Les semiconducteurs III-V ayant des propriétés électroniques et optiques très intéressantes, leur intégration sur Si permettrait la combinaison de fonctionnalités variées sur la même puce, une solution potentielle aux obstacles affrontés par les composants CMOS. Les travaux pionniers de McKee et al ont démontré que le SrTiO3 (STO) peut être directement épitaxié sur Si par EJM (Epitaxie par Jets Moléculaires). Plus tard, une équipe de Motorola a montré qu’il était possible d’épitaxier des couches minces de GaAs sur des templates de STO/Si, ouvrant une voie nouvelle pour l’intégration monolithique de III-V sur Si. Sur cette base, l’INL a entrepris l’étude de la croissance de semiconducteurs III-V sur STO. Il a notamment été montré que la faible adhésion caractéristique de ces systèmes favorisait un mode d’accommodation spécifique du désaccord paramétrique par la formation d’un réseau de dislocations confinées à l’interface entre les deux matériaux sans défauts traversant liés à une relaxation plastique, ce qui ouvre des perspectives intéressantes pour l’intégration monolithique de III-V sur Si. Dans ce contexte, lors de cette thèse, Nous nous sommes d’abord focalisé sur l’optimisation de la croissance des templates de STO/Si. Nous avons en particulier montré qu’une couche de STO relaxée et riche en oxygène favorisait la reprise de croissance de l’InP. Nous avons ensuite étudié de manière systématique la croissance d’InP sur STO. La faible adhésion caractéristique de ce système conduit à la formation d’îlots aux premiers stades de la croissance, ainsi qu’à l’observation d’une compétition entre plusieurs orientations cristallines de l’InP. Nous avons fixé des conditions de croissance et de préparation de la surface de STO permettant d’obtenir des îlots purement orientés (001). Nous avons ensuite optimisés l’étape de coalescence de ces îlots pour former des couches 2D d’InP intégrées sur STO/Si. Une étude structurale et optique complète de ces hétérostructures, nous a permis d’analyser le potentiel de notre approche et pointer certaines limitations des templates de STO/Si. Sur cette base, nous avons enfin initié l’étude de templates alternatifs pour la croissance d’InP, en effectuant quelques études préliminaires de l’épitaxie d’InP sur substrats de LaAlO3. / Due to their electrical and optical properties, the integration of III-V semiconductors on Si would open the path to the combination of a various functionalities on the same chip, a potential solution to the challenges faced by CMOS components. The pionner studies by McKee and al have shown that SrTiO3 (STO) could be directly epitaxied on Si by MBE (Molecular Beam Epitaxy). Few years later, a Motorola team has shown that it is possible to epitaxy thin GaAs layers on STO/Si templates, hence opening a new path for III-V monolithic integration on Si. Based on this, the INL has undertaken the study of III-V semiconductors growth on STO. In particular, it has been shown that the weak adhesion specific to these systems favors a preferential accommodation mode of the lattice mismatch by breaking interfacial bonds rather than by plastic relaxation of an initially compressed layer. Hence, it is possible in spite of a strong lattice mismatch to grow III-V semiconductors without threading defects related to a plastic relaxation mechanism, which opens interesting perspectives for IIIV monolithic integration on Si. In this context, during this thesis, we have focalised in the beginning on optimising the growth of the STO/Si templates. In particular, we have shown that a relaxed and oxygen-rich STO layer favors undertaking InP growth. Next, we have studied systematically the InP growth on STO. The weak adhesion specific to this system leads to islands formation at the early stages of growth, as well as the observation of a competition between different crystalline orientations of the InP islands. We have worked out STO growth conditions and surface preparation strategies that allow obtaining purely (001) oriented InP islands. We have next optimised the islands coalescence step in order to form 2D InP layers on STO/Si. Based on a complete structural and optical study of these heterostructures, we have been able to analyse our approach’s potential and to point out cetain limitations of the STO/Si templates. On this basis, we have finally initiated the study of alternative templates for InP growth, by undergoing some preliminary studies of InP epitaxy on LaAlO3 substrates.

Cette thèse porte sur l’étude de la croissance auto-organisée de boîtes quantiques d’In(Ga)As sur substrat de silicium visant à l’intégration monolithique d’un émetteur de lumière sur silicium à base d’un matériau semiconducteur III-V. Le développement d’un tel système se heurte à deux verrous majeurs : le premier provient d’un très fort désaccord de maille qui rend difficile l’élaboration de boîtes quantiques d’In(Ga)As sur Si présentant de bonnes qualités structurales et optiques, et le second provient de la nature électronique de l’interface entre In(Ga)As et le Si dont il est prédit qu’elle est de type II et donc peu efficace pour l’émission de lumière. L’approche que nous avons proposée consiste à insérer des BQs d’In(Ga)As dans un puits quantique de silicium dans SiO2, fabriqué sur un substrat SOI. Les effets attendus de confinement quantique dans le puits de Si favoriseraient une interface In(Ga)As/Si de type I. D’un point de vue expérimental, nous avons donc étudié l’influence de différents paramètres de croissance (température de croissance, rapport V/III, quantité d’In(Ga)As déposé, teneur en indium des boîtes quantiques …) sur le mode de croissance et sur les propriétés structurales et optiques des BQs d’In(Ga)As épitaxiées sur substrat de Si(001). Nous avons proposé une interprétation des phénomènes microscopiques qui régissent la formation des boîtes quantiques d’In(Ga)As sur Si en fonction de la teneur en indium. Nous avons aussi montré qu’il est possible de fabriquer des boîtes quantiques d’In0,4Ga0,6As sur Si ne présentant pas de défauts structuraux liés à la relaxation plastique. La luminescence attendue des boîtes quantiques n’a pas pu être obtenue, probablement en raison de deux conditions requises mais antagonistes: la fabrication de boîtes quantiques de très haute qualité structurale (possible uniquement pour de l’In(Ga)As avec une teneur en In inférieure à 50%) et un alignement de bandes à l’interface BQs In(Ga)As/Si de type I (possible théoriquement pour une teneur en In supérieure ou égale à 70%). Ce travail a permis d’enrichir la connaissance et le savoir-faire concernant l’élaboration de boîtes quantiques d’In(Ga)As sur substrat de Si(001) et l’encapsulation de ces boîtes quantiques par du silicium dans un réacteur d’épitaxie par jets moléculaires III-V. / This thesis focuses on the study of the self-organized growth of In(Ga)As quantum dots (QDs) on a silicon substrate. The purpose of this work is to pave the way for a monolithic integration of III-V semiconductor-based light emitter on silicon. One of the big challenges of this project is to overcome the high lattice mismatch between InGaAs and Si which can induce structural defects in the QDs. Another key challenge comes from the expected type II In(Ga)As/Si interface that is detrimental for efficient light emission. In order to solve the “interface type” issue, we suggested to insert the In(Ga)As QD plane inside a thin silicon layer grown on a SOI substrate. Confinement effects of the Si/SiO2 quantum well are expected to raise the X-valley of the Si conduction band above the Γ-valley, leading to a type I interface in both direct and reciprocal space. The influence of different parameters (such as the amount of deposited In(Ga)As, the growth temperature, the V/III ratio and the gallium content...) on the growth mode and on the structural and optical properties of the In(Ga)As QDs grown on Si(001) are experimentally studied. We propose an interpretation of the microscopic phenomena governing the formation of the QDs as a function of gallium content. We finally show the possibility of making In0,4Ga0,6As QDs on Si(001) substrates, these QDs being free of ‘plastic relaxation’-related structural defects. The expected luminescence from the QDs was not obtained probably due to two incompatible conditions: the first, required for growing high structural quality QDs (possible only for In(Ga)As containing less than 50% of In) and the second, essential for maintaining a type I interface band alignment (theoretically possible for an In content greater than 50%). This work is contributing to the understanding of In(Ga)As QDs growth on Si(001) substrates and to the know-how of capping such QDs with silicon inside a III-V molecular beam epitaxy reactor.

This project is concerned with both the study of different Multiple Quantum Wells (MQWs) structures using the In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As material system lattice matched to InP and a systematic investigation of the properties of InAs QD systems within GaAs with the aim of achieving enhancements of solar cell performance. The key challenge is the growth of QDs solar cell structures which exhibit sufficient absorption (enhanced infrared absorption) to increase short circuit current density (Jsc) but which can still maintains a high open circuit voltage (Voc). The research consists of epitaxial growth using state-of–the-art MBE, optical absorption, photoluminescence and high resolution x-ray diffraction measurements as well as device fabrication and characterization of novel solar cell structures. Optimization was performed on these novel cells to further improve their efficiency by inserting stacks of QD into different regions of the device. The effect of localized doping of such structures was used in an attempt to maintain and enhance the open-circuit voltage which in turn increases the device efficiency. The fabricated devices were characterized using measurements of the dark/light current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and spectral response (50-480 K). Solar cell external quantum efficiencies under standard air mass (AM) 1.5 spectrum were determined and the suitability of these new cells under solar concentration were assessed. Full physical simulations are performed using SILVACO semiconductors modelling software to generate models of multi-junction solar cells that were crucial in informing iterations to growth and fabrication and help to reconcile theory with experiment. One of the key findings, of this thesis, is the fact that Intermediate band photovoltaic devices using material based on InAs/GaAs vertically stacked quantum dot arrays, can be used in applications according to specific configuration criteria such as high temperature operation conditions. The intermediate band cell, including an inter-dot doped configuration, has been found to be a potential candidate as the inter dot doping profile reduces the efficiency degradation below the GaAs values including an enhancement in the open circuit voltage. It has been proved that these devices not only have a good performance at high temperatures but also by changing the vertical stacking QD layer periodicity can enhance the short circuit current density while keeping a large open circuit voltage. It was confirmed in practical device operation that thermal energy is required to enable the intermediate band in InAs/GaAs QD materials. The impact of this works can help in the future improvements of the intermediate band solar cells based on InAs on GaAs QD. The best overall efficiency of 11.6 % obtained in this work is an excellent value for so simple devices configuration. The Si3N4, tested for the first time on InAs/GaAs QD materials, reduces the reflectance on the device surface to a value of 2% and the operational wavelength can be tuned by controlling the layer thickness. A 100 nm Si3N4 antireflective coating proved to be an excellent coating from 700 to 1000 nm. In terms of short circuit current density a 37% enhancement was achieved.

No description available.

Silicon based solar cells have been used as photovoltaic devices for decades due to reasonable cost and environment- friendly nature of silicon. But the conversion efficiency of silicon solar cell is limited; for instance, the maximum conversion efficiency of a crystalline silicon solar cell available in the market developed by Kaneka Corporation is 26 % [1]. In comparison, III-V compound semiconductor multi-junction solar cells are the most efficient solar cells with efficiency of 47.1% [2]. However, due to high-cost substrate materials, III-V solar cells are not the best option for large scale production in real life. Therefore, integration of III-V compound semiconductors on silicon substrate has been studied to obtain III-V/Si multi junction solar cells with high conversion efficiency with reasonable price. To this end, we studied epitaxial growth of on GaAs deposited on Si.This thesis presents the characterization results of the above epitaxial layer and fabrication of a single junction solar cell on GaAs coated Si substrate and its performance.In the first part of the project, epitaxial layer grown by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) on different kinds of substrates at different growth conditions are characterized to identify the optimized growth conditions and a suitable substrate. Samples are characterized by High Resolution X-ray Diffraction (HRXRD) and photoluminescence (PL) to determine the composition of and its crystalline quality and by optical microscope to assess the surface morphology. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is used to study the depth of the dry etched structures.The second part of the project deals with the fabrication process consisting of 21 steps to obtain a single junction solar cell structure on GaAs/Si. This process flow will be explained in some detail along with a brief description of several tools in cleanroom that have been used for this purpose.Finally, in the third part, devices are characterized to investigate their performance. Transmission Line Method (TLM) is used to obtain important parameters such as specific contact resistance. Current- voltage (I-V) relation of solar cell is investigated to acquire its efficiency. The lowest specific contact resistance measured in this project is for p-contact (for 4041DV- cell 8) and the highest efficiency measured is 1.64% (for 4041DV- cell 6).In conclusion, although the results obtained are far from the state-of-the art results, this work has laid the foundation for future work that can lead to a breakthrough in fabricating multi-junction tandem solar cell on silicon. / Kiselbaserade solceller har använts i årtionden på grund av dess rimliga kostnad och miljövänliga natur. Omvandlingseffektiviteten för kiselsolcell är begränsad; till exempel är den maximala omvandlingseffektiviteten för solceller av kristallin kisel utvecklad av Kaneka Corporation 26 % [1]. Som jämförelse är III-V sammansatta halvledare multi-junction solceller de mest effektiva solcellerna med en effektivitet på 47,1 % [2]. På grund av de höga substratmaterialen är III-V-solceller i realiteter inte det bästa alternativet för storskalig produktion. Därför har integration av III-V sammansatta halvledare på kiselsubstrat studerats för att erhålla III-V/Si multi junction solceller med hög omvandlingseffektivitet till rimligt pris. För detta ändamål studerade vi epitaxiell tillväxt av på GaAs avsatt på Si.Denna avhandling presenterar karaktäriseringsresultaten av ovanstående epitaxiella skikt och tillverkning av en enkel förbindelse solcell på GaAs-belagt Si-substrat och dess prestanda.I den första delen av projektet karaktäriseras epitaxiallager odlat med Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) på olika typer av substrat vid olika tillväxtförhållanden för att identifiera de optimerade tillväxtförhållandena och ett lämpligt substrat. Prover kännetecknas av högupplöst röntgendiffraktion (HRXRD) och fotoluminescens (PL) för att bestämma sammansättningen av och dess kristallina kvalitet och med optiskt mikroskop för att bedöma morfologin. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) används för att studera djupet av de torretsade strukturerna.Den andra delen av projektet behandlar tillverkningsprocessen som består av 21 steg för att erhålla en enda förbindelse solcellsstruktur på GaAs/Si. Detta processflöde kommer att förklaras i detalj tillsammans med en kort beskrivning av flera verktyg i renrum som har använts för detta ändamål.Slutligen, i den tredje delen, karaktäriseras enheter för att frilägga dess prestanda. Transmission Line Method (TLM) används för att erhålla viktiga parametrar som specifikt kontaktmotstånd. Förhållandet mellan ström och spänning (I-V) hos solcellen undersöks för att uppnå optimal effektivitet. Den lägsta specifikt kontaktmotstånd som uppmätts i detta projekt är för p-kontakt (för 4041DV-cell 8) och den högsta uppmätta effektiviteten är 1,64% (för 4041DV-cell 6).Sammanfattningsvis, även om de erhållna resultaten är långt ifrån de senaste resultaten inom forskning, lägger detta arbete grunden för framtida arbete som kan leda till ett genombrott i tillverkningen av multi-junction tandemsolcell på kisel.

No description available.

Diese Arbeit untersucht das Aufwachsen von dünnen GaP-Schichten auf Si(100)-Oberflächen mittels metallorganischer Gasphasenabscheidung (MOVPE) und die damit verbundene Entstehung von Antiphasendomänen (APDs). Die Vermessung der Si(100)-Substratoberfläche, der III-V/Si(100)-Grenzfläche und der abgeschiedenen GaP-Filme mit oberflächenempfindlichen Messverfahren dient der Etablierung APD-freier III-V-Heteroepitaxie auf Si(100). Die Präparation reiner Si(100)-Oberflächen frei von Sauerstoff in der MOVPE-Umgebung konnte durch Röntgenphotoelektronenspektroskopie (XPS) belegt werden. Vorwiegend doppelgestufte Substrate wurden sowohl auf 0.1°, 2° als auch 6° fehlorientierten Substraten erzielt. Im Widerspruch zu etablierten Ergebnissen im Ultrahochvakuum richteten sich die Dimere auf 0.1° und 2° Proben senkrecht zu den Doppelstufenkanten aus, vermutlich durch den Einfluss des Wasserstoffs in der MOVPE. Infrarotspektroskopie (FTIR) belegte eine Monohydridterminierung infolge der Präparation, während in-situ Reflexions-Anisotropie-Spectroskopie (RAS) zeigte, dass diese bei höheren Prozesstemperaturen nicht vorliegt. Für die GaP-Heteroepitaxie auf diesen Substraten wurde ein optisches in-situ Messverfahren für die quantitative Bestimmung des APD-Gehaltes entwickelt, welches auf dem eingehenden Verständnis der Rekonstruktionen von GaP(100), der assozierten RAS-Signaturen und dem mit Rastertunnelmikroskopie (STM) und Beugung niedrigenergetischer Elektronen (LEED) etablierten mikroskopischen Verständnis der Oberflächen beruht. Die APD-Quantifizierung mittels RAS wurde durch empirische Korrektur von Interferenzeffekten und optische Modellrechnungen, die auch Rückschlüsse auf die Grenzflächenanisotropie erlauben, deutlich verbessert. Der Abgleich mit unterschiedlichsten Mikroskopiemethoden, basierend auf niedrigenergetischen Elektronen (LEEM), Elektronentransmission (TEM) und Rasterkraftverfahren (AFM) bestätigt die erzielten Ergebnisse. / The present work investigates the growth of thin, pseudomorphic GaP films by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on Si(100) surfaces by a variety of surface-sensitive methods and pays with specific attention to the substrate induced anti-phase disorder in this lattice matched model system for III-V/Si(100) heteroepitaxy. Thorough X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations verified the preparation of clean Si(100) surfaces free of oxygen in the MOVPE ambient. Predominantly double-layer stepped Si(100) surfaces were obtained for 0.1°, 2°, and 6° misoriented substrates. In contrast to results established in ultra-high vacuum (UHV), double-layer steps with dimers oriented perpendicular to their edges were observed, which was attributed to the presence of hydrogen as a process gas in the MOVPE environment. A monohydride termination of Si(100) was determined after substrate preparation by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), while reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) showed the absence of hydrogen termination at higher temperatures. Optical in situ spectroscopy was established as a method for the quantitative evaluation of anti-phase disorder in GaP heteroepitaxy based on a detailed understanding of the GaP(100) surface reconstructions, of the development of the corresponding RAS signatures, and of the associated surface structure studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). The in situ RAS quantification was greatly improved by empirical correction of thin film interference and optical model calculations, which also enable extraction of the GaP/Si(100) interface anisotropy. The characterization was supported by benchmarking to atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results as well as to low energy electron microscopy (LEEM), which was used for surface sensitive visualization of anti-phase domains on a mesoscopic length scale.