No description available.

Orientador: Luis Vicente de Andrade Scalvi / Resumo: A proposta deste trabalho é a investigação e compreensão de propriedades ópticas e eletrônicas da heteroestrutura formada pelo semicondutor III-V GaAs e o semicondutor óxido SnO2. A deposição de filmes finos de GaAs é feita por evaporação resistiva, e a de filmes finos de SnO2 dopados com o íon terra-rara Eu3+ pelo processo sol-gel-dip-coating, combinando um material semicondutor com alta mobilidade eletrônica e transição direta (GaAs), com semicondutor de bandgap largo (SnO2) e condutividade naturalmente do tipo-n, onde a emissão de Eu3+ é bastante eficiente. Amostras desses dois materiais foram investigadas preliminarmente de forma separada, como filmes finos, ou pós de SnO2:Eu prensados na forma de pastilhas. Fotoluminescência foi medida em heteroestruturas GaAs/SnO2:2%Eu com tratamentos térmicos em baixa temperatura (200 e 400°C), enquanto filmes de SnO2:2%Eu isolados apenas apresentaram picos de emissão do Eu3+ quando tratados com temperatura elevada (1000°C), porém com baixa intensidade. A hipótese para esse fenômeno foi associada com aglomerados de Eu3+ na superfície das amostras. Medidas de XAFS têm possibilitado o estudo da incorporação do dopante Eu na matriz SnO2, e na compreensão do mecanismo da luminescência encontrada. Análises de XANES mostraram que o átomo de európio permanece no estado de oxidação trivalente após a síntese da solução e tratamentos térmicos feitos, e que a heteroestrutura apresenta menos distorção na rede e estrutura mais ordenada quando compa... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The purpose of this work is the investigation and comprehension of optical and electronic properties of the heterostructure, formed by the III-V semiconductor GaAs and the oxide semiconductor SnO2. The deposition of GaAs thin films is accomplished by the resistive evaporation technique, and thin films of SnO2, doped with the rare earth ion Eu3+, by the sol-gel-dip-coating process, combining a semiconductor material with high electronic mobility (GaAs), with a wide bandgap semiconductor (SnO2) which is naturally n-type, where Eu3+ emission is quite efficient. Samples of these two materials were initially investigated separately, as thin films, or SnO2:Eu powders pressed into pellets. Photoluminescence was measured in GaAs/SnO2:2%Eu heterostructures with thermal annealing at low temperature (200 and 400°C), while SnO2:2%Eu films showed Eu3+ emission peaks only when treated with higher temperature (1000°C), but with low intensity. The hypothesis for this phenomenon was associated with Eu3+ agglomerates on the sample surfaces. XAFS measurements have allowed the study of the incorporation of the Eu doping in the SnO2 matrix, and in the understanding of the mechanism of luminescence found. Analysis of XANES showed that the europium atom remains in the trivalent oxidation state after the synthesis of the solution and thermal annealing done, and that the GaAs/SnO2:2%Eu heterostructure presents less distortion in the lattice and more ordered structure when compared to films of SnO2:2%... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden Si-dotierte und undotierte 4” VGF-GaAs Einkristalle unter dem Einfluss von Wandermagnetfeldern (TMF) gezüchtet. Die für den Prozess benötigte Wärme und das Wandermagnetfeld wurden simultan mithilfe der kombinierten Regelung von Gleich- und Wechselströmen in einem KRISTMAG Heizer-Magnet-Modul (HMM) erzeugt. Alle Züchtungsexperimente wurden in einer kommerziellen VGF-Anlage mit eingebautem Eintiegel-HMM und in einer neu entwickelten VGF-Anlage mit Multitiegel-HMM durchgeführt. Der Einfluss der durch die Lorentzkräfte angetriebenen Schmelze auf die Form der fest-flüssig Phasengrenze wurde innerhalb einer TMF-Parameterstudie analysiert. Im Vergleich mit Referenzkristallen, welche ohne TMF gezüchtet wurden, zeigte sich, dass die Durchbiegung der Phasengrenze durch die Anwendung eines geeigneten Doppelfrequenz-TMF um etwa 30% verringert und der Kontaktwinkel am Tiegel um etwa 10% vergrößert werden kann. Zudem wurden Synergieeffekte von TMF-Anwendung und den Ansätzen zur Prozessintensivierung - Scale-Up, Speed-Up und Numbering-Up - für die Verbesserung der Prozesseffizienz erfolgreichnachgewiesen. Es wurden gleichzeitig zwei 4” VGF-GaAs:Si Einkristalle unter dem Einfluss eines TMF in einer Multitiegel-Anlage gezüchtet. In Kristallen, welche ohne oder mit zu starkem TMF gezüchtet wurden, waren Wachstumsstreifen sichtbar. Wurde die magnetische Flussdichte des TMF an den Kristallisationsverlauf angepasst, konnten nahezu keine Mikroinhomogenitäten detektiert werden. Die Länge der Kristallfacetten stabilisierte sich durch den Einsatz der Wandermagnetfelder. Zusätzlich konnten die Versetzungsdichten innerhalb der Kristalle durch Optimierung des thermischen Aufbaus und der Phasengrenzform signifikant reduziert werden. Mithilfe eines dem Züchtungsverlaufes angepassten Doppelfrequenz-TMF sowie der Nutzung eines BN-Suszeptors, wurde eine durchschnittliche EPD von 100 cm-2 in einem GaAs:Si Kristall erzielt. / Within the framework of this thesis Si-doped and undoped 4” VGF-GaAs single crystals were grown under the influence of traveling magnetic fields (TMF). A KRISTMAG heater-magnet module (HMM) was used for the efficient simultaneous generation of heat and TMF during the process through a combination of DC and AC control. Growth experiments were carried out in a commercial VGF growth setup equipped with a single-crucible HMM and a newly designed VGF setup with a multi-crucible HMM. The impact of the Lorentz force driven melt flow on the shape of the solid-liquid interface was analyzed in a TMF parameter study on frequency, phase shift, and current. With the application of suitable double-frequency TMF during growth, the interface deflection was reduced by about 30% and crucible contact angles increased within the order of 10%, compared to reference crystals grown without TMF. Synergy effects of TMF application on process intensification approaches scale-up, speed-up, and numbering-up were successfully shown. Two 4” VGF-GaAs:Si single crystals were simultaneously grown under the influence of a TMF in the multi-crucible HMM. With TMF application changing structural and electronic properties as well as micro- and macrosegregation were investigated on Si-doped VGF-GaAs single crystals. Striations were observed in crystals grown without or too strong TMF. Almost no micro-inhomogeneities were detected when the magnetic flux densities of the TMF were matched to the progression of solidification. Facets lengths in the crystal cone were found to be more stable with applied TMF. Further, the combined optimization of the conventional thermal setup and a reduction of the interface deflection with TMF application significantly reduced dislocation densities inside the crystals. An average EPD value around 100 cm-2 was obtained for GaAs:Si growth with a growth-matched double-frequency TMF and applied BN susceptor in the single-crucible VGF setup.

Das Thema dieser Dissertation ist das MBE-Wachstum und die Charakterisierung von Ga(As,N) und (In,Ga)(As,N). Die Arbeit beginnt mit der Optimierung des Wachstums von Ga(As,N). Aufgrund der hohen Mischbarkeitslücke von GaN in GaAs verursacht der Einbau von Stickstoff in GaAs eine strukturelle Degradation, die von der Substrattemperatur, der Stickstoffkonzentration und der Quantentopfdicke abhängt. Ein weiteres Problem bezüglich des Wachstums von Ga(As,N) sind Punktdefekte, die einen schädlichen Einfluß auf optische Eigenschaften haben. Eine thermische Behandlung verringert die Konzentration dieser Punktdefekte. Dies geht mit einer Steigerung der Photolumineszenz-Intensität einher. Punktdefekte sind zum Beispiel Stickstoff-Dimere, die sich in Gallium- oder Arsen-Vakanzen einbauen. Eine thermische Behandlung bei hohen Temperaturen bewirkt jedoch eine strukturelle Degradation im Ga(As,N)-Materialsystem, die sich in einer Abnahme der Photolumineszenz-Intensität manifestiert. Es wird gezeigt, daß die Temperatur der thermischen Behandlung, die die höchste Photolumineszenz-Ausbeute erzielt, von der Stickstoffkonzentration abhängt. Bezüglich des Wachstums von (In,Ga)(As,N) verursacht die Mischbarkeitslücke von (In,Ga)N in (In,Ga)As ebenfalls eine strukturelle Degradation. Auch im quaternären Materialsystem ist eine thermische Behandlung essentiell für die Verbesserung optischer Eigenschaften. Es wird außerdem gezeigt, daß die thermische Behandlung von (In,Ga)As eine Indiumdiffusion verursacht, die durch den Einbau von Stickstoff gestoppt wird. Die Charakterisierung von (In,Ga)(As,N) kantenemittierenden Lasern zeigt Emissionen bei Wellenlängen bis zu 1366 nm. Mit dem Einbau von Stickstoff ist ein Anstieg der Schwellstromdichte und ein Abfall der Emissionsleistung verbunden. / This dissertation deals with the MBE growth and characterization of Ga(As,N) and (In,Ga)(As,N). The work commences with the optimization of the Ga(As,N) growth. Owing to a large miscibility gap of GaN in GaAs, the incorporation of nitrogen into GaAs causes a structural degradation that is dependent on the substrate temperature, the nitrogen concentration, and the quantum well thickness. Another problem related to the growth of Ga(As,N) are point defects that have a detrimental influence on optical properties. A thermal treatment of Ga(As,N) reduces the concentration of these point defects. This leads to a substantial improvement of optical properties. We will show that nitrogen split interstitials that incorporate into gallium and arsenic vacancies may be attributed to these point defects. A thermal treatment of Ga(As,N) at high temperatures, on the contrary, results in a creation of extended defects which are detrimental to optical properties. We will show that the temperature of the thermal treatment that yields the highest photoluminescence intensity is nitrogen concentration-dependent. The growth of (In,Ga)(As,N) is similar with respect to Ga(As,N). Again, one has to face a high miscibility gap of (In,Ga)N in (In,Ga)As that results in a structural degradation. A thermal treatment of (In,Ga)(As,N) is also beneficial for improving optical properties. We will show that a thermal treatment of (In,Ga)As results in an indium diffusion that is suppressed by the incorporation of nitrogen. The characterization of (In,Ga)(As,N) edge emitting lasers shows emission at wavelengths up to 1366 nm. With higher nitrogen concentrations, there is a strong increase of the threshold current density and a decrease of the output power.

This thesis presents a new theoretical formalism which incorporates dynamical effects in atomistic electronic structure and related calculations. This research, fundamental by nature, brings about a deeper understanding of the dynamical processes in a range of materials. This establishes technologically important correlation with experimentally measured macroscopic properties and materials characterization. This method—the first of its kind—is a natural and long overdue extension of customary adiabatically separated time-independent electronic structure methods. It accounts explicitly for atomic motion due to thermal and zero-point vibration. The approach developed requires no direct treatment of time dependence in the quantum mechanical calculations, making the method widely applicable utilizing currently available electronic structure and ab-initio molecular dynamics software. The formalism is extensively applied and demonstrated for the linear optical response of bulk gallium arsenide and electronic structure of the C(111) 2 x 1 surface. Both cases are complimented by comparison of key observables to experimental data which may be used to judge the quality of the results. The results are found to be in good agreement with experimental data, with most exceptions being readily explainable and well understood.

In this doctoral dissertation, the author presents the theoretical foundation, the analysis and design of analog and RF circuits, the chip level implementation, and the experimental validation pertaining to a new radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) power amplifier (PA) architecture that is intended for wireless portable transceivers. / A method called Gated Envelope Feedback is proposed to allow the automatic hardware reconfiguration of a stand-alone RFIC PA in multiple states for power efficiency improvement purposes. The method uses self-operating and fully integrated circuitry comprising RF power detection, switching and sequential logic, and RF envelope feedback in conjunction with a hardware gating function for triggering and activating current reduction mechanisms as a function of the transmitted RF power level. Because of the critical role that RFIC PA components occupy in modern wireless transceivers, and given the major impact that these components have on the overall RF performances and energy consumption in wireless transceivers, very significant benefits stem from the underlying innovations. / The method has been validated through the successful design of a 1.88GHz COMA RFIC PA with automatic hardware reconfiguration capability, using an industry renowned state-of-the-art GaAs HBT semiconductor process developed and owned by Skyworks Solutions, Inc., USA. The circuit techniques that have enabled the successful and full on-chip embodiment of the technique are analyzed in details. The IC implementation is discussed, and experimental results showing significant current reduction upon automatic hardware reconfiguration, gain regulation performances, and compliance with the stringent linearity requirements for COMA transmission demonstrate that the gated envelope feedback method is a viable and promising approach to automatic hardware reconfiguration of RFIC PA's for current reduction purposes. Moreover, in regard to on-chip integration of advanced PA control functions, it is demonstrated that the method is better positioning GaAs HBT technologies, which are known to offer very competitive RF performances but inherently have limited integration capabilities. / Finally, an analytical approach for the evaluation of inter-modulation distortion (IMD) in envelope feedback architectures is introduced, and the proposed design equations and methodology for IMD analysis may prove very helpful for theoretical analyses, for simulation tasks, and for experimental work.

Molecular beam epitaxy has recently been applied to the growth and self assembly of nanostructures on crystal substrates. This highlights the importance of understanding how microscopic rules of atomic motion and assembly lead to macroscopic surface shapes. In this thesis, we present results from two computational studies of these mechanisms. We identify a kinetic mechanism responsible for the emergence of low-angle facets in recent epitaxial regrowth experiments on patterned surfaces. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of vicinal surfaces show that the preferred slope of the facets matches the threshold slope for the transition between step flow and growth by island nucleation. At this crossover slope, the surface step density is minimized and the adatom density is maximized, respectively. A model is developed that predicts the temperature dependence of the crossover slope and hence the facet slope. We also examine the "step bunching" instability thought to be present in step flow growth on surfaces with a downhill diffusion bias. One mechanism thought to produce the necessary bias is the inverse Ehrlich Schwoebel (ES) barrier. Using continuum, stochastic, and hybrid models of one dimensional step flow, we show that an inverse ES barrier to adatom migration is an insufficient condition to destabilize a surface against step bunching.

Molecular beam epitaxy has recently been applied to the growth and self assembly of nanostructures on crystal substrates. This highlights the importance of understanding how microscopic rules of atomic motion and assembly lead to macroscopic surface shapes. In this thesis, we present results from two computational studies of these mechanisms. We identify a kinetic mechanism responsible for the emergence of low-angle facets in recent epitaxial regrowth experiments on patterned surfaces. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of vicinal surfaces show that the preferred slope of the facets matches the threshold slope for the transition between step flow and growth by island nucleation. At this crossover slope, the surface step density is minimized and the adatom density is maximized, respectively. A model is developed that predicts the temperature dependence of the crossover slope and hence the facet slope. We also examine the "step bunching" instability thought to be present in step flow growth on surfaces with a downhill diffusion bias. One mechanism thought to produce the necessary bias is the inverse Ehrlich Schwoebel (ES) barrier. Using continuum, stochastic, and hybrid models of one dimensional step flow, we show that an inverse ES barrier to adatom migration is an insufficient condition to destabilize a surface against step bunching.

"1998"--T.p. / Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. / Introduction -- A Michelson interferometer for measurement of piezoelectric coefficients -- The piezoelectric coefficient of gallium arsenide -- Extensional piezoelectric coefficients of gallium nitrides and aluminium nitride -- Shear piezoelectric coefficients of gallium nitride and aluminium nitride -- Electrostriction in gallium nitride, aluminium nitride and gallium arsenide -- Summary and prognosis. / The present work represents the first use of the interferometric technique for determining the magnitude and sign of the piezoelectric coefficients of III-V compound semiconductors, in particular gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), and aluminium nitride (AIN). The interferometer arrangement used in the present work was a Michelson interferometer, with the capability of achieving a resolution of 10⁻¹³ m. -- The samples used were of two types. The first were commercial wafers, with single crystal orientation. Both GaAs and GaN were obtained in this form. The second type of sample was polycrystalline thin films, grown in the semiconductor research laboratories at Macquarie University. GaN and AIN samples of this type were obtained. -- The d₁₄ coefficient of GaAs was measured by first measuring the d₃₃ value of a [111] oriented sample. This was then transformed to give the d₁₄ coefficient of the usual [001] oriented crystal. The value obtained for d₁₄ was (-2.7 ± 0.1) pmV⁻¹. This compares well with the most recent reported measurements of -2.69 pmV⁻¹. The significance of the measurement is that this represents the first time this coefficient has been measured using the inverse piezoelectric effect. -- For AIN and GaN samples, the present work also represents the first time their piezoelectric coefficients have been measured by interferometry. For GaN, this work presents the first reported measurements of the piezoelectric coefficients, and some of these results have recently been published by the (Muensit and Guy, 1998). The d₃₃ and d₃₁ coefficients for GaN were found to be (3.4 ± 0.1) pmV⁻¹ and (-1.7 ± 0.1) pmV⁻¹ respectively. Since these values were measured on a single crystal wafer and have been corrected for substrate clamping, the values should be a good measure of the true piezoelectric coefficients for bulk GaN. -- For AIN, the d₃₃ and d₃₁ coefficients were found to be (5.1 ± 0.2) pmV⁻¹, and (-2.6 ± 0.1) pmV⁻¹ respectively. Since these figures are measured on a polycrystalline sample it is quite probable that the values for bulk AIN would be somewhat higher. / The piezoelectric measurements indicate that the positive c axis in the nitride films points away from the substrate. The piezoelectric measurements provide a simple means for identifying the positive c axis direction. -- The interferometric technique has also been used to measure the shear piezoelectric coefficient d₁₅ for AIN and GaN. This work represents the first application of this technique to measure this particular coefficient. The d₁₅ coefficients for AIN and GaN were found to be (-3.6 ± 0.1) pmV⁻¹ and (-3.1 ± 0.1) pmV⁻¹ respectively. The value for AIN agrees reasonably well with the only reported value available in the literature of -4.08 pmV⁻¹. The value of this coefficient for GaN has not been measured. -- Some initial investigations into the phenomenon of electrostriction in the compound semiconductors were also performed. It appears that these materials have both a piezoelectric response and a significant electrostrictive response. For the polycrystalline GaN and AIN, the values of the M₃₃ coefficients are of the order of 10⁻¹⁸ m²V⁻². The commercial single crystal GaN and GaAs wafers display an asymmetric response which cannot be explained. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Various pagings ill

Thesis (M.App.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 112-118). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.