parameters W_QD and B_T has more influence on the bandwidth energy for the first IB, Δ₁, than in the case of the second IB, Δ₂. The optimum power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of the QDIBSCs with two IBs for the model under study are 58.01% and 73.55% at 1 Sun and maximum solar concentration, respectively. One can observe that, in the case of the two IBs, an improvement of the PCE is achieved.     

Thermoelectric Properties of Triple-Filled BaxYbyInzCo4Sb12 Skutterudites

Indium-filled skutterudites are promising power generation thermoelectric materials due to the presence of an InSb nanostructure that lowers the thermal conductivity. In this work, we have investigated thermoelectric properties of triple-filled Ba _x Yb _y In _z Co₄Sb₁₂ (0 ≤ x, y, z ≤ 0.14 actual) compounds by measuring their Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and Hall coefficient. All samples were prepared by a melting–annealing–spark plasma sintering method, and their structure was characterized by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM results show the development of an InSb nanostructure with a grain size of 30 nm to 500 nm. The nanostructure is present in all samples containing In and is also detected by specific heat measurements. The Seebeck and Hall coefficients indicate that the compounds are n-type semiconductors. Electrical conductivity increases with increasing Ba content. Thermal conductivity is strongly suppressed upon the presence of In in the skutterudite structure, likely due to enhanced boundary scattering of phonons on the nanometer-scale InSb inclusions. The highest thermoelectric figure of merit is achieved with Ba_0.09Yb_0.07In_0.06Co₄Sb_11.97, reaching ZT = 1.25 at 800 K.     

非对称应变纤锌矿AlxGa1-xN/GaN/AlyGa1-yN量子阱中浅杂质态的结合能

本文采用变分法数值计算应变纤锌矿AlxGa1−xN/GaN/AlyGa1−yN量子阱中类氢杂质的基态结合能. 计及由自发极化和压电极化引起的内建电场, 讨论阱宽、杂质位置以及左右垒中Al组分对结合能的影响. 结果表明, 尤其在非对称量子阱即势垒宽度或（和）高度不一样的情形下, 杂质位置和垒高对结合能随阱宽变化关系的影响比垒宽更为明显. 对称或非对称结构中, 结合能随杂质位置的变化形如电子基态波函数的空间分布. 此外, 左垒中Al组分对结合能的影响较右垒更甚.     

Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of InzCo4?xFexSb12 Skutterudites

The thermoelectric properties of In-filled and Fe-doped CoSb₃ (In _z Co_4−x - Fe _x Sb₁₂) skutterudites prepared by encapsulated induction melting were examined. A single δ-phase was obtained successfully by subsequent annealing at 823 K for 120 h. The Hall and Seebeck coefficients of the In _z Co_4−x Fe _x Sb₁₂ samples had positive signs, indicating p-type conduction. The electrical conductivity was increased by Fe doping, and the thermal conductivity was decreased by In filling due to phonon scattering. The thermoelectric properties were improved by In filling and Fe doping, and were closely related to the optimum carrier concentration and phonon scattering.     

Enhanced magnetic anisotropy and high hole mobility in magnetic semiconductor Ga1-x-yFexNiySb

(Ga,Fe)Sb is a promising magnetic semiconductor (MS) for spintronic applications because its Curie temperature (T_C) is above 300 K when the Fe concentration is higher than 20%. However, the anisotropy constant K_u of (Ga,Fe)Sb is below 7.6 × 10³ erg/cm³ when Fe concentration is lower than 30%, which is one order of magnitude lower than that of (Ga,Mn)As. To address this issue, we grew Ga_1-x-yFe_xNi_ySb films with almost the same x (≈24%) and different y to characterize their magnetic and electrical transport properties. We found that the magnetic anisotropy of Ga_0.76-yFe_0.24Ni_ySb can be enhanced by increasing y, in which K_u is negligible at y = 1.7% but increases to 3.8 × 10⁵ erg/cm³ at y = 6.1% (T_C = 354 K). In addition, the hole mobility (µ) of Ga_1-x-yFe_xNi_ySb reaches 31.3 cm²/(V∙s) at x = 23.7%, y = 1.7% (T_C = 319 K), which is much higher than the mobility of Ga_1-xFe_xSb at x = 25.2% (µ = 6.2 cm²/(V∙s)). Our results provide useful information for enhancing the magnetic anisotropy and hole mobility of (Ga,Fe)Sb by using Ni co-doping.     

背照式AlGaN基双色日盲紫外探测器

Abstract： Back-illuminated AlxGal-xN-based dual-band solar-blind ultraviolet （UV） photodetectors （PDs） are realized by a three-terminal n-i-p-i-n heterojunction structure which is grown on sapphire substrate by metal organic chemical vapor deposition （MOCVD）. The two p-i-n junctions contained in the heterojunction structure can work separately and independently. Working in the photovoltaic mode, the PDs display peak responsivity of ～10.8 mA/W at 242 nm and ～5.0 mA/W at 257 nm, respectively. The two junctions with different size, whose diameters are 500 μm and 800 μm, exhibit almost the same leakage current of ～1.3× 10-9 A at a reverse bias of 10 V. Therefore, dark current densities of the two junctions are close to 6.6 × 10-7 A/cm2 and 2.6 × 10-7 A/cm2 at -10 V respectively.     

Fabrication of High-Quality Co2FeSi/SiOxNy/Si(100) Tunnel Contacts Using Radical-Oxynitridation-Formed SiOxNy Barrier for Si-Based Spin Transistors

A high-quality Co₂FeSi (CFS)/SiO _x N _y /Si tunnel junction was fabricated, in which the SiO _x N _y barrier layer was formed by radical oxynitridation of an Si(100) substrate and the CFS electrode was formed by silicidation of an Fe/Co/amorphous-Si multilayer deposited on the barrier layer. The ultrathin SiO _x N _y barrier layer completely blocked diffusion of Co and Fe atoms into the Si substrate during rapid thermal annealing (RTA) for the silicidation. X-ray diffraction investigations clarified that the CFS film on the ultrathin SiO _x N _y barrier layer exhibited a highly (110)-oriented texture structure and that the film had the L2₁ structure with a high degree of L2₁ order. High resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy investigations revealed that the CFS/SiO _x N _y interface was atomically flat and that the crystal lattice of the CFS film was directly grown on the SiO _x N _y surface without degradation of the crystallinity at the interface.     

Conduction mechanisms and an evidence for phonon-assisted conduction process in thin high-k HfxTiySizO films

Electrical behavior of high-k Hf_xTi_ySi_zO layers with different Hf:Ti ratios in the film have been investigated. The films are prepared by MOCVD using novel single-source precursors chemistry. Oxide and interface charges, leakage currents and conduction mechanisms are found to be a strong function of the film composition. The films with lower Hf content show lower level of oxide and interface charges and higher dielectric constant whereas those with higher Hf content have better leakage current properties. It is established that in the films with lower Hf content the conduction is governed by a phonon-assisted process. The change of the conduction mechanism from Poole–Frenkel emission to phonon-assisted tunneling is assigned to possible structural changes which take place when changing the composition of the films.     

Hybrid functional calculations on the band gap bowing parameters of InxGa1-xN

The electronic band structures and band gap bowing parameters of In_xGa_1-xN are studied by the firstprinciples method based on the density functional theory. Calculations by employing both the Heyd-ScuseriaErnzerh of hybrid functional（HSE06） and the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof（PBE） one are performed. We found that the theoretical band gap bowing parameter is dependent significantly on the calculation method, especially on the exchange-correlation functional employed in the DFT calculations. The band gap of In_xGa_1-xN alloy decreases considerably when the In constituent x increases. It is the interactions of s–s and p–p orbitals between anions and cations that play significant roles in formatting the band gaps bowing. In general, the HSE06 hybrid functional could provide a good alternative to the PBE functional in calculating the band gap bowing parameters.     

Valence band structures and optical transitions of Ga1−xInxNyAs1−y/GaAs compressively strained quantum wells

The electronic structures of the Ga_1−xIn_xN_yAs_1−y/GaAs compressively strained quantum wells (QW) are investigated using 6×6 k·p Hamiltonian including the heavy hole, light hole and spin–orbit splitting band. The curves of dependence of transition energy on well width and N mole fraction are obtained. The valence subband energy dispersion curves, density of state and TE and TM squared optical transition matrix elements of three possible QW structures for emitting 1.3 μm wavelength are given.     

利用拉曼谱鉴别锗硅合金微结构变化

随着硅浓度的增大,计算的拉曼谱结果表明,Ge-Si模式和Si-Si模式向高波数移动,而Ge-Ge模式向低波数移动,这种拉曼谱的变化强烈的依赖于合金微结构的变化。它的模式频率的线性变化依赖于Ge/Si的力学常熟的变化。这种现象可以用来鉴别合金中Si含量的浓度。可以通过拉曼散射表征这种复杂的微结构变化。     

Electronic structure of GaAs1−xNx alloys

We have performed first-principles total-energy calculations based on pseudopotential and plane-wave method on ordered GaAs_1−xN_x alloys. We have found that the alloy is metallic at x≈0.25, has an indirect gap at 0.10<x<0.35 and a direct gap for the rest of the composition range within LDA. The alloy becomes metallic because the conduction band at R point is lower than the valence band maximum at Γ point. This discrepancy with previous calculations can be explained in terms of band folding and strong order dependence of the electronic structure of GaAs_1−xN_x alloys.     

ZnO1-xTex and ZnO1-xSx semiconductor alloys as competent materials for opto-electronic and solar cell applications:a comparative analysis

ZnO_1-xTe_x ternary alloys have great potential to work as a photovoltaic (PV) absorber in solar cells. ZnO_1-xS_x is also a ZnO based alloy that have uses in solar cells. In this paper we report the comparative study of various parameters of ZnO_1-xTe_x and ZnO_1-xS_x for selecting it to be a competent material for solar cell applications. The parameters are mainly being calculated using the well-known VCA (virtual crystal approximation) and VBAC (Valence Band Anti-Crossing) model. It was certainly being analysed that the incorporation of Te atoms produces a high band gap lower than S atoms in the host ZnO material. The spin-orbit splitting energy value of ZnO_1-xTe_x was found to be higher than that of ZnO_1-xS_x. Beside this, the strain effects are also higher in ZnO_1-xTe_x than ZnO_1-xS_x. The remarkable notifying result which the paper is reporting is that at a higher percentage of Te atoms in ZnO_1-xTe_x, the spin-orbit splitting energy value rises above the band gap value, which signifies a very less internal carrier recombination that decreases the leakage current and increases the efficiency of the solar cell. Moreover, it also covers a wide wavelength range compared to ZnO_1-xS_x.     

Zinc diffusion in AlxGa1−xP

We report about Zn diffusion experiments at 700–850°C in (AlGa)P hetero-structures grown by liquid-phase epitaxy. The effective diffusion constant Al_0.35Ga_0.65P is found to be 10–50 times larger than in GaP and has a smaller activation energy. We discuss the implication of this for device work and give a tentative explanation.     

High-energy photoemission spectroscopy of ferromagnetic Ga1−xMnxN

Here we report investigation of valence band electronic states of ferromagnetic Ga_0.96Mn_0.04N by bulk-sensitive X-ray photoemission, which is realized at high flux X-ray undulator beamline BL29XU of SPring-8, at photon energy of 5.95 keV. We have observed that Mn doping introduces a new structure in the band gap region near the top of the valence band, and also a broader structure in deeper valence band region. Basing upon the first principle calculation, these structures are assigned as Ga 4s originated states, which are raised by hybridization between 3d orbitals of Mn with GaN host orbitals. The present result evidences the second nearest Ga bonds are affected by that Mn–N bond formation, suggesting the long-range interaction of Mn in this host material.     

Growth-Temperature-Controlled Optical Properties of Textured MgxZn1?xO Thin Films

Pulsed laser deposition was used to grow magnesium zinc oxide thin films on amorphous fused silica substrates at several temperatures between room temperature and 750°C. In this study, the effect of growth temperature on the optical properties of textured Mg _x Zn_1−x O thin films was examined. The optical properties of the films were measured using absorption and photoluminescence spectrometry. Absorption spectra revealed that the bandgap values of textured Mg _x Zn_1−x O thin films were enhanced in films grown at higher temperatures. The absorption spectra near the absorption edge were fitted using the Urbach equation in order to investigate the effects of growth temperature on exponential band tail and bandgap. The photoluminescence spectra were measured for magnesium zinc oxide thin films deposited at 250°C, 350°C, 450°C, 550°C, and 650°C. The film grown at 350°C provided the highest excitonic peak intensity. On the other hand, the film grown at 250°C exhibited the lowest excitonic peak intensity. The excitonic peak intensity was considerably reduced in magnesium zinc oxide thin films grown at temperatures greater than 350°C. The ability to perform substrate-temperature-dependent bandgap engineering of Mg _x Zn_1−x O will enable use of this material in next-generation optical and optoelectronic devices.     

AlxGa1-xAs量子线中的浅杂质态的研究

利用变分方法研究柱型量子线中浅杂质态的极化效应。给出AlxGa1-xAs柱型量子线中浅杂质态的结合能随组份x,杂质位置的变化关系。结果表明电子-声子相互作用明显降低了杂质态的结合能,且结合能随组份x的增加而增加。     

Characterization of AlxInyGa1−x−yN quaternary alloys grown on sapphire substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy

High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) with rocking curve, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy have been performed on high-quality quaternary Al_xIn_yGa_1−x−yN thin films at room temperature. The Al_xIn_yGa_1−x−yN films were grown on c-plane (0 0 0 1) sapphire substrates with AlN as buffer layers using a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technique with aluminum (Al) mole fractions x ranging from 0.0 to 0.2 and constant indium (In) mole fraction y=0.1. HR-XRD measurements confirmed the high crystalline quality of these alloys without any phase separation. The X-ray rocking curve of Al_xIn_yGa_1−x−yN films typically shows full widths at half maximum (FWHM) intensity between 14.4 and 28.8 arcmin. AFM measurements revealed a two-dimensional (2D) growth mode with a smooth surface morphology of quaternary epilayers. PL spectra exhibited both an enhancement of the integrated intensity and an increasing blueshift with increased Al content with reference to the ternary sample In_0.1Ga_0.90N. Both effects arise from Al-enhanced exciton localization. PL was used to determine the behavior of the energy band gap of the quaternary films, which was found to increase with increasing Al composition from 0.05 to 0.2. This trend is expected since the incorporation of Al increases the energy band gap of ternary In_0.1Ga_0.90N (3.004 eV). We have also investigated the bowing parameter for the variation of energy band gaps and found it to be very sensitive on the Al composition. A value of b=10.4 has been obtained for our quaternary Al_xIn_yGa_1−x−yN alloys.     

Efficient GaAs---Ga1−xAlxAs heterostructure electroluminescent diodes

The development of efficient GaAs(Zn) electroluminescent diodes using a GaAs---Ga_1−xAl_xAs single heterostructure design is reported. External equantum efficiencies (300°K) of 10 per cent have been achieved at 9100 Å (1.36 eV) with pulsed current densities at and above 70 A/cm² on square diodes embedded in epoxy domes. The heterostructure consists of a Ga_1−xAl_xAs (Zn) p-layer grown by liquid phase epitaxy on an n-type GaAs substrate with the simultaneous diffusion of Zn a distance of 2 μm into the substrate. Several features of the heterostructure design contribute to the high efficiency: (1) the 9100 Å emission suffers little absorption in the Ga_1−xAl_xAs, (2) there is little nonradiative recombination at the GaAs---Ga_1−xAl_xAs interface, and (3) the compensated p-region produces 9100 Å radiation whichi s not strongly absorbed in the n-GaAs regions of the device. The external quantum efficiencies obtained with the heterostructure devices are nearly an order of magnitude higher than those obtained from conventional Zn-diffused GaAs homostructure diodes with similar geometry. The solution growth, fabrication, and electroluminescence properties of the heterostructure diodes are described.