Charge Carrier Transport and Photogeneration at Very High Electric Fields in Amorphous Selenium

The flat-panel digital X-ray detectors (e.g. amorphous selenium, a-Se, based detectors) are replacing the film-based technology in various diagnostic medical imaging modalities such as mammography and chest radiography. Whereas, there is a huge demand for lowering the irradiation dose in various medical imaging modalities, the present flat-panel digital X-ray imaging technology is severely challenged under low dose conditions. To date, amorphous selenium (a-Se) is one of the most highly developed photoconductors used in digital X-ray imaging, which exhibits impact ionization and usuable carrier multiplication. The viability of avalanche multiplication can increase the signal strength and improve the signal to noise ratio for application in low dose medical X-ray imaging detectors. In spite of the interesting outlook of a-Se, some of its fundamental properties are still not fully understood. Specifically, an understanding of carrier transport at extremely high field in a-Se is in a very premature state. Therefore, an extensive research work is vital to clearly understand the fundamental underlying physics of carrier generation, multiplication, and transport mechanisms in a-Se. In this dissertation, a physics-based model is developed to investigate the mechanisms of the electric field and temperature dependent effective drift mobility of holes and electrons and also the impact ionization in a-Se. The models consider the density of states distribution near the band edges, field enhancement release rate from the shallow traps, and carrier heating. The lucky-drift model for a-Se is developed based on the observed field dependent microscopic mobility. The validation of the developed models via comparison with the experimental data verifies the mechanisms behind the electric field and temperature dependent behaviours of impact ionization coefficient in a-Se. The density of state function near the band edges, consisting of an exponential tail and a Gaussian peak, successfully described the electric field and temperature-dependent effective drift mobility characteristics in a-Se. The photogeneration efficiency in a-Se under optical excitation strongly depends on photon wavelength and electric field. A physics-based model is proposed to investigate the physical mechanism of charge carrier photogeneration in a-Se under high electric fields. The exact extension of Onsager theory can explain the photogeneration efficiency in a-Se at extremely high electric field. The mechanism of carrier recombination following X-ray excitation and hence the evaluation of electric field and X-ray photon energy dependent electron-hole pair (EHP) creation energy (amount of energy needed to produce a detectable free EHP upon the absorption of an X-ray photon) in a-Se have been topics of a very vital debate over the last two decades. These issues are addressed in this thesis. Towards this end, a physics-based analytical model is developed via incorporating a few valid assumptions to study the initial recombination mechanisms of X-ray generated EHPs in a-Se. The analytical model is later verified by a full phase numerical model, considering three-dimensional coupled continuity equations of electrons and holes under carrier drift, diffusion and bimolecular recombination. The corresponsding calculations of EHP creation energy with wide variations of X-ray energy, electric field and temperature are verified with respect to the available published experimental data. According to this, it is found that the columnar recombination model is capable of describing the electric field, temperature and photon energy dependent EHP creation energy in a-Se for high-energy photons. The theoretical work of this thesis unveil the physics of the charge carrier transport and photogeneration mechanisms in a-Se at very high electric fields, which is vital to optimum design of avalanche a-Se detectors. This work will also provide a guideline for further improvement of the radiation imaging detectors

Semiconductor technology program. Progress briefs

Measurement technology for semiconductor materials, process control, and devices is reviewed. Activities include: optical linewidth and thermal resistance measurements; device modeling; dopant density profiles; resonance ionization spectroscopy; and deep level measurements. Standardized oxide charge terminology is also described

Transport models and advanced numerical simulation of silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors

Applications in the emerging high-frequency markets for millimeter wave applications more and more use SiGe components for cost reasons. To support the technology effort, a reliable TCAD platform is required. The main issue in the simulation of scaled devices is related to the limitations of the physical models used to describe charge carrier transport. Inherent approximations in the HD formalism are discussed over different technology nodes, providing for the first time a complete survey of HD models capability and restrictions with scaling for simulation of SiGe HBTs. Moreover, a complete set of models for transport parameters of SiGe HBTs is reported, including low-field mobility, energy relaxation time, saturation velocity, high-field mobility and effective density of state. Implementation in a commercial device simulator is drawn and findings are compared with simulation results obtained using a standard set of models and with trustworthy results (i.e. MC and SHE simulation results and experimental data), validating proposed models and clarifying their reliability and accuracy over different technologies. Finally, electrical breakdown phenomena in SiGe HBTs are analyzed: a novel complete model for multiplication factor is reported and validated by experimental results; new M model provides an exhaustive accuracy over a wide range of collector voltages

Modeling and Characterization of Efficient Carrier Multiplication in Highly Co-doped Semiconductors and Disordered Materials

This thesis offers modeling of a newly discovered gain mechanism for various photodetection applications. Conventional avalanche photodetectors have been in use for the past four decades with impact ionization being the underlying carrier multiplication mechanism.However, tradeoff between sensitivity, dynamic range and bandwidth are some of the drawbacks of the present day photodetection technology. The newly discovered cycling excitation process (CEP) can be a potential candidate to address these issues with linear photo response, single photon sensitivity and high gain bandwidth product. The key feature of CEP is introduction of counter dopants in p-n junction silicon diode, with which the efficiency of auger excitation can be enhanced to great extent by facilitating relaxation of k selection rule. Higher uncertainty in k spaces dictates localization of carriers in real space. Hence, an initial hot carrier can excite electron-hole pair between localized states (e.g. from states closer to valence band to states closer to conduction band) at much lower bias. Another essential component of CEP is phonon/field assisted tunneling from localized states to mobile bands. Contrary to other photodetectors, phonons, actually, play a positive role in achieving gain. Experimentally gain of ~4000 at only 4V have been achieved in the CEP test structure along with photo response dependence on input light power, which is helpful for photon number resolving. Temperature dependent measurement also shows the positive role of phonons. Density functional theory calculation shows the change in band structure with doping bulk crystalline silicon with boron (B) and phosphorous (P) simultaneously. Comparison of density of states exhibits existence of states inside band gap. Furthermore, charge density plot clearly demonstrates electron and hole localization centered around P and B atoms respectively. Hence, highly counter doping with BP atoms turns the crystalline silicon into a quasi-disordered material. Since, highly counter doping introduces disorder in silicon, with this notion naturally disordered materials are explored as possible CEP gain media. Amorphous materials have low mobility due to their nature of disorder. Surprisingly, amorphous silicon (a-Si) photodiodes with thin a-Si layer (~40nm) have shown a gain-bandwidth product of over 2 THz with very low excess noise. To unveil the true gain mechanism, the thesis further delves into theoretical modeling and numerical analysis along with experimental data at different frequencies. Evidence of highly effective carrier multiplication process within a-Si as the primary gain mechanism, especially at high frequency is shown. There is also trap-induced junction modulation at much lower frequency. The analysis further suggests that the carrier multiplication process in thin a-Si can be much more efficient than in thick a-Si, even stronger than single crystalline Si in some cases. Although seemingly counter intuitive, this is consistent with the proposed cycling excitation process (CEP) where the localized states in the bandtails of disordered materials such as a-Si relax the k-selection rule and increase the rate of carrier multiplication. A more rigorous quantum mechanical scattering rate calculation also demonstrates the increase of strength of carrier multiplication with the presence of localized states and the increase of ionization coefficient with decreasing thickness of gain medium. A theoretical framework is offered to calculate the carrier multiplication process in a-Si or other disordered materials involving donor acceptor pairs (DAPs) and to answer several key and seemingly counter intuitive questions such as why amorphous silicon can be more efficient carrier multiplication material than single crystal silicon, why low carrier mobility of amorphous material helps rather than hurt carrier multiplication process, and why thin a-Si is more efficient than thick a-Si in carrier multiplication

Advances in quantum tunneling models for semiconductor optoelectronic device simulation

The undiscussed role of solid-state optoelectronics covers nowadays a wide range of applications. Within this scenario, infrared (IR) detection is becoming crucial by the technological point of view, as well as for scientific purposes, from biology to aerospace. Its commercial and strategic role, however, is confirmed by its spreading use for surveillance, clinical diagnostics, environmental analysis, national/private security, military purposes or quality control as in food industry. At the same time solid-state lighting is emerging among the most efficient electronic applications of the modern era, with a billion-dollar business which is just destined to increase in the next decades. The ongoing development of such technologies must be accompanied by a sufficiently fast scientific progress, which is able to meet the growing demand of high-quality production standards and, as immediate but not obvious consequence, the need of performances which would be the highest possible. One issue affecting both kinds of applications we mentioned is the quantum efficiency, no matter the signal they produce is coming from absorbed or emitted photons. At any rate, the balance between the stimulus coming from the surrounding environment is and the generated electrical current is absolutely crucial in each modern optoelectronic device. More in depth, since IR detectors are asked to convert photons into electrons, device designers must ensure that mechanisms concurring to this conversion should be dominant with respect to any opponent phenomenon. Symmetrically, light-emitting diodes should realize the inverse process, where electrons are converted into photons. In real life this mechanism never take place in a one-to-one electron-photon correspondence. Indeed tunneling, a quantum effect related to the probabilistic nature of particles and, thus, also of charges, contributes to unbalance this correspondence by degrading the signal produced within the device active region. In IR photodetectors this translates into of a current even in absence of light (and, by virtue of this fact, this current is known as "dark current") while in light-emitters tunneling is responsible for leakages that may undermine the quantum efficiency and the power consumption also below the optical turn-on. The present dissertation is part of such framework being the result of studying and modeling different tunneling mechanisms occurring in narrow-gap infrared photodetectors (IRPDs) for mid-wavelength IR (MWIR) applications (3 to 5 um) and in wide-gap blue LEDs (around 450 nm) based on nitride material system. This study has been possible thanks to the collaboration with several academic institutions (Boston University, Padua and Modena e Reggio Emilia Universities) and two important German industries, AIM Infrarot Module and OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, which provided the case-study devices here analyzed. After reviewing basic concepts of solid-state physics, the first part of this work deals with the description of the above cited optoelectronic devices, along with their constituent materials: the HgCdTe alloy, in the case of photodetectors, and GaN and its ternary alloys with In and Al, for what concerns blue LEDs. Since the literature focusing on this research area is still not mature enough, in the second part different tunneling mechanisms and models are proposed, described in detail and then tested for the first time, as in the case of a novel formulation intended for direct tunneling in IRPDs or the description of defect-assisted tunneling in LEDs which also includes elements coming from the microscopic theory of multiphonon emission (MPE) in solids. Simulations are carried out by means of several numerical simulation approaches, using either commercial TCAD (Technology Computer Aided Design) tools and codes developed ad hoc for this purpose. The encouraging and fully satisfying results of numerical modeling here proposed confirm, on the one hand, the widely accepted relevance of tunneling in modern electronics and, on the other hand, also propose a new perspective about possible tunneling mechanism in optoelectronic devices and their appropriate physical, mathematical and numerical investigation tools. Furthermore, the role of device modeling does not end here because many physical details and technological information can be inferred from simulations, with enormous beneficial effects for the electronic industry and the quality improvement of its fabrication processes such those invoked above

An acoustic charge transport imager for high definition television applications

The primary goal of this research is to develop a solid-state high definition television (HDTV) imager chip operating at a frame rate of about 170 frames/sec at 2 Megapixels per frame. This imager offers an order of magnitude improvement in speed over CCD designs and will allow for monolithic imagers operating from the IR to the UV. The technical approach of the project focuses on the development of the three basic components of the imager and their integration. The imager chip can be divided into three distinct components: (1) image capture via an array of avalanche photodiodes (APD's), (2) charge collection, storage and overflow control via a charge transfer transistor device (CTD), and (3) charge readout via an array of acoustic charge transport (ACT) channels. The use of APD's allows for front end gain at low noise and low operating voltages while the ACT readout enables concomitant high speed and high charge transfer efficiency. Currently work is progressing towards the development of manufacturable designs for each of these component devices. In addition to the development of each of the three distinct components, work towards their integration is also progressing. The component designs are considered not only to meet individual specifications but to provide overall system level performance suitable for HDTV operation upon integration. The ultimate manufacturability and reliability of the chip constrains the design as well. The progress made during this period is described in detail in Sections 2-4

A Variable-Structure Variable-Order Simulation Paradigm for Power Electronic Circuits

Solid-state power converters are used in a rapidly growing number of applications including variable-speed motor drives for hybrid electric vehicles and industrial applications, battery energy storage systems, and for interfacing renewable energy sources and controlling power flow in electric power systems. The desire for higher power densities and improved efficiencies necessitates the accurate prediction of switching transients and losses that, historically, have been categorized as conduction and switching losses. In the vast majority of analyses, the power semiconductors (diodes, transistors) are represented using simplified or empirical models. Conduction losses are calculated as the product of circuit-dependent currents and on-state voltage drops. Switching losses are estimated using approximate voltage-current waveforms with empirically derived turn-on and turn-off times