Linear photovoltaic effect in gyrotropic crystals

The ballistic and shift linear photovoltaic effects caused by asymmetry of the probability of optical transitions between subbands M ₁ ^′ and M ₂ ^′ in tellurium (involving long-wave optical phonons) and by carrier shift in real space at quantum transitions, respectively, are considered. The temperature and frequency dependences of the current of both ballistic and shift linear photovoltaic effects for the photon and phonon mechanisms are analyzed.     

Role of intervalley scattering in the radiative recombination in Pb1 − x Eu x Te alloys (0 ≤ x ≤ 1)

Measurements of the photoluminescence from epitaxial layers of Pb_{1 ? x} Eu _x Te alloys with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.32 are carried out. It is found that the luminescence intensity decreases with increasing Eu content and, already for x as low as about 0.1, drops by more than one order of magnitude. No luminescence is observed for 0.2 < x ≤ 0.32. This behavior is explained by the fact that, for x ≈ 0.1, the absolute minimum in the conduction band changes from the L to X point, which results in the scattering of nonequilibrium electrons to the X valley and, thus, causes a decrease in the quantum efficiency of the emission. According to published data, for x > 0.85, optical transitions also take place with the participation of the X valley; in this case, the emission is governed by the formation of magnetic polarons. The temperature dependences of the band gap are determined for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.11. These dependences have a wide linear region characterized by a positive dE _g /dT coefficient, which decreases with the Eu content to become negative in pure EuTe.     

Energy levels of a quantum ring in a lateral electric field

The electronic states of a semiconductor quantum ring (QR) under an applied lateral electric field are theoretically investigated and compared with those of a quantum disk of the same size. The eigenstates and eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian are obtained from a direct matrix diagonalization scheme. Numerical calculations are performed for a hard-wall confinement potential and the electronic states are obtained as a function of the electric field and the ratio r₂/r₁, where r₂ (r₁) is the outer (inner) radius of the ring. The effects of decreasing symmetry and mixing on the energy levels and wave functions due to the applied electric field are also studied. The direct optical absorption are reported as a function of the electric field.     

Thermoelectric properties of symmetric and asymmetric double quantum well structures

The electronic states and carrier transport in (100)PbTe/Pb _{1 ? x} Eu _x Te double quantum wells are theoretically analyzed. The dependences of the mobility and Seebeck coefficient on the thickness of the internal barrier in symmetric and asymmetric structures are investigated. It was found that at great distance between the wells even small violation of the structure symmetry and essential reconstruction of electron wave functions results in suppression of intersubband scattering with carriers transfer between the wells and provides the correct limit to isolated quantum well in kinetic coefficients. Some possibilities of increasing the thermoelectric power factor are found, and a suitable set of structure parameters is calculated within the proposed model.     

Interaction of electrons with optical phonons localized in a quantum well

The scattering rate of electrons in a quantum well by localized polar optical and interface phonons is considered. The dependence of the force of the electron-phonon interaction on the frequency of optical phonons in materials of the heterostructure forming the electron and phonon quantum wells is determined. It is shown that, by varying the composition of semiconductors forming the quantum well and its barriers, it is possible to vary the scattering rates of electrons by a factor of several times. The scattering rates of electrons by polar optical phonons are calculated depending on the fractions In _x and In _y in the composition of semiconductors forming the In _x Al_{1 ? x} As/In _y Ga_{1 ? y} As quantum wells. Dependences of the mobility and saturated drift velocity of electrons in high electric fields and quantum wells In _y Ga_{1 ? y} As on the composition of the In _x Al_{1 ? x} As barriers introduced into quantum wells are determined experimentally. The electron mobility increases, while the saturated drift velocity decreases as the fraction of In _x in the composition of barriers is increased.     

Photoluminescence spectra of Cd x Hg1 − x Te quantum-well heterostructures

Photoluminescence spectra are measured for a nanoscale Cd _x Hg_{1 ? x} Te heterostructure with a single quantum well about 12.5 nm thick in the case x = 0.24. The confined energy levels and the respective rates of different optical transitions are calculated on this basis. Major radiative processes are identified.     

Excitonic photoluminescence of silicon quantum-well structures

The exciton binding energy and the energies of radiative excitonic transitions in the separate SiO_x-Si-SiO_x quantum wells are calculated in the effective-mass approximation with the quadratic dispersion relation. Along with the real finite offsets of the bands in such quantum well structures, the effect of dielectric enhancement of the exciton binding energy due polarization of the heterointerfaces is taken into account. In addition, the dependence of the zero-phonon radiative excitonic recombination time on the width of the SiO_x-Si-SiO_x quantum well is calculated. This dependence exhibits unsteady (oscillating) behavior, which is caused by the indirect band gap of the silicon material. It is shown that the theoretically calculated energies of the radiative excitonic transitions in the SiO₂-Si-SiO₂ quantum wells match the experimentally determined energies for the quantum wells whose widths are larger than 1.5 nm. Good agreement between the theoretically calculated and experimental spectral dependences of photoluminescence in the SiO₂-Si-SiO₂ quantum wells is attained.     

A model of photoinduced annealing of intrinsic defects in hexagonal CdS<Subscript>x</Subscript>Se<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> quantum dots

A possible mechanism of photoinduced annealing of intrinsic defects in quantum dots with a hexagonal crystal structure is justified on the basis of the studies of the kinetics of photoinduced decay of luminescence of CdS_xSe_1?x quantum dots synthesized in a glass matrix and ab initio calculations of chemical bond energies at the interface in the n(CdSe)-SiO_x-type cluster. The model proposed implies that photoinduced Se-O bond breaking at the anionic face results in an increase in electric field inside the quantum dot; this field stimulates cadmium vacancy diffusion to the surface. This model accounts for the degradation of luminescence and of the parameters of nonlinear optical devices observed during photoinduced annealing.     

Optical transitions in Cd x Hg1 ? x Te-based quantum wells and their analysis with account for the actual band structure of the material

Quantum-confinement levels in a Cd _x Hg_{1 ? x} Te-based rectangular quantum well are calculated in the framework of the four-band Kane model taking into account mixing between the states of electrons and three types of holes (heavy, light, and spin-split holes). Comparison of the calculation results with experimental data on the photoluminescence of Cd _x Hg_{1 ? x} Te-based quantum wells suggests that optical transitions involving the conduction and light-hole bands are possibly observed in the spectra.     

A detailed analysis of the metal-semiconductor contact

A general quantum and electronic theory able to explain the electric and photoelectric experimental properties of the metal-semiconductor contacts is proposed. The theory consists firstly in calculating the electric space charge due to the quantum mechanical tunneling of the electrons from the metal into the semiconductor, and vice-versa, and to the metal and semiconductor bands bending. Then the electric charge so obtained is utilised to solve in an appropriate and complete way the Poisson equation so as to determine the electric field and potential as functions of the abscissa x. The electric field F(x) is employed to obtain a new expression for the junction capacitance C, holding in the general case of a non-uniform charge, whereas the electric potential ν_i(x) is used to calculate general expressions for the thermionic and photoelectric currents i and i_ph, respectively, taking into account in this both the tunneling probability through the energy barrier and the many-valley structure of the semiconductor energy bands. Finally, from ν_i(x), C, i and i_ph four new expressions of the energy barrier height of the contact are deduced. The theoretical results relative to the barrier height so determined (which hold for both n-and p-type semiconductors) are compared with published experimental values obtained, by means of capacitance and photocurrent measurements: (a) on contacts between n-type CdS and Au, Cu, Ag and Pt; (b) on contacts between n-type GaAs and Au, Ag, Cu, Sn, Al and Pt and; (c) on contacts between p-type GaAs and Au and Al. The agreement between the theoretical and experimental values is very good.     

Surface-barrier structures on single crystals of CdMgMnTe quaternary solid solutions: Creation and properties

Planar melt crystallization is used to grow single crystals of Cd-Mg-Mn-Te quaternary alloys along the pseudobinary sections Cd_{0.75 − x} Mg _x Mn_0.25Te, Cd_{0.75 − x} Mg_0.25Mn _x Te, and Cd_{1 − 2x} Mg _x Mn _x Te. The first photosensitive structures, i.e., In/CdMgMnTe Schottky barriers, are fabricated within each indicated single-crystal section. The spectral dependences of the relative quantum efficiency of photoconversion are measured, and the broadband photosensitivity of the new structures is detected. Based on the spectral dependences of the photosensitivity, the nature of the meson transitions is discussed and the corresponding band gaps are determined. The applicability of grown single crystals of CdMgMnTe quaternary alloys to broadband photoconverters of optical radiations is ascertained.     

Far infrared stimulated and spontaneous radiation in uniaxially deformed zero-gap Hg1−x CdxTe

Stimulated radiation in the range of 80–100 µm was observed in uniaxially stressed zero-gap Hg_1?x Cd_xTe (x=0.10–0.14) under conditions of impact ionization by an electric field. The abrupt increase in emission occurs under the threshold values of elastic strain and electric-field strength and is followed by an abrupt increase in the current in the sample. The field and deformation dependences of spontaneous radiation are also determined. The mechanism of the effect observed is suggested taking into account the transformation of energy bands and impurity acceptor levels by the uniaxial elastic stress.     

Spin-orbit splitting dependent resonant third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells

For the transition between valence band and conduction band, the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ for degenerated four-wave mixing in In_xGa_1−xN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) has been calculated. The contributions of spin-orbit split-off energy to the resonant third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility of the modes, whose polarization is vertical to the [0 0 1] direction of the MQWs, are discussed in detail. The correlations between the peaks of χ⁽³⁾, which are due to the transitions from the spin-orbit split-off energy level to first conduction subband, and the width of the quantum well and the constituents of the semiconductor material are obtained.     

Electric-field-controlled effects of spatial recurrence and multiplication of electron waves in two-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures

Effects of recurrence and multiplication in the spatial distribution of the probability-flux density j _x(x, z) (or the quantum-mechanical current density ej _x(x, z), where e is the elementary charge), which arise from electron-wave interference in two-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures, are analyzed, and the possibility of controlling these effects by the application of a dc transverse electric field is examined. A type of nanostructure represented by two rectangular quantum wells (a wide one and a narrow one) whose widths are measured in the direction of the z axis (the quantum-confinement axis) with the wells arranged sequentially in the direction of propagation of the electron wave (the x axis) is considered. It is shown that, for an electron wave entering the wide well from the narrow well, the initial transverse distribution peak j _x(0, z) is reproduced with some accuracy at distances X _p = pX ₁ (recurrence) and, in nanostructures symmetric along the z axis, splits at distances X ₁/q into q identical peaks of magnitude reduced by a factor of q (multiplication) (here, p and q are integers). It is demonstrated that these effects can be controlled by a dc electric field applied in the transverse direction (along the z axis) in the region of the wide quantum well. A reduction in the effective well width and appearance of asymmetry in the transverse potential profile upon application of the electric field cause a radical change in the j _x(x, z) distribution in this quantum well and make possible inverse population of the quantum-confinement subbands.     

Radiative recombination in Zn1-x MnxTe/Zn0.59Mg0.41Te quantum well structures: Exciton emission and intracenter luminescence

The luminescence spectra controlled by excitons and intracenter 3d emission of Mn²⁺ ions are studied for a series of Zn_1-x Mn_xTe/Zn_0.59Mg_0.41 Te quantum well (QW) structures that differ in manganese content and QW width. It is shown that the relative intensities of exciton emission of the QWs and barriers and the dependences of the intensities on the optical excitation level are controlled mainly by the manganese content in the QWs that affect the efficiency of excitons transfer of to the 3d shell of the Mn²⁺ ions. The effects of QW width and manganese content on the decay kinetics of the intracenter luminescence of the Mn²⁺ ions are studied.     

Evolution of the density of states during phase transitions in films of cadmium sulfotellurides synthesized under profoundly nonequilibrium conditions

The results of structural, electrical, and photoelectric investigations of phase transitions in layers of cadmium-sulfide and cadmium-telluride solid solutions synthesized under profoundly nonequilibrium conditions are reported. As a model process, the thermally activated decomposition of a CdS_xTe_1?x single-phase solution containing the α₁ (x ₁=0.4–0.6) phase was chosen. Increasing the temperature was shown to result in the formation a heterophase system with two phases α₂ (x ₂=0.1–0.2) and α₃ (x ₃=0.78–0.99). The electron diffraction patterns, the photoelectric-current spectrum, and the temperature dependences of the dark electrical conductivity in the course of and after phase transitions are reported. The results of electrical and photoelectric investigations are compared with the results of structural investigations. Changes in the dark conductivity in the course of phase transitions are shown to simultaneously account for the evolution of the density of states near the Fermi level.     

AlGaN-based quantum-well heterostructures for deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes grown by submonolayer discrete plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy

Features of plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy of AlGaN compounds at relatively low temperatures of the substrate (no higher than 740°C) and various stoichiometric conditions for growth of the nitrogen- and metal-enriched layers are studied. Discrete submonolayer epitaxy for formation of quantum wells and n-type blocking layers without varying the fluxes of components was used for the first time in the case of molecular- beam epitaxy with plasma activation of nitrogen for the nanostructures with the Al _x Ga_{1 ? x} N/Al _y Ga_{1 ? y} N quantum wells. Structural and optical properties of the Al _x Ga_{1 ? x} N layers in the entire range of compositions (x = 0–1) and nanostructures based on these layers are studied; these studies indicate that there is photoluminescence at room temperature with minimum wavelength of 230 nm. Based on the analysis of the photoluminescence spectra for bulk layers and nanoheterostructures and their temperature dependences, it is concluded that there are localized states in quantum wells. Using the metal-enriched layers grown on the c-Al₂O₃ substrates, heterostructures for light-emitting diodes with Al _x Ga_{1 ? x} N/Al _y Ga_{1 ? y} N quantum wells (x = 0.4–0.5, y = x + 0.15) were obtained and demonstrated electroluminescence in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum at the wavelength of 320 nm.     

A study of galvanomagnetic phenomena in MBE-grown n-CdxHg1−x Te films

The magnetic-field dependences of the Hall coefficient and the conductivity of n-type Cd_xHg_1?x Te epitaxial structures were measured at 77 K. The structures were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy with a prescribed solid solution composition profile across the thickness. A specific feature of the obtained dependences is that the conductivity and the absolute value of the Hall coefficient decrease with an increasing magnetic field. The obtained experimental dependences can only be described in terms of a model including low-mobility electrons. It is shown that anodic oxide deposited onto the Cd_xHg_1?x Te film surface makes the concentration of low-mobility electrons higher and that of anodic fluoride lower. The possible reasons for the appearance of low-mobility electrons are discussed. The most probable sources of such electrons are surface layers and electrical microheterogeneities in Cd_xHg_1?x Te films.     

Thermal Conductivity in Bi1−x Sb x Solid Solutions

Bi_1?x Sb _x solid solutions have attracted much attention as promising low-temperature thermoelectric materials. Previously, we observed distinct extrema in the isotherms of the transport and mechanical properties of polycrystalline Bi_1?x Sb _x and attributed their presence to the transition from diluted to concentrated solid solutions and to the reconstruction of the energy band structure under increasing Sb concentration. The goal of the present work is a detailed study of the concentration dependences of the thermal conductivity λ for Bi_1?x Sb _x polycrystalline solid solutions (x = 0 to 0.09) in the temperature range of 170 K to 300 K. It is established that the λ(x) dependences exhibit a nonmonotonic behavior: in certain concentration ranges an anomalous increase in λ with increasing x is observed. It is shown that the concentration dependences of the thermoelectric figure of merit calculated on the basis of the measured λ values are also nonmonotonic. The obtained data represent additional evidence in favor of our assumptions stated earlier about a significant effect of electronic phase transitions observed in Bi_1?x Sb _x solid solutions on the concentration dependences of their thermoelectric properties. These results should be taken into account when developing new Bi_1?x Sb _x -based materials.     

Radiative recombination via direct optical transitions in In1 −x GaxAs (0≤x≤0.16) solid solutions

Photoluminescence from In_1?x Ga_xAs (0≤x≤0.16) solid solution epilayers LPE-grown on (111)InAs substrates and electroluminescence from p-n junctions on their bases have been studied in the temperature range 77–450 K. Despite the negative lattice mismatch between epilayer and substrate, radiative recombination in epilayers occurs via direct optical transitions ensuring a high internal quantum efficiency of luminescence (6% at 295 K).