Lateral photoconductivity of multilayer Ge/Si structures with Ge quantum dots

Spectra of lateral photoconductivity of multilayer Ge/Si structures with Ge quantum dots, fabricated by molecular-beam epitaxy are studied. The photoresponse caused by optical transitions between hole levels of quantum dots and Si electronic states was observed in the energy range of 1.1–0.3 eV at T = 78 K. It was shown that the electronic states localized in the region of Si band bending near the Ge/Si interface mainly contribute to lateral photoconductivity. The use of the quantum box model for describing hole levels of quantum dots made it possible to understand the origin of peaks observed in the photoconductivity spectra. A detailed energy-level diagram of hole levels of quantum dots and optical transitions in Ge/Si structures with strained Ge quantum dots was constructed.     

On the process of hole trapping in Ge/Si heterostructures with Ge quantum dots

Admittance spectroscopy is used to determine the cross sections and energy levels of holes in Ge/Si heterostructures with Ge quantum dots. The structures are grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. It is established that, in layers of quantum dots produced at low growth temperatures T _g ≤ 450°C, the capture cross section for hole trapping into quantum dots exponentially increases with increasing hole binding energy (the Meyer-Neldel rule), with the same characteristic energy ～25 eV independent of T _g . It is shown that the Meyer-Neldel rule is violated in structures grown at higher temperatures or in samples treated in hydrogen plasma. In the case of nanoclusters synthesized at low temperatures, the experimental results suggest that charge-carrier trapping into Ge quantum dots proceeds via the electron-phonon mechanism with the participation of structural defects.     

Ge/Si photodiodes with embedded arrays of Ge quantum dots forthe near infrared (1.3–1.5 µm) region

A method has been devised for MBE fabrication of p-i-n photodiodes for the spectral range of 1.3–1.5 µm, based on multilayer Ge/Si heterostructures with Ge quantum dots (QDs) on a Si substrate. The sheet density of QDs is 1.2×10¹² cm^?2, and their lateral size is ～8 nm. The lowest room-temperature dark current reported hitherto for Ge/Si photodetectors is achieved (2×10^?5 A/cm² at 1 V reverse bias). A quantum efficiency of 3% at 1.3 µm wavelength is obtained.     

Photoconductivity of Si/Ge multilayer structures with Ge quantum dots pseudomorphic to the Si matrix

Longitudinal photoconductivity spectra of Si/Ge multilayer structures with Ge quantum dots grown pseudomorphically to the Si matrix are studied. Lines of optical transitions between hole levels of quantum dots and Si electronic states are observed. This allowed us to construct a detailed energy-level diagram of electron-hole levels of the structure. It is shown that hole levels of pseudomorphic Ge quantum dots are well described by the simplest “quantum box” model using actual sizes of Ge islands. The possibility of controlling the position of the long-wavelength photosensitivity edge by varying the growth parameters of Si/Ge structures with Ge quantum dots is determined.     

Structural and optical properties of GaAs-based heterostructures with Ge and Ge/InGaAs quantum wells

GaAs-based heterostructures with Ge and Ge/InGaAs quantum wells are grown by laser-assisted sputtering. Structural and optical studies of the heterostructures are carried out. A broad photoluminescence line is observed in the wavelength range from 1300 to 1650 nm. The line corresponds to indirect transitions in the momentum space of the Ge quantum wells and to transitions between the In_0.28Ga_0.72As and Ge layers, indirect in coordinate space, but direct in momentum space.     

Tailoring the Optical Properties of Epitaxially Grown Biaxial ZnO/Ge,and Coaxial ZnO/Ge/ZnO and Ge/ZnO/Ge Heterostructures

Heterostructures of epitaxially grown biaxial ZnO/Ge, and coaxial ZnO/Ge/ZnO and Ge/ZnO/Ge heterostructured nanowires with ideal epitaxial interfaces between the semiconductor ZnO sublayer and the Ge sublayer have been fabricated via a two‐stage chemical vapor–solid process. Structural characterization by high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction indicates that both the ZnO and Ge sublayers in the heterostructures are single crystalline. A good epitaxial relationship of (100)_ZnO∥(2 0)_Ge exists at the interface between ZnO and Ge in the ZnO/Ge biaxial heterostructure. There is also an epitaxial relationship of (0 0)_ZnO∥(020)_Ge at the interface between the ZnO and Ge substructures in the coaxial ZnO/Ge/ZnO heterostructures, and a good epitaxial relationship of (0 0)_ZnO∥(0 0)_Ge at the interface between ZnO and Ge in the Ge/ZnO/Ge coaxial heterostructure. Structural models for the crystallographic relationship between the wurtzite‐ZnO and diamond‐like cubic‐Ge subcomponents in the heterostructures are given. The optical properties for the synthesized heterostructures are studied by spatially resolved cathodoluminescence spectra at low temperature (20 K). Excitingly, the unique biaxial and coaxial heterostructures display unique new luminescence properties. It is concluded that the ideal epitaxial interface between ZnO and Ge in the prepared heterostructures induces new optical properties. The group II–VI Ge‐based nanometer‐scale heterostructures and their interesting optical properties may inspire great interest in exploring related epitaxial heterostructures and their potential applications in lasers, gas sensors, solar energy conversion, and nanodevices in the future.     

Thermal stability of Si/Gen/Si heterostructures by photoreflectance

The thermal stability of Si/Ge_n/Si(001) heterostructures includingn = 1, 6, 20, and 100 monolayers (ML’s) is studied in connection with their electronic structures through the measurement of photoreflectance (PR). The PR spectra are observed at 90 K over the energy range 0.85–4.0 eV. Comparing the PR signals of Si/Ge _n /Si(001) heterostructures before and after thermal annealing at 600° C, it is found that the samples with less than 6 ML Ge show no change whereas those with more than 20 ML Ge show large changes. The result suggests that Si/Ge _n /Si heterostructures with Ge layer thickness less than 6 ML’s are thermally stable. For the heterostructures with 20 and 100 ML Ge, the relaxation of strain in the Ge layer is found to occur from the PR spectra ofE ₀(Ge),E ₁(Ge) andE ₁ +Δ ₁(Ge), andE ₁(Si).     

Ferromagnetism in self-assembled Ge quantum dots material followed by Mn-implantation and annealing

Ten and twenty layers of self-assembled Ge QDs with 44 and 59-nm-thick Si barrier were grown on high resistivity (1 0 0) p-type Si substrates by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition followed by Mn ion implantation and post-annealing. A presence of ferromagnetic structure was confirmed in the insulating GeMn diluted magnetic quantum dots (DMQD) and semiconducting GeMn DMQD. The DMQD materials were found to be homogeneous, and to exhibit p-type conductivity and ferromagnetic ordering with a Curie temperature, T_C = 350 and 230 K. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data show that there is a phase separation of Mn₅Ge₃ from MnGe nanostructure. Temperature dependent electrical resistivity in semiconducting DMQD material indicates that manganese introduces two acceptor levels in germanium at 0.14 eV from the valence band and 0.41 eV from the conduction band implying Mn substituting Ge. Therefore, it is likely that the ferromagnetic exchange coupling of DMQD material with T_C = 230 K is hole-mediated due to formation of polarons and the ferromagnetism in sample with T_C > 300 K is due to Mn₅Ge₃ phase.     

Type-II Ge/Si quantum dots

The electronic structure of spatially indirect excitons, multiparticle excitonic complexes, and negative photoconductivity in arrays of Ge/Si type-II quantum dots (QDs) are considered. A comparison is made with the well-known results for type-II III-V and II-VI QD heterostructures. The following fundamental physical phenomena are observed in the structures under study: an increase in the exciton binding energy in QDs as compared with that for free excitons in homogeneous bulk materials, a blue shift in the excitonic transitions during the generation of multiparticle complexes (charged excitons, biexcitons), and the capture of equilibrium carriers to localized states induced by the electric ield of charged QDs.     

溅射气压对Si／Ge多层膜结构光学常数的影响

采用可变入射角全自动椭圆偏振光谱仪，测量了用磁控溅射法制备的Si/Ge异质多层膜结构的光学常数，测量能量范围为1．5－4．5eV，分析了不同氩气压强对磁控溅射制备的Si/Ge异质多层膜结构的光学常数的影响，实验结果表明，在低能区域，随压强的增加，多层膜结构的所有光学常数均有不同程度的增加，但在高能区域，溅射气压对光学常数的影响不再明显，多层膜结构的复介电常数的实部和虚部及折射率n的峰位随压强增大而向低能方向位移，多层膜结构的消光系数k的峰位随压强的变化很小，但其峰值随压强的增加而增加。     

Stimulated emission in heterostructures with double InGaAs/GaAsSb/GaAs quantum wells,grown on GaAs and Ge/Si(001) substrates

We report the observation of stimulated emission in heterostructures with double InGaAs/GaAsSb/GaAs quantum wells, grown on Si(001) substrates with the application of a relaxed Ge buffer layer. Stimulated emission is observed at 77 K under pulsed optical pumping at a wavelength of 1.11 μm, i.e., in the transparency range of bulk silicon. In similar InGaAs/GaAsSb/GaAs structures grown on GaAs substrates, room-temperature stimulated emission is observed at 1.17 μm. The results obtained are promising for integration of the structures into silicon-based optoelectronics.     

Photosensitivity of porous silicon-silicon heterostructures

Data from experimental studies of the photoelectric properties of heterostructures of porous and single-crystal silicon are presented. Rectifying heterostructures with photosensitivities of up to 1 mA/W at 300 K in the spectral range 1.2–2.3 eV are obtained. Oscillations in the photocurrent due to interference of the light in the porous silicon layers are observed. The refractive index of porous silicon is estimated. The polarization dependence of the photosensitivity of the heterostructures is studied. Fiz. Tekh. Poluprovodn. 31, 223–225 (February 1997)     

Light-emitting tunneling nanostructures based on quantum dots in a Si and GaAs matrix

InGaAs/GaAs and Ge/Si light-emitting heterostructures with active regions consisting of a system of different-size nanoobjects, i.e., quantum dot layers, quantum wells, and a tunneling barrier are studied. The exchange of carriers preceding their radiative recombination is considered in the context of the tunneling interaction of nanoobjects. For the quantum well-InGaAs quantum dot layer system, an exciton tunneling mechanism is established. In such structures with a barrier thinner than 6 nm, anomalously fast carrier (exciton) transfer from the quantum well is observed. The role of the above-barrier resonance of states, which provides “instantaneous” injection into quantum dots, is considered. In Ge/Si structures, Ge quantum dots with heights comparable to the Ge/Si interface broadening are fabricated. The strong luminescence at a wavelength of 1.55 μm in such structures is explained not only by the high island-array density. The model is based on (i) an increase in the exciton oscillator strength due to the tunnel penetration of electrons into the quantum dot core at low temperatures (T < 60 K) and (ii) a redistribution of electronic states in the Δ₂-Δ₄ subbands as the temperature is increased to room temperature. Light-emitting diodes are fabricated based on both types of studied structures. Configuration versions of the active region are tested. It is shown that selective pumping of the injector and the tunnel transfer of “cold” carriers (excitons) are more efficient than their direct trapping by the nanoemitter.     

Ge/Si SACM-APD器件分析

Ge/Si吸收区-电荷区-倍增区分离(SACM)结构的APD作为一种新型光电探测器已成为硅基APD器件研究的重点.对SACM Ge/Si型APD器件的基本结构及其主要特性参数,包括量子效率、响应度、暗电流等进行了理论分析及仿真验证.实验结果表明:在给定的器件参数条件下,所设计的APD器件的雪崩击穿电压为25.7 V,最大内部量子效率为91%,单位增益下响应度峰值为0.55 A/W,在750~1 500 nm范围内具有较高响应度,其峰值波长为1 050 nm;在高偏压以及高光照强度情况下,倍增区发生空间电荷效应从而导致增益降低.     

Characterization of reduced pressure chemical vapor deposited Si0.8Ge0.2/Si multi-layers

We have investigated the Si_0.8Ge_0.2/Si multi-layer grown directly onto the Si (001) substrates using reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition. The thicknesses of the Si_0.8Ge_0.2/Si multi-layer were determined using transmission electron microscopy. From the results of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses on the Si_0.8Ge_0.2/Si multi-layer, Ge composition in the Si_1?xGe_x layers was determined as ～20% and the value of residual strain ε of the Si_0.8Ge_0.2 layer is calculated to be 0.012. Three peaks are observed in Raman spectrum, which are located at approximately 514, 404, and 303 cm^?1, corresponding to the vibration of Si–Si, Si–Ge, and Ge–Ge phonons, respectively. The photoluminescence spectrum originates from the radiative recombinations both from the Si substrate and the Si_0.8Ge_0.2/Si multi-layer. For the Si_0.8Ge_0.2/Si multi-layer, the transition peaks related to the quantum well region observed in the photocurrent spectrum were preliminarily assigned to e–hh and e–lh fundamental excitonic transitions.     

Infrared transmittance spectra of photoluminescent oxide films with Si and Ge quantum dots formed by pulsed laser ablation

The composition of photoluminescent films containing low-dimensional silicon and germanium is studied. Si, Ge, and Al oxide films containing Si and Ge quantum dots are produced by pulsed laser ablation. The infrared transmittance spectra in the range of wave numbers from 650 to 1400 cm^?1 and the time-resolved photoluminescence spectra in the energy range from 1.4 to 3.2 eV at room temperature are recorded. Correlations between the conditions of formation of the films, their photoluminescence properties, and the stretching vibrations of Si-O-Si, Ge-O-Ge, and Al-O bonds are established.     

锗硅双层量子点的光电流特性

在分子束外延 (MBE)系统上用自组织方式生长了硅基双层锗量子点结构 ,并对样品进行光电流谱的测试。通过调节不同外加偏压来改变量子点中的费米能级位置 ,量子点中载流子所处束缚能级将随之发生变化 ,所得到的光电流谱的峰位也将因此而改变。由光电流谱得到的实验结果与常规的光致发光谱的结果相吻合。与单层锗量子点结构相比 ,双层结构的样品在光电特性上有着明显不同 :光电流谱中 ,在 0 .767e V及 0 .869e V处出现了两个峰 ,分别对应于载流子在不同的量子点层中的吸收。用这种结构的样品制成的红外光探测器能够同时对两种不同波长的光进行探测响应     

Photocurrent Measurement of Si1-xGex/SiMultiple Quantum Wells With Ion Implantation and Thermal Annealing

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磁控溅射的Ge/Si异质结构在退火过程中的Raman光谱研究

用Raman光散射的方法,研究了磁控溅射技术制备的Ge/Si系列异质材料在退火过程中的再生长情况,对不同的样品进行结构变化分析.实验结果显示:Ge/Si异质材料在退火过程中的再生长受生长态条件限制,异质材料的最初生长情况决定了其在退火处理后的结构形态.     

Potentialities and basic principles of controlling the plastic relaxation of GeSi/Si and Ge/Si films with stepwise variation in the composition

GeSi/Si heterostructures consisting of a plastically relaxed layer that includes various fractions of Ge and which is grown on Si (001) span the values of the lattice parameter from equal to that in silicon to equal to that in germanium. The corresponding substrates are conventionally referred to as artificial. A number of methods exist for growing high-quality GeSi layers with as large as 100% of Ge on Si (001) substrates through an intermediate GeSi layer with a varying composition. However, it is desirable in a number of cases to have ultrathin (<1 μm) GeSi and Ge layers directly on the Si (001) substrate for practical applications. The results of new methods such as the use of a buffer Si layer grown at a comparatively low temperature (300–400°C) in plastic relaxation of the GeSi/Si(001) heterostructures and also the use of surfactants (antimony and hydrogen) are analyzed. The examples of artificial introduction of centers for origination of misfit dislocations as an alternative to their introduction from the rough surface are considered. It can be concluded that, in order to expand the range of potentialities of growing perfect plastically relaxed GeSi (001) films, it is necessary to (i) make it possible to form in a controlled manner the centers for origination of the misfit dislocations and (ii) retard or completely suppress the transition of the growth mechanism from two-to three-dimensional in order to prevent the formation of additional misfit dislocations from the surface of the stressed film and, correspondingly, additional threading dislocations.