Short-wavelength solar-blind detectors-status, prospects, and markets

Recent advances in the research work on III-nitride semiconductors and Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/N materials in particular has renewed the interest and led to significant progress in the development of ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors able to detect light in the mid- and near-UV spectral region (/spl lambda//spl sim/200-400 nm). There have been a growing number of applications which require the use of such sensors and, in many of these, it is important to be able to sense UV light without detecting infrared or visible light, especially from the Sun, in order to minimize the chances of false detection or high background. The research work on short-wavelength UV detectors has, therefore, been recently focused on realizing short-wavelength "solar-blind" detectors which, by definition, are insensitive to photons with wavelengths longer than /spl sim/285 nm. In this paper the development of Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/N-based solar-blind UV detectors will be reviewed. The technological issues pertaining to material synthesis and device fabrication will be discussed. The current state-of-the-art and future prospects for these detectors will be reviewed and discussed.     

Background Limited Performance of Long Wavelength Infrared Focal Plane Arrays Fabricated From M-Structure InAs–GaSb Superlattices

The recent introduction of a M-structure design improved both the dark current and R₀ A performances of type-II InAs-GaSb photodiodes. A focal plane array fabricated with this design was characterized at 81 K. The dark current of individual pixels was measured between 1.1 and 1.6 nA, 7 times lower than previous superlattice FPAs. This led to a higher dynamic range and longer integration times. The quantum efficiency of detectors without antireflective coating was 74%. The noise equivalent temperature difference reached 23 mK, limited only by the performance of the testing system and the read out integrated circuit. Background limited performances were demonstrated at 81 K for a 300 K background.     

Low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of InP and related compounds

The low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition epitaxial growth and characterization of InP, Ga_0.47In_0.53 As and Ga_xIn_1-xAs_yP_1-y, lattice-matched to InP substrate are described. The layers were found to have the same etch pit density (EPD) as the substrate. The best mobility obtained for InP was 5300 cm² V⁻¹S⁻¹ at 300 K and 58 900 cm² V⁻¹ S⁻¹ at 77₂K, and for GaInAs was 11900 cm² V⁻¹ S⁻¹ at 300 K, 54 600 cm² V⁻¹ S⁻¹ at 77 K and 90 000 cm V⁻¹S⁻¹ at 2°K. We report the first successful growth of a GaInAs-InP superlattice and the enhanced mobility of a two dimensional electron gas at a GaInAs -InP heterojunction grown by LP-MO CVD. LP MO CVD material has been used for GaInAsPInP, DH lasers emitting at 1.3 um and 1.5 um. These devices exhibit a low threshold current, a slightly higher than liquid phase epitaxy devices and a high differential quantum efficiency of 60%. Fundamental transverse mode oscillation has been achieved up to a power outpout of 10 mW. Threshold currents as low as 200 mA dc have been measured for devices with a stripe width of 9 um and a cavity length of 300 um for emission at 1.5 um. Values of T in the range 64–80 C have been obtained. Preliminary life testing has been carried out at room temperature on a few laser diodes (λ = 1.5μm). Operation at constant current for severalthousand hours has been achieved with no change in the threshold current.     

Room temperature CW operation of GaInAsP/InP double heterostructure diode lasers emitting at 1.5 ?m grown by low pressure metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (LP-MO CVD)

Room temperature continuous wave (CW) operation at 1.5 ?m has been achieved in GaInAsP/InP DH lasers fabricated on material grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (LP-MO CVD). Threshold currents as low as 200 mA DC have been measured for devices with a stripe width of 9 ?m and a cavity length of 300 ?m. Values of To as high as 64 K have been obtained, where To is defined by the expression Jth(T) = Jth(0) exp (T/To). Fundamental transverse mode oscillation has been achieved up to an output power of 10 mW.     

Multiple stacked SB-based heterostructures

The subject invention comprises a plurality of serially connected small volume photovoltaic devices. A single device includes a first layer of n+ doped InSb, a second layer of doped IDAs1-xSbx and a third layer of p+ doped InSb. From 2-50 of these devices are grown by either a low-pressure MOCVD or MBE process to a maximum thickness of about 10 mum. Alternatively, the first layer may be n+ doped InyGal-y, Sb the second layer p+ doped InAsl-xSbx and the third layer InyGal-ySb, repeated to a maximum thickness of 10 m.     

InGaAs photodiodes prepared by low-pressure MOCVD

InGaAs/InP double-heterostructure PIN photodiodes are demonstrated using the low-pressure MOCVD growth technique. Several types of detectors are reported, ranging from small-area ones suitable for PINFET implementation to broad-area general-purpose devices for both long- and short-wavelength applications. These diodes have performances equivalent to those obtained when using conventional growth techniques.     

The influence of steam injection for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) on the quality of crude oil

Currently, due to reduction of oil reservoirs and the increasing need for oil as the main source for world energy, the need for production of heavy oil reservoirs is inevitable. The main purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of some operational and reservoir parameters and their impact on thermal and productive efficiency of thermal process of steam injection and quality of crude oil. In order to model the process, Eclipse-300 simulator was employed. Detection of these parameters, in addition to determining the best production scenario, can lead to the use of this method with better economic conditions. Hence, the results obtained from this study show that the optimal values obtained for operational parameters of stream injection such as steam quality, steam injection pressure, injection rate and well completion injection depth. The simulation results show that the use of optimal values of steam injection parameters can enhance efficiency of steam injection method and can make this method considered as third EOR method in heavy oil reservoirs than previously known in the petroleum industry.     

Negative and positive luminescence in midwavelength infrared InAs-GaSb superlattice photodiodes

The quantum efficiency of negative and positive luminescence in binary type-II InAs-GaSb superlattice photodiodes has been investigated in the midinfrared spectral range around the 5-/spl mu/m wavelength. The negative luminescence efficiency is nearly independent on temperature in the entire range from 220 to 325 K. For infrared diodes with a 2-/spl mu/m absorbing layer, processed without anti-reflection coating, a negative luminescence efficiency of 45% is found, indicating very efficient minority carrier extraction. The temperature dependent measurements of the quantum efficiency of the positive luminescence enables for the determination of the capture cross section of the Shockley-Read-Hall centers involved in the competing nonradiative recombination.     

High-Performance Focal Plane Array Based on InAs–GaSb Superlattices With a 10-$mu{hbox {m}}$ Cutoff Wavelength

We report on the demonstration of a focal plane array based on Type-II InAs-GaSb superlattices grown on n-type GaSb substrate with a 50% cutoff wavelength at 10 mum. The surface leakage occurring after flip-chip bonding and underfill in the Type-II devices was suppressed using a double heterostructure design. The R₀A of diodes passivated with SiO₂ was 23 Omegamiddotcm² after underfill. A focal plane array hybridized to an Indigo readout integrated circuit demonstrated a noise equivalent temperature difference of 33 mK at 81 K, with an integration time of 0.23 ms.     

Cubic Phase GaN on Nano‐grooved Si (100) via Maskless Selective Area Epitaxy

A method of forming cubic phase (zinc blende) GaN (referred as c‐GaN) on a CMOS‐compatible on‐axis Si (100) substrate is reported. Conventional GaN materials are hexagonal phase (wurtzite) (referred as h‐GaN) and possess very high polarization fields (～MV/cm) along the common growth direction of <0001>. Such large polarization fields lead to undesired shifts (e.g., wavelength and current) in the performance of photonic and vertical transport electronic devices. The cubic phase of GaN materials is polarization‐free along the common growth direction of <001>, however, this phase is thermodynamically unstable, requiring low‐temperature deposition conditions and unconventional substrates (e.g., GaAs). Here, novel nano‐groove patterning and maskless selective area epitaxy processes are employed to integrate thermodynamically stable, stress‐free, and low‐defectivity c‐GaN on CMOS‐compatible on‐axis Si. These results suggest that epitaxial growth conditions and nano‐groove pattern parameters are critical to obtain such high quality c‐GaN. InGaN/GaN multi‐quantum‐well structures grown on c‐GaN/Si (100) show strong room temperature luminescence in the visible spectrum, promising visible emitter applications for this technology.