1.4-/spl mu/m InGaAsP-InP strained multiple-quantum-well laser for broad-wavelength tunability

InGaAsP-InP strained multiple-quantum-well (MQW) lasers for extended wavelength tunability in external cavity operation were designed, fabricated, and tested. The active layer was a strain compensated structure consisting of three 3.2/spl plusmn/0.3 nm and three 6.4/spl plusmn/0.3 nm 1.0% compressive strained wells and five 10.3/spl plusmn/0.3 nm 0.45% tensile strained barrier layers. A 2-/spl mu/m-wide ridge waveguide laser of length 250 /spl mu/m, when used in a grating external cavity and with no coatings to alter the reflectivity of the facets, was observed to operate over a range >110 nm. The lasers were designed for applications in trace gas and liquid detection with the goal to maximize the tunable range when operated in external cavities and with no facet coatings.     

Effects of a-Si:H resist vacuum-lithography processing on HgCdTe

A vacuum-compatible process for carrying out lithography on Hg_1−xCd_xTe and CdTe films was previously demonstrated. It was shown that hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) could be used as a dry resist by projecting a pattern onto its surface using excimer laser irradiation and then developing that pattern by hydrogen plasma etching. Pattern transfer to an underlying Hg_1−xCd_xTe film was then carried out via Ar/H₂ plasma etching in an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) reactor. Despite the successful demonstration of pattern transfer, the possibility of inducing harmful effects in the Hg_1−xCd_xTe film due to this vacuum lithography procedure had not been explored. Here we present structural and surface compositional analyses of Hg_1−xCd_xTe films at key stages of the a-Si:H vacuum lithography procedure. X-ray diffraction double crystal rocking curves taken before and after a-Si:H deposition and after development etching were identical, indicating that bulk structural changes in the Hg_1−xCd_xTe film are not induced by these processes. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy studies show that laser-induced heating in the 350 nm thick a-Si:H overlayer is not sufficient to cause structural damage in the underlying Hg_1−xCd_xTe surface. In vacuo surface analysis via Auger electron spectroscopy and ion scattering spectroscopy suggest that the hydrogen plasma development process produces Hg-deficient surfaces but does not introduce C contamination. However, after ECR plasma etching into the Hg_1−xCd_xTe film, the measured x value is much closer to that of the bulk.     

Cyclic code weight spectra and BIST aliasing

In built-in self-test for logic circuits, test data reduction can be achieved using a linear feedback shift register. The probability that this data reduction will allow a faulty circuit to be declared good is the probability of aliasing. Based on the independent bit-error model, we show that the code spectra for the cyclic code generated by the feedback polynomial can be used to obtain an exact expression for the aliasing probability of a multiple input signature register when the test length is a multiple of the cycle length. Several cases are examined and, as expected, primitive feedback polynomials provide the best performance. Some suggestions to avoid peaks in the aliasing probability are given.     

Chemical Amplification of a Triphenylene Molecular Electron Beam Resist

Molecular resists, such as triphenylene derivatives, are small carbon rich molecules, and thus give the potential for higher lithographic resolution and etch durability, and lower line width roughness than traditional polymeric compounds. Their main limitation to date has been poor sensitivity. A new triphenylene derivative molecular resist, with pendant epoxy groups to aid chemically amplified crosslinking, was synthesized and characterized. The sensitivity of the negative tone, pure triphenylene derivative when exposed to an electron beam with energy 20 keV was ～ 6 × 10^–4 C cm^–2, which increased substantially to ～ 1.5 × 10^–5 C cm^–2 after chemical amplification (CA) using a cationic photoinitiator. This was further improved, by the addition of a second triphenylene derivative, to ～ 7 × 10^–6 C cm^–2. The chemically amplified resist demonstrated a high etch durability comparable with the novolac resist SAL 601. Patterns with a minimum feature size of ～ 40 nm were realized in the resist with a 30 keV electron beam.     

Aliasing probability transients

Test data reduction for digital systems is often accomplished through the use of a feedback shift register. This method, known as signature analysis, can exhibit error masking or aliasing. Recent analysis has shown that the use of a primitive polynomial for the register feedback can reduce the probability of aliasing. In this work we demonstrate that not all primitive polynomials are created equal. Some primitive polynomials can have very large transients in their aliasing probability. For example, 1 +X ¹³ +X ³³ can exhibit an aliasing probability more than a million times larger than its asymptotic value of 2^–33. An evaluation procedure is presented which can identify polynomials with good transient characteristics. Some recommended feedback polynomials are given.     

Performance and Modeling of the MWIR HgCdTe Electron Avalanche Photodiode

The operation of the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) HgCdTe cylindrical electron injection avalanche photodiode (e-APD) is described. The measured gain and excess noise factor are related to the collection region fill factor. A two-dimensional diffusion model calculates the time-dependent response and steady-state pixel point spread function for cylindrical diodes, and predicts bandwidths near 1 GHz for small geometries. A 2 μm diameter spot scan system was developed for point spread function and crosstalk measurements at 80 K. An electron diffusion length of 13.4 μm was extracted from spot scan data. Bandwidth data are shown that indicate bandwidths in excess of 300 MHz for small unit cells geometries. Dark current data, at high gain levels, indicate an effective gain normalized dark density count as low as 1000 counts/μs/cm² at an APD gain of 444. A junction doping profile was determined from capacitance–voltage data. Spectral response data shows a gain-independent characteristic.     

Process simulation for HgCdTe infrared focal plane array flexible manufacturing

The strategy and status of a process simulator for the flexible manufacture of HgCdTe infrared focal plane arrays is described. It has capabilities to simulate Hg vacancy and interstitial effects and cation impurity diffusion, for various boundary conditions in one dimension. Numerical complexity of these problems stems from the necessity of solving diffusion equations for each defect that are coupled to each other via nonlinear interaction terms. The simulator has already led to the prediction of heretofore unexplained experimental data. Current extensions of the one-dimensional simulator planned over the next few years include the addition of Te antisites, antisite-Hg vacancy pairs, and In-Hg vacancy pairs, ion implantation, and various energetic processes (such as ion milling). The sequential effect of various processes will be possible with the input to the simulator looking much like a process run sheet.     

Saturation intensity and time response of InGaAs-InGaP MQW opticalmodulators

We report modulation saturation and time response measurements on InGaAs-InGaP MQW modulators. The measurements yield a saturation intensity of (3.7±0.1) kW/cm² for a 0-10 V swing and switching times between 10 and 90 ns, depending on the bias voltage and incident light intensity. The observed dependence indicates that field screening due to carrier build-up is the dominant physical mechanism determining both the speed and the saturation intensity. This conclusion is supported by results of theoretical calculations     

Electrooptical Characterization of MWIR InAsSb Detectors

InAs_1?x Sb _x material with an alloy composition of the absorber layer adjusted to achieve 200-K cutoff wavelengths in the 5-μm range has been grown. Compound-barrier (CB) detectors were fabricated and tested for optical response, and J _dark–V _d measurements were taken as a function of temperature. Based on absorption coefficient information in the literature and spectral response measurements of the midwave infrared (MWIR) nCBn detectors, an absorption coefficient formula α(Ε, x, T) is proposed. Since the presently suggested absorption coefficient is based on limited data, additional measurements of material and detectors with different x values and as a function of temperature should refine the absorption coefficient, providing more accurate parametrization. Material electronic structures were computed using a k·p formalism. From the band structure, dark-current density (J _dark) as a function of bias (V _d) and temperature (T) was calculated and matched to J _dark–V _d curves at fixed T and J _dark–T curves at constant V _d. There is a good match between simulation and data over a wide range of bias, but discrepancies that are not presently understood exist near zero bias.     

Air Processing of Thick and Semitransparent Laminated Polymer:Non-Fullerene Acceptor Blends Introduces Asymmetric Current–Voltage Characteristics

Non-fullerene acceptors have recently revolutionized indoor organic photovoltaics (OPVs) with power conversion efficiencies exceeding 30% in laboratory scale. Nevertheless, transferring their superior performance to larger-scale prototyping, i.e., air-processing via roll-to-roll compatible techniques, still shows severe challenges. Herein, the industrial potential of the PM6:IO4Cl blend, which is one of the most successful indoor OPV photoactive layers (PALs), is thoroughly investigated. The corresponding thick and semitransparent laminated devices are fabricated entirely in air, by blade and slot-die coating. Their current–voltage (J–V) characteristics show anomalous features depending on the illumination side, with the cathode side generally outperforming the anode counterpart. Electrical and optical modeling reveal that a plausible cause of such a phenomenon is a dead layer that forms at the PAL/anode contact interface that does not contribute to the photocurrent. Said layer becomes undetectable when the PALs are made thin enough (<35 nm each) leading to symmetric J–V curves and improved light utilization efficiency. By screening the photovoltaic performance of multiple donor:acceptor blends, certain all-polymer and polymer:fullerene PALs are identified as adequately symmetric candidates for thick device up-scaling. Finally, ternary blends based on PM6:IO4Cl:fullerene may constitute a viable route to mitigate the electrical asymmetry detected on conventional binary blends.