Effect of thermal annealing on the optical and structural properties of (311)B and (001) GaAsBi/GaAs single quantum wells grown by MBE

The effect of Furnace Annealing (FA) and Rapid Thermal annealing (RTA) on the structural and optical properties of GaAs1 − xBix/GaAs single quantum wells grown on (001) and (311)B substrates by molecular beam epitaxy was investigated. The structural properties were investigated by high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy. The Bi concentration profiles were determined by simulating the HR-XRD 2θ−ω scans using dynamical scattering theory to estimate the Bi content, lattice coherence, and quality of the interfaces. The Bi composition was found to be similar for both samples grown on (001) and (311)B GaAs substrates. However, the simulations indicate that the Bi composition is not only limited in the GaAsBi quantum well (QW) layer but also extends out of the GaAsBi QW toward the GaAs barrier. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements were performed as a function of temperature and laser power for samples with a nominal Bi composition of 3%. PL spectra showed that (001) and (311)B samples have different peak energies at 1.23 eV and 1.26 eV, respectively, at 10 K. After RTA at 300 °C for 2 min, the PL intensity of (311)B and (001) samples was enhanced by factors of ∼2.5 and 1.75, respectively. However, for the (001) and (311)B FA samples, an enhancement of the PL intensity by a factor of only 1.5 times could be achieved. The enhancement of PL intensity in annealed samples was interpreted in terms of PL activation energies, with a reduction in the alloy disorder and an increase in the Bi cluster

Estudo da dinâmica de portadores em diodos de tunelamento ressonante tipo-p

Photoluminescence spectroscopy has been used to provide important insight on the tunneling dynamics of carriers in double barrier diodes. In this work, we have performed time-resolved photoluminescence measurements in symmetric and asymmetric p-type GaAs/AlAs resonant tunneling diodes in order to study the tunneling dynamics of photocreated minority electrons. We observed several peaks in the current voltage characteristics (I-V) associated to the resonant tunneling of holes through different quantum well heavy- and light-hole sub-bands. Under light excitation, we have observed the developing of additional peaks in the I-V curve. For the asymmetric structure, two peaks were observed and associated to the exciton assisted tunneling and resonant tunneling of photogenerated electrons. We have studied the temporal evolution of the GaAs contact and quantum well (QW) emission versus the applied bias voltage. For the QW, the luminescence comes solely from the recombination between the lowest-energy confined levels in the QW even when the device is biased at higher tunneling resonance peaks. For both structure, the PL decay depends on the applied voltage and presents a bi-exponential decay for some values of bias. The results revealed a markedly long PL decay at the bias voltage associated the exciton assisted tunneling resonance in the current voltage characteristic. For the GaAs emission, we observed a weak dependence of the PL intensity versus voltage and a mono-exponential decay. We analyze our results considering the diffusion and tunneling of minority electrons in the structureFinanciadora de Estudos e ProjetosNeste trabalho, realizamos um estudo de fotoluminescência resolvida no tempo em diodos de tunelamento ressonante do tipo p. Em particular, estudamos estruturas p-i-p de GaAs/AlAs com barreiras de largura simétrica e assimétrica. Desta forma, os efeitos observados são predominantemente referentes a dinâmica de tunelamento de elétrons fotocriados na estrutura (portadores minoritários). Realizamos medidas de transporte e fotoluminescência resolvida no tempo do poço quântico e do contato em baixa temperatura e em função da tensão aplicada na estrutura. Para ambos os diodos, observamos uma dependência importante do tempo característico de decaimento da fotoluminescência do poço quântico com a voltagem aplicada. Observamos também um decaimento bi-exponencial para voltagens próximas ao tunelamento de portadores minoritários (elétrons fotogerados). Para emissão do contato GaAs, observamos um decaimento monoexponencial e uma fraca dependência com a voltagem aplicada. Os resultados obtidos foram interpretados a partir da difusão e tunelamento de portadores minoritários na estrutur

Efeitos de spin em diodos de tunelamento ressonante tipo-p

In this work, we have investigated the spin effects in p-i-p GaAs/AlAs resonant tunneling diodes under magnetic field parallel to the tunnel current. The spin-dependent tunneling of carriers was studied by analyzing the current-voltage characteristics (I(V)) and the right (+) and left (-) circular polarized PL from the contact layers and the QW as a function of the applied bias. We have observed that the polarization degree from QW and contact emission is highly bias voltage sensitive. For low voltages the QW polarization exhibits strong oscillations with values up to 50% at 15 T and sign inversions for the voltages corresponding to the resonant tunneling of carriers into the well. The GaAs contact emission shows several bands including the indirect recombination between free electrons and holes localized at the 2DHG formed at the accumulation layer (2DHG-e). We have evidence that the spin polarized hole gas can contribute to the circular polarization degree of carriers in the QW. However, our results show that the circular polarization of the carriers in the QW is a complex issue which depends on various points, including the g-factors of the different layers, the spin-polarization of carriers in the contact layers, the density of carriers along the structure and the Rashba effect. The temporal evolution of the spin-polarization carriers was also investigated. We have measured the time-resolved polarized PL emission from the GaAs quantum well (QW) of a p-i-p GaAs/AlAs Resonant Tunneling Device (RTD). We have used a linearly-polarized Ti:Saphire laser and tuned below the QW absorption edge. Therefore, the electrons are created solely at the top GaAs layer and with no defined spin polarization. Under applied bias, the tunneling holes from the p-doping contact attain a quasi-stationary distribution along the RTD structure, while electrons are only photocreated during the pulse excitation with a ps Ti:Sa laser. These photogenerated electrons are driven by the applied bias and tunnel into the QW, where they might recombine with holes or tunnel out of the well. Under illumination, the current-voltage characteristics of the device present two additional features attributed, respectively, to resonant and -X electron tunneling. Optical measurements for biases where these two alternative transport mechanisms have competitive probabilities revealed an unusual carrier dynamics. The quantum well emission is strongly delayed and we observe a remarkable nonlinear effect where the emission intensity decreases at the arrival of a laser pulse. We propose a simple model that adequately describes our results where we assume that the indirect transition rate depends on the density of electrons accumulated along the structure. Under magnetic field, the PL transients reveal two rather distinct time constants, a short time ( ~ 1 ns) and a long one, which is longer than the laser repetition time (> 12 ns). The bi-exponential behavior indicates additional electron-tunneling processes, which may be associated to indirect tunneling through X-AlAs levels and tunneling of hot vs quasiequilibrium carriers at the accumulation layer. Immediately after the laser pulse, while the faster tunneling process dominates, the QW emission shows a rather small polarization. As the faster tunneling process dies out, the polarization increases to a value that remains approximately constant along the whole transient. This result demonstrates that electrons tunneling through these two distinct processes should present different spin-polarization values. We have also observed that at low biases, around to the expected -X resonance , the QW polarization is very sensitive to the excitation intensity, showing a signal inversion as a function the laser intensity. We attribute this effect to a critical dependence of the electron polarization on the occupation of the various levels involved on the process. Furthermore, at large biases, the long decay component almost disappears for low-excitation conditions and show an unusual time-dependent polarization behavior under high-excitation regime. For the analysis of this complex dynamics, we have also considered the process of tunneling out of the QW, which should become more effective, competing with the radiactive recombination process under high bias voltages. Finally, our results reveal new insights on the mechanisms that determine the spin-polarization of carriers tunneling through a doublebarrier structure and can be explored to develop spin-filter devices based on a RTD structure.Financiadora de Estudos e ProjetosNeste trabalho investigamos efeitos de spin em diodos de tunelamento ressonante p-i-p de GaAs/AlAs na presença de campo magnético paralelo à corrente túnel. Para isso, realizamos um estudo sistemático das curvas características de corrente-voltagem I(V) e da fotoluminescência (PL) resolvida em polarização das camadas do contato e do poço-quântico (QW), em função da voltagem aplicada. Observamos que o grau de polarização circular da emissão do QW e do contato são fortemente sensíveis à voltagem aplicada. Em particular, para baixas voltagens, a polarização QW exibe oscilações, atingindo valores de até 50% em 15T com inversões de sinal para voltagens correspondentes ao tunelamento ressonante de portadores. Na emissão observamos também a recombinação indireta entre elétrons livres e buracos localizados no gás bidimensional de buracos que se forma na camada de acumulação (2DHG). Os resultados obtidos mostram que esse gás bidimensional de buracos pode contribuir para o grau de polarização dos portadores no QW. Entretanto, verificamos também que origem da polarização dos portadores no QW é uma questão complexa que depende de vários pontos, incluindo fatores g das diferentes camadas, a polarização de spin dos portadores nas camadas de contato, a densidade de portadores ao longo da estrutura, efeito Rashba e etc. A evolução temporal dos portadores de spin-polarizados também foi investigada neste trabalho. Realizamos medidas da PL resolvida em polarização e resolvida no tempo para o QW de um DTR assimétrico. Sob voltagem aplicada, os buracos que tunelam a partir do contato dopado tipo-p atingem uma distribuição quase-estacionária ao longo do DTR, enquanto os elétrons são fotocriados apenas durante o pulso de laser. Os elétrons se movem sob ação da voltagem aplicada e tunelam no QW, onde podem se recombinar com buracos ou tunelar para fora do poço. Sob excitação óptica, as curvas I(V) do dispositivo apresentam dois picos adicionais atribuídos ao tunelamento ressonante e -X de elétrons, respectivamente. As medidas das emissões ópticas para as voltagens onde esses dois mecanismos alternativos de transporte têm probabilidades semelhantes revelam uma dinâmica de portadores incomum. Nessa condição, a emissão QW torna-se bastante lenta e observa-se um efeito não-linear no qual a intensidade de emissão diminui com a chegada de um novo pulso de laser. Para compreensão dos resultados obtidos, desenvolvemos um modelo simples onde consideramos que a taxa de transição indireta depende da densidade de elétrons acumulados. O modelo proposto descreve adequadamente nossos resultados experimentais. Na presença de campo magnético paralelo à corrente túnel, os transientes PL apresentam duas constantes de tempo distintas, uma curta (~ 1 ns) e uma longa, que é maior do que o tempo de repetição do laser (> 12 ns). Este comportamento bi-exponencial indica processos adicionais de tunelamento de elétrons, que podem estar associados ao tunelamento através dos estados da banda X do AlAs, e ao tunelamento de portadores quentes ( hot carriers ) vs portadores em quase-equilíbrio na camada de acumulação. Imediatamente após o pulso de laser, quando o processo de tunelamento mais rápido domina o transiente, a emissão QW mostra uma polarização pequena. Quando o processo de tunelamento mais rápido se extingue, a polarização aumenta para valores que permanecem aproximadamente constantes ao longo de todo o transiente. Este resultado demonstra que o tunelamento de elétrons através destes dois processos distintos deve apresentar diferentes valores de polarização de spin. Observamos também que para baixas voltagens, em torno da ressonância -X, a polarização QW é muito sensível à intensidade de excitação, mostrando uma inversão de sinal em função da intensidade do laser. Atribuímos este efeito a uma dependência crítica da polarização de elétrons pela ocupação dos diversos níveis envolvidos no processo. Além disso, em altas voltagens o decaimento da componente longa quase desaparece em condições de baixa excitação, e apresenta um comportamento incomum da polarização dependente do tempo no regime de alta excitação. Nossos resultados dão uma contribuição na compreensão de mecanismos que determinam a polarização de spin dos portadores em estruturas de barreira dupla, podendo ser útil no desenvolvimento de filtros de spin baseados em um DTR

Cathodoluminescence mapping of electron concentration in MBE-grown GaAs:Te nanowires

Cathodoluminescence mapping is used as a contactless method to probe the electron concentration gradient of Te-doped GaAs nanowires. The room temperature and low temperature (10 K) cathodoluminescence analysis method previously developed for GaAs:Si is first validated on five GaAs:Te thin film samples, before extending it to the two GaAs:Te NW samples. We evidence an electron concentration gradient ranging from below 1 × 1018cm-3to 3.3 ×1018cm-3along the axis of a GaAs:Te nanowire grown at 640 °C, and a homogeneous electron concentration of around 6-8 × 1017cm-3along the axis of a GaAs:Te nanowire grown at 620 °C. The differences in the electron concentration levels and gradients between the two nanowires is attributed to different Te incorporation efficiencies by vapor-solid and vapor-liquid-solid processes.acceptedVersionPeer reviewe

Te incorporation and activation as n-type dopant in self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires

\u3cp\u3eDopant atoms can be incorporated into nanowires either via the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism through the catalyst droplet or by the vapor-solid growth on the sidewalls. Si is a typical n-type dopant for GaAs, but in nanowires it often suffers from a strongly amphoteric nature in the vapor-liquid-solid process. This issue can be avoided by using Te, which is a promising but less common alternative for n-type doping of GaAs nanowires. Here, we present a detailed investigation of Te-doped self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires. We use several complementary experimental techniques, such as atom probe tomography, off-axis electron holography, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and single-nanowire transport characterization, to assess the Te concentration, the free-electron concentration, and the built-in potential in Te-doped GaAs nanowires. By combing the experimental results with a theoretical model, we show that Te atoms are mainly incorporated by the vapor-liquid-solid process through the Ga droplet, which leads to both axial and radial dopant gradients due to Te diffusion inside the nanowires and competition between axial elongation and radial growth of nanowires. Furthermore, by comparing the free-electron concentration from Raman spectroscopy and the Te-atom concentrations from atom probe tomography, we show that the activation of Te donor atoms is 100% at a doping level of 4×1018cm-3, which is a significant result in terms of future device applications.\u3c/p\u3

Te incorporation and activation as n-type dopant in self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires

Dopant atoms can be incorporated into nanowires either via the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism through the catalyst droplet or by the vapor-solid growth on the sidewalls. Si is a typical n-type dopant for GaAs, but in nanowires it often suffers from a strongly amphoteric nature in the vapor-liquid-solid process. This issue can be avoided by using Te, which is a promising but less common alternative for n-type doping of GaAs nanowires. Here, we present a detailed investigation of Te-doped self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires. We use several complementary experimental techniques, such as atom probe tomography, off-axis electron holography, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and single-nanowire transport characterization, to assess the Te concentration, the free-electron concentration, and the built-in potential in Te-doped GaAs nanowires. By combing the experimental results with a theoretical model, we show that Te atoms are mainly incorporated by the vapor-liquid-solid process through the Ga droplet, which leads to both axial and radial dopant gradients due to Te diffusion inside the nanowires and competition between axial elongation and radial growth of nanowires. Furthermore, by comparing the free-electron concentration from Raman spectroscopy and the Te-atom concentrations from atom probe tomography, we show that the activation of Te donor atoms is 100% at a doping level of 4×1018cm-3, which is a significant result in terms of future device applications