III-nitride semiconductors have garnered significant attention due to their diverse applications in the fields of optics and electronics. As GaN-based visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser technologies continue to advance, there has been a surge of interest in the development of ultraviolet (UV) devices. In order to explore the UV range, extensive research has been conducted on BN-based materials and their alloys with conventional III-nitrides, driven by the quest for materials exhibiting larger bandgaps and enhanced refractive index contrast. Additionally, the incorporation of boron into III-nitrides through alloying provides a promising avenue for effectively modulating lattice parameters and manipulating the crystalline structure. This offers a novel approach for strain engineering, lattice matching, and structural manipulation, facilitating the optimization of device performance and expanding the capabilities of III-nitride semiconductors in the realm of UV device development. In this work, we optimize and investigate the epitaxial growth of BGaN using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, and characterize the physical and electronic properties of the grown films using several techniques such as X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and more. We have explored different metalorganic chemical vapor deposition techniques —such as continuous growth and pulsed-flow modulation, high temperature and low temperature growths, hydrogen-containing and hydrogen-free growths, trimethylgallium (TMG) and triethylgallium (TEG) sourced growths, Triethylborane (TEB) and borazine (BRZN) sourced growths— to grow BGaN alloys. Samples grown using continuous-flow method, low temperatures, TEG source and hydrogen-free carrier gas show higher boron content and better crystalline quality when having TEB as a boron source. BRZN is used to reduce carbon impurities for the purpose of film doping. With BRZN, TMG was found as a preferred gallium source. Additionally, we have characterized the electronic properties of the grown films in details using XPS, EELS and other related techniques. We have studied the band offset of BGaN with AlN using traditional methods. Furthermore, we have developed a statistical technique to find small offsets at interfaces at the precision of the measuring instrument.

Microsensor technologies based on nitride semiconductor materials were developed as options for improved exhaust gas sensors in diesel exhaust systems. The main goals were to develop new sensors that can meet the requirements given by Peugeot PSA to meet upcoming EU emissions regulations for NO, NO2, and NH3 detection. Two different sensor technologies were developed based on Schottky junction and high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) devices. Novel materials such as BGaN and BGaN/GaN superlattice structures are explored. For each device, a comprehensive analytical model is developed and simulations are carried out to optimize and design the sensor devices. Materials growth is then conducted for the different semiconductor layers, followed by materials characterizations to ensure high quality materials. Device prototypes are fabricated using various materials and functional layer designs. For device testing, an experimental setup is developed. Our experimental results show excellent sensitivity; we also report selectivity between NO and NO2 for the first time for these types of devices. Finally, we modify our devices for other sensing applications such as the detection of other harmful gases and pollutants in liquid environments.

Wurtzite III-nitride semiconductor materials have many technically important applications in optical and electronic devices. As GaN-based visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers starts to mature, interest in developing UV devices starts to rise. The search for materials with larger bandgaps and high refractive index contrast in the UV range has inspired multiple studies of BN-based materials and their alloys with traditional III-nitrides. Additionally, alloying III-nitrides with boron can reduce their lattice parameters giving a new option for strain engineering and lattice matching. In this work I investigate the refractive indices of BAlN and BGaN over the entire compositional range using hybrid density functional theory (DFT). An interesting non-linear trend of the refractive index curves appears as boron content is increased in the BAlN and BGaN alloys. The results of this calculation were interpolated and plotted in three dimensions for better visualization. This interpolation gives a 3D dataset that can be used in designing a myriad of devices at all binary and ternary alloy compositions in the BAlGaN system. The interpolated surface was used to find an optimum design for a strain-free, high reflection coefficient and high bandwidth DBR. The performance of this DBR was quantitatively evaluated using finite element simulations. I found that the maximum DBR reflectivity with widest bandwidth for our materials occurs at a lattice parameter of 3.113 Å using the generated 3D dataset. I use the corresponding material pair to simulate a DBR at the wavelength 375 nm in the UVA range. A design with 25 pairs was found to have a peak reflectivity of 99.8%. This design has a predicted bandwidth of 26 nm measured at 90% peak performance. The high reflectivity and wide bandwidth of this lattice-matched design are optimal for UVA VCSEL applications. I have assisted in exploring different metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) techniques, continuous growth and pulsed-flow modulation, to grow and characterize BAlN alloys. Samples grown using continuous flow show better optical quality and are characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The refractive index of samples obtained experimentally is significantly below the predicted value using DFT.

Ternary III-nitride alloys have enabled the design of various devices ranging from optoelectronics to power electronics due to their tunable band gap. BxGa1-xN is a wide band gap semiconductor with applications in detecting devices, power electronics and light-emitting diodes. The band gap can be modulated by changing the Boron concentration. It can be grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition as a mixed thin film of wurtzite and zincblende structures. In this work, we investigate the structural and electronic properties of BxGa1-xN (x<0.2) by first-principles calculations for both the wurtzite and zincblende phases. The formation energies of Si and Mg impurities and of a Ga vacancy are also calculated. We find that the wurtzite structure is favored over the zincblende structure. Furthermore, the Si and Mg impurities have relatively low formation energies in their neutral state, which indicates compatibility with BxGa1-xN, while a Ga vacancy has very high formation energy, hence being less likely to form spontaneously. Moreover, in the charged states, the formation energy of Mg is reasonably low for most values of the Fermi level, while the formation energy of Si depends linearly on the Fermi level, indicating challenges in achieving n-type conductivity. For a Ga vacancy in a triple acceptor state, the formation energy is reasonably low close to the conduction band, therefore, Ga vacancies interfere with n-type conductivity.

Yes / The pre-emption procedure is an important part of the Radio Resource Management (RRM) when dealing with the emergency traffic. It allows resources to be allocated to higher priority connections by pre-empting lower priority connections. The provision of the pre-emption mechanism becomes much more important in the case of satellite systems such as the Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) system which aids in providing the communication during a catastrophe. This paper focuses on the preemption framework for a UMTS based satellite systems. Three algorithms have been proposed, Greedy, SubSetSum and Fuzzy pre-emption algorithm. Extensive simulations are carried out for the three algorithms and their performances are compared against each other. Simulation results show that the Fuzzy pre-emption algorithm performs better than the other two algorithms. / European Space Agency/Inmarsat

Yes / This article presents the in-flight demonstration of a new integrated aircraft communications system combining legacy and future radio technologies. This system, developed and validated under real environmental conditions during flight trials, integrates all the aeronautical service domains within a common IPv6-based aeronautical network. The flight trials were held within the framework of the European SANDRA project at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, in June 2013. The presented outcomes emphasize the flexibility and scalability of the developed network and demonstrate the seamless service coverage of the given architecture across different airspace domains. / The research leading to these results has been partially funded by the European Community's Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement n° 233679. The SANDRA project is a Large Scale Integrating Project for the FP7 Topic AAT.2008.4.4.2 (Integrated approach to network centric aircraft communications for global aircraft operations).

Cette thèse portait sur la caractérisation électrique et optique de nouveaux matériaux à base d'alliages III-N pour l’optoélectronique et la mise en œuvre de procédés de réalisation des contacts ohmiques et Schottky sur ces alliages. Le premier volet de cette thèse de concernait la maîtrise des contacts métalliques, particulièrement délicate dans le cas de ces matériaux à large bande interdite où il faut optimiser les prétraitements de surface, la métallisation multicouches et les procédés de recuit. Nous avons développé des procédés à relativement basse température (entre 200°C et 500°C) et étudié l'influence du prétraitement chimique et des paramètres du recuit et on a pu trouver des conditions permettant d'obtenir des contacts Ti/Al avec une excellente ohmicité et des contacts Schottky Au et Pt avec des paramètres de conduction permettant de réaliser des dispositifs fonctionnels. Le second volet de cette thèse concernait l'étude des propriétés électroniques et structurales de l'alliage BGaN, nouveau matériau élaboré au laboratoire par MOVPE. La caractérisation électrique a montré pour la première fois une augmentation drastique de la résistivité associée à une diminution de la concentration des porteurs libres lorsqu'on augmente la composition de bore dans BGaN. Grâce à des mesures de la résistivité du BGaN en fonction de la température et en utilisant un modèle qui prend en compte l'ensemble des interactions, cette augmentation de la résistivité a été discutée et interprétée en terme de compensation des dopants résiduels. En outre une très intéressante corrélation a pu être effectuée avec les résultats de la spectroscopie Raman via le couplage phonon-plasmon / This thesis work concerns the electrical and optical characterization of new III-N nitride alloys for optoelectronics and the optimization of ohmic and Schottky contacts on these materials. The first part of this thesis was related to the realization of metallic contacts, particularly difficult for these high bandgap materials, by the optimization of the surface treatment, multi-layer metallization and thermal annealing. We developed annealing processes at relatively low temperature (between 200°C and 500°C) and studied the effect of the chemical treatment and annealing in order to find the optimal conditions for ohmic contacts. We obtained for instance Ti/Al contacts with an excellent ohmicity and used Pt to process Schottky functional diodes. The second part of this thesis was related to the study of the electronic and structural properties of the new BGaN alloy grown by MOVPE in our laboratory. The electric characterization showed for the first time a dramatic increase in the resistivity associated to the decrease of the free carriers’ concentration when the composition of boron in BGaN increases. The variation of the resistivity in BGaN with respect to the temperature was analyzed by using a theoretical model which takes into account the free carriers’ interaction with impurities and phonons and the variation of resistivity with boron in BGaN was discussed in this framework and linked to a compensation phenomenon of the residual dopants. On the other hand a very interesting correlation was carried out between Raman and electrical results through the phonon-plasmon coupling

III-Nitride semiconductor materials have garnered significant attention among researchers due to their diverse applications stemming from their remarkable electrical and optical properties. This present thesis encompasses theoretical investigations conducted on InAlN and AlGaN for the purpose of designing light-emitting diodes (LEDs), along with experimental characterization experiments on BGaN thin films. The primary objective of this research is to delve deeply into the optoelectronic applications of InAlN and analyze the current state of BGaN. Theoretical studies were carried out on InAlN-based deep-ultraviolet (DUV) LEDs, with a particular focus on elucidating the polarization properties exhibited by this material when combined with AlGaN. Additionally, an estimation of the band alignment of this system was included, taking into account the available reported data. The intention behind this work is to underscore the importance of designing novel optoelectronic devices that incorporate ternary-to-ternary heterointerfaces. However, it is crucial to carefully consider both the advantages and disadvantages of such interfaces in terms of carrier injection efficiency and radiative efficiency. The experimental section of this thesis entailed the fabrication and characterization of BGaN thin films. A comprehensive understanding and development of this material are essential, as boron-alloys have garnered attention due to their unique properties. Nevertheless, there have been reports of epitaxial complications and theoretical limits associated with these alloys. In this section, we present the characteristics of the first conductive memory-effect-obtained p-type BGaN, doped with magnesium. Although the characterization of the reported samples includes techniques such as HRXRD, AFM, SEM, Hall, CTLM, SIMS, and CL, it is important to note that a more profound fundamental study is still underway. The relevance of this work can be summarized into two key aspects: Firstly, it provides valuable insights and descriptions of novel heterojunctions for ultraviolet LEDs from a physics perspective. Secondly, it contributes to material advancements in the pursuit of developing new ternary-alloys, offering a material science perspective.