Orientador: Fernando Iikawa / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin. / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-12T12:58:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gomes_PauloFreitas_D.pdf: 14344200 bytes, checksum: 55a7f7d3b644c0dc43151a411d53757b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: No presente trabalho apresentamos um estudo da luminescência de érbio em nanocristais de silício (nc-Si) e nanofios de óxido de zinco (nw-ZnO). Os nanocristais de silício com érbio são obtidos através do tratamento térmico de filmes finos amorfos de sub-óxidos de silício (SiOx) preparados por rf-sputtering, variando a concentração de Oxigênio e érbio durante o crescimento. O érbio é adicionado aos filmes cobrindo parcialmente a superfície do alvo de silício com pequenos cacos de érbio metálico. Medidas de espectroscopia Raman e microscopia eletrônica de alta resolução (HRTEM) fornecem o tamanho e densidade de nanocristais em cada amostra. Medidas de fotoluminescência (PL) dos nanocristais na temperatura ambiente mostram que o tamanho dos nanocristais varia com a concentração de oxigênio e temperatura de tratamento térmico. A dependência da PL dos nanocristais com a temperatura pode ser entendida considerando a competição entre processos radiativos e não-radiativos. Em amostras com érbio a taxa de recombinação não-radiativa é maior que nas amostras sem érbio. O estudo da PL dos nanocristais e dos íons Er3+ mostra que o Er3+ funciona como um centro de recombinação não-radiativa para a energia proveniente da recombinação de portadores nos nanocristais. Neste caso, parte da energia gerada nos nanocristais é transferida para os íons Er3+ ao invés de ser emitida na forma de fótons. Também é possível observar que a intensidade da PL do Er3+ depende da intensidade da PL dos nanocristais e é maior em amostras contendo nanocristais de ~3nm (que emitem em ~1,5eV), indicando que a transferência é ressonante (com a excitação 4I15/2 ---> 4I9/2 do Er3+ que corresponde a uma energia de 1,5eV). Os nanofios de ZnO com érbio são preparados por deposição vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) e por electrospinning. Em amostras preparadas por VLS, o érbio é depositado sobre os nanofios após sua preparação. No electrospinning um composto organometálico de érbio é adicionado ao polímero precursor. É observada luminescência de érbio quando as amostras são excitadas com um comprimento de onda ressonante com algum nível mais energético do Er3+. Nanocristais de E2O3 são observados por HRTEM na superfície dos nanofios preparados por VLS. Medidas de EXAFS revelam que a vizinhança do Er nessas amostras é idêntica à do óxido Er2O3, indicando que não ocorreu dopagem substitucional do ZnO. / Abstract: We present a study of erbium luminescence in silicon nanocrystals (nc-Si) and zinc oxide nanowires (nw-ZnO). Silicon nanocrystals are produced by annealing of amorphous sub-oxide thin films (SiOx) prepared by rf-sputtering varying the oxygen and erbium concentration during growth. Erbium is added by partially covering the silicon target surface with small pieces of metallic erbium. Raman spectroscopy and HRTEM measurements reveal the size and density of nanocrystals in each sample. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements at room temperature show that the nanocrystal size changes with oxygen concentration and annealing temperature. The PL dependence on the temperature can be understood considering a competition between radiative and non-radiative processes. In samples with erbium the non-radiative recombination rate is higher than in samples without erbium. The study of the nanocrystal and Er3+ PL show that Er3+ behaves as non-radiative recombination centers for excited carriers in the nanocrystals. Part of the energy from the nanocrystals is transferred to Er3+ instead of being emitted as light. The Er3+ PL intensity depends on the nanocrystal PL intensity and is higher in samples containing nanocrystals ~3nm (which emit at ~1.5eV), indicating that the energy transfer is resonant (with the 4I15/2 -----> 4I9/2 Er3+excitation at ~1.5eV) ZnO nanowires were prepared by vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) deposition and by electrospinning. In the VLS method erbium is deposited on the nanowires after growth. In the electrospinning method a metallorganic compound is added to the polymer precursor. Erbium PL is observed when the samples are excited by one of the Er3+ higher transitions. Er2O3 nano-crystals are observed by HRTEM on the surface of the nanowires prepared by VLS. EXAFS measurements in these samples show that the Erneighborhood is identical to that of E2O<>3 indicating that there was no substitutional / Doutorado / Física / Doutor em Ciências

Orientador: Leandro Russovski Tessler / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin. / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-12T12:50:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mustafa_Danilo_D.pdf: 6205276 bytes, checksum: 59c05edb31d8e98587b99bb8946e265f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: No presente trabalho apresentamos um estudo da luminescência de érbio em nanocristais de silício (nc-Si) e nanofios de óxido de zinco (nw-ZnO). Os nanocristais de silício com érbio são obtidos através do tratamento térmico de filmes finos amorfos de sub-óxidos de silício (SiOx) preparados por rf-sputtering, variando a concentração de Oxigênio e érbio durante o crescimento. O érbio é adicionado aos filmes cobrindo parcialmente a superfície do alvo de silício com pequenos cacos de érbio metálico. Medidas de espectroscopia Raman e microscopia eletrônica de alta resolução (HRTEM) fornecem o tamanho e densidade de nanocristais em cada amostra. Medidas de fotoluminescência (PL) dos nanocristais na temperatura ambiente mostram que o tamanho dos nanocristais varia com a concentração de oxigênio e temperatura de tratamento térmico. A dependência da PL dos nanocristais com a temperatura pode ser entendida considerando a competição entre processos radiativos e não-radiativos. Em amostras com érbio a taxa de recombinação não-radiativa é maior que nas amostras sem érbio. O estudo da PL dos nanocristais e dos íons Er3+ mostra que o Er3+ funciona como um centro de recombinação não-radiativa para a energia proveniente da recombinação de portadores nos nanocristais. Neste caso, parte da energia gerada nos nanocristais é transferida para os íons Er3+ ao invés de ser emitida na forma de fótons. Também é possível observar que a intensidade da PL do Er3+ depende da intensidade da PL dos nanocristais e é maior em amostras contendo nanocristais de ~3nm (que emitem em ~1,5eV), indicando que a transferência é ressonante (com a excitação 4I15/2 ---> 4I9/2 do Er3+ que corresponde a uma energia de 1,5eV). Os nanofios de ZnO com érbio são preparados por deposição vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) e por electrospinning. Em amostras preparadas por VLS, o érbio é depositado sobre os nanofios após sua preparação. No electrospinning um composto organometálico de érbio é adicionado ao polímero precursor. É observada luminescência de érbio quando as amostras são excitadas com um comprimento de onda ressonante com algum nível mais energético do Er3+. Nanocristais de E2O3 são observados por HRTEM na superfície dos nanofios preparados por VLS. Medidas de EXAFS revelam que a vizinhança do Er nessas amostras é idêntica à do óxido Er2O3, indicando que não ocorreu dopagem substitucional do ZnO. / Abstract: We present a study of erbium luminescence in silicon nanocrystals (nc-Si) and zinc oxide nanowires (nw-ZnO). Silicon nanocrystals are produced by annealing of amorphous sub-oxide thin films (SiOx) prepared by rf-sputtering varying the oxygen and erbium concentration during growth. Erbium is added by partially covering the silicon target surface with small pieces of metallic erbium. Raman spectroscopy and HRTEM measurements reveal the size and density of nanocrystals in each sample. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements at room temperature show that the nanocrystal size changes with oxygen concentration and annealing temperature. The PL dependence on the temperature can be understood considering a competition between radiative and non-radiative processes. In samples with erbium the non-radiative recombination rate is higher than in samples without erbium. The study of the nanocrystal and Er3+ PL show that Er3+ behaves as non-radiative recombination centers for excited carriers in the nanocrystals. Part of the energy from the nanocrystals is transferred to Er3+ instead of being emitted as light. The Er3+ PL intensity depends on the nanocrystal PL intensity and is higher in samples containing nanocrystals ~3nm (which emit at ~1.5eV), indicating that the energy transfer is resonant (with the 4I15/2 -----> 4I9/2 Er3+excitation at ~1.5eV) ZnO nanowires were prepared by vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) deposition and by electrospinning. In the VLS method erbium is deposited on the nanowires after growth. In the electrospinning method a metallorganic compound is added to the polymer precursor. Erbium PL is observed when the samples are excited by one of the Er3+ higher transitions. Er2O3 nano-crystals are observed by HRTEM on the surface of the nanowires prepared by VLS. EXAFS measurements in these samples show that the Erneighborhood is identical to that of E2O<>3 indicating that there was no substitutional / Doutorado / Física da Matéria Condensada / Doutor em Ciências

Orientador: Fernando Aparecido Sígoli / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T17:45:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Souza_ErnestoRezende_D.pdf: 7331362 bytes, checksum: 4797539bb696ec2ceca641cde281f5c6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Complexos de íons Eu, Gd e Tb contendo ligantes funcionalizados com grupos N-H e S-H foram sintetizados e sistematicamente caracterizados. Foram utilizados ligantes alifáticos e aromáticos de dois grupos: carboxilatos (ácido paminobenzóico, ácido p-mercaptobenzóico, ácido mercaptopropiônico) e b-dicetonatos (acetoacetanilida, tenoiltrifluoroacetona). As propriedades químicas dos complexos foram determinadas por análise elementar, análise termogravimétrica, difração de raios X e espectroscopia vibracional na região do infravermelho. Tais resultados foram correlacionados com os dados da espectroscopia de fotoluminescência, obtidos tanto a 77 K quanto a 300 K, assim como medidas de tempo de vida de emissão, de eficiência quântica e de rendimento quântico absoluto. As energias dos estados tripletos dos ligantes, os parâmetros de intensidade de Judd-Ofelt e os coeficientes de emissão dos complexos com o íon Eu foram determinados experimentalmente. As propriedades luminescentes dos complexos funcionalizados foram comparadas as dos complexos precursores, e alguns dos complexos inéditos apresentam valores de eficiência e de rendimento quânticos maiores do que os valores dos complexos precursores. Através de modelagem molecular utilizando cálculos semi-empíricos e dados oriundos da difração de raios X de monocristal, foram determinados teóricamente os valores de polarizabilidade e de fator de carga dos átomos circunvizinhos do íon Eu nos complexos. A influência da natureza dos ligantes e dos diferentes grupos coordenantes e discutida, bem como a simetria pontual ao redor do íon metálico. Complexos modificados a partir do complexo precursor [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2] apresentam valores de eficiência quântica de até 56%, e de rendimento quântico absoluto de até 36%, sugerindo melhora nos mecanismos de decaimento radiativo / Abstract: Complexes of trivalent gadolinium, europium and terbium ions containing functionalized N¿H and S¿H - ligands, such as: p-aminobenzoic acid, pmercaptobenzoic acid, mercaptopropionic acid, acetoacetanilide and thenoyltrifluoroacetone were synthesized and characterized. The chemical properties of the complexes were determined by elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results were correlated with the data obtained from photoluminescence spectroscopy, collected at 77 K and at 300 K, as well from the emission lifetime, quantum efficiency and absolute quantum yield measurements. In addition, the triplet state energy of the ligands, the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters and the spontaneous emission coefficients of the Eu ion were experimentally determined. The luminescent properties of the functionalized complexes were compared with the respective properties of the non-functionalized precursor complexes, and some of the new complexes show higher values of quantum efficiency and absolute quantum yield than their precursor complexes. The theoretical polarizability and the charge factor values of the atoms coordinated to the Eu ion in the complexes were estimated from molecular data obtained by modeling using semi empirical methods. The influence of the ligands¿ nature and the coordination modes of different groups are discussed, as well as the symmetries around the metal ions. The water-substituted complexes TMA[Eu(tta)3(L)] (L= paminobenzoate, p-mercaptobenzoate, mercaptopropionate and acetoacetanilide) obtained from [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2] show quantum efficiency up to 56%, and absolute quantum yield up to 36%, suggesting improvements in the radiative decay mechanisms / Doutorado / Quimica Inorganica / Doutor em Ciências

Orientador: Teresa Dib Zambon Atvars / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-24T04:00:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Quites_FernandoJunior_D.pdf: 4476724 bytes, checksum: ad6fd1bd74a45cdc5e9333e1f66da8c0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Nesta Tese as propriedades foto e eletroluminescentes de diferentes polímeros conjugados foram abordadas: poli[(9,9-dioctilfluoreno-2,7-diil)-alt-co-(9,9-di-{5 f-pentanil}-fluoreno-2,7-diil)] (PFP) emissor na região do azul, poli[(9,9-dihexilfluoreno-2,7-diil)-alt-co-(bitiofeno)] (F6T2) emissor na região do verde e poli[2-metóxi-5(3 f,7 f-dimetiloctilóxi)1-,4-fenilenovinileno] (MDMO-PPV) emissor na região do vermelho. Primeiramente foram preparados materiais híbridos orgânico-inorgânico baseados em PFP e siliconas (polímeros de silício). Devido à presença de grupos vinílicos laterais na cadeia do PFP, estes foram ligados quimicamente às siliconas através da reação de hidrossililação produzindo dois tipos de siliconas: uma com menor grau (PDHS-PDVS-l-PFP-X) e outra com maior (PDHSS-PDVS-h-PFP-X) grau de reticulação. As propriedades fotofísicas destes materiais híbridos foram comparadas com o polímero PFP na forma de filme e em soluçõoes de THF e de diferentes polissiloxanos usados na reação de hidrossililação. Através de medidas de fotoluminescência no estado estacionário e medidas dinâmicas verificou-se que as cadeias de PFP estão desordenadas em solução e no filme fino e nas siliconas com menor grau de reticulação (PDHS-PDVS-l-PFP-X) independente da quantidade de PFP usada. Entretanto, nas siliconas híbridas com maior grau de reticulação (PDHSS-PDVS-h-PFP-X) uma fase cristalina, conhecida como fase a, foi formada. Além disso, nestes híbridos foram observados agregados emitindo em regiões de mais baixa energia quando a quantidade de PFP foi aumentada (PDHSS-PDVS-h-PFP-X, com X = 2 e 3). Portanto, a força dirigente para a formação da fase cristalina a pode ser pensada como uma combinação de interações p -p entre a cadeia principal planar do polímero e interações hidrofóbicas dos grupos laterais no ambiente mais confinado causado pelas cadeias das siliconas com maior grau de reticulação (PDHSS-PDVS-h-PFP-X). Após o estudo detalhado das propriedades fotofísicas do PFP tanto em solução como no estado sólido, blendas poliméricas baseadas neste polímero e no copolímero F6T2 foram preparadas. As investigações fotofísicas mostraram que há uma eficiente transferência de energia do doador PFP para o receptor F6T2 nestas blendas (PFP/F6T2). A transferência de energia se dá pelos processos não radiativo (mecanismo do tipo Förster) e radiativo. Foram também preparados diodos eletroluminescentes usando as blendas poliméricas de PFP/F6T2 como camada ativa (configuração do diodo ITO/PEDOT:PSS/blenda polimérica/Ca/Al) com a intenção de produzir dispositivos poliméricos emissores de luz branca (WPLEDs). Nestes dispositivos foi observada uma transferência de energia do PFP para o F6T2 e uma eficiente recombinação de cargas sendo favorecida nos domínios do copolímero F6T2, impossibilitando a preparação de WPLEDs empregando este dois componentes na mesma camada ativa. Como a preparação de WPLEDs foi comprometida usando blendas de PFP e F6T2, devido a eficiente recombinação de cargas nos domínios do F6T2, foi proposta uma metodologia empregando dois materiais poliméricos com propriedades de emissão de luz diferentes: um composto eletroluminescente, neste caso foi usado o PFP e outro composto fotoluminescentes (para isto foi escolhido o MDMO-PPV). Nesta metodologia foi construido um diodo EL baseado no polímero PFP (ITO/PEDOT/PSS:PFP/Ca/Al) que emitiu luz azul-esverdeada. Na face oposta deste dispositivo (onde há a saída de luz, substrato de quartzo/ITO) foi colocado um filme fino (depositado sobre um substrato de quartzo) do polímero MDMO-PPV. Este filme absorve na região da eletroemissão esverdeada do PFP, ou seja, a luz emitida pelo PFP e capaz de excitar as moléculas de MDMO-PPV, e ambos os componente emitem fazendo surgir uma emissão de luz branca. A cor branca foi confirmada pela coordenada de cromaticidade CIE (x = 0.35 e y = 0.31). / Abstract: In this work the photo and electroluminescent properties of the different conjugated polymers were investigated: poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl)-alt-(9,9-di(pent-4-en-1-yl)fluorene-2,7-diyl)]) (PFP) blue emitter, poly [(9,9-dihexilfluoreno-2 ,7-diyl)-alt-co-(bithiophene)] (F6T2) green emitter and poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] ( MDMO -PPV ) red emitter. Firstly, we prepared organic-inorganic hybrid materials based on silicones and PFP polymer. The presence of vinyl moieties in the side chain of PFP react with Si-H groups of the silicone by the hydrosilylation producing two types of silicones: with lower (PDHS-PDVS-l-PFP-X) and higher (PDHSS-PDVS-PFP-h-X) crosslinking degree. The photophysical properties of these hybrid materials were compared with PFP polymer in film form and in the solutions of THF and of the different polysiloxanes used in the hydrosilylation reaction. Based on the steady-state and dynamic photoluminescence data, PFP chains are disordered in solutions, in the film and in the silicones with a lower degree of crosslinking (PDHS-PDVS-l-PFP-X) independent of the amount of PFP used. Nevertheless, in the hybrids with a higher degree of crosslinking (PDHSS-PDVS-PFP-h-X) the crystalline a-phase of the polyfluorene was formed. Aggregates emitting in longer wavelengths are only formed when other crystalline phases are present in PDHSS-PDVS-h-PFP-X (X = 2 and 3) silicones. The driving force for this formation is probably a combination of p - p interaction between the planar backbone and the hydrophobic interactions of the lateral groups in the poor solvent in a more confined environment such as brittle PDHSS-PDVS-h-PFP. After detailed study of the photophysical properties of PFP both in solution and in the solid state, polymer blends based on this polymer and in the F6T2 copolymer were prepared. The photophysical investigations showed that there is an efficient energy transfer from the donor (PFP) to the acceptor (F6T2) in these blends (PFP/F6T2). The energy transfer occurs by non-radiative process (Förster-type mechanism) and radiative. Electroluminescent diodes were also studied using polymer blends of PFP/F6T2 as active layer (device configuration: ITO/PEDOT:PSS/polymer blend/Ca/Al) with the intention of produce white polymer light-emitting diodes (WPLEDs). In these diodes was also observed an efficient energy transfer from the PFP to F6T2, and the charge recombination was favored in the dominions of the F6T2 copolymer. The higher transfer energy from donor to acceptor in these diodes compromised the blue light and the withe light using this polymer in the same active layer do not produced. Thus, white-emitting electroluminescent diode was obtained with a single layer of an electro-active greenish component (PFP) and an external photoluminescent (PL) red-emitting material (MDMO-PPV), in a diode configuration of ITO/PEDOT-PPS/PFP/Ca/Al//MDMO-PPV. A thin film of this PL component was deposited onto a glass plate and mounted on the opposite face of a glass/ITO substrate. The MDMO-PPV polymer electronic absorption matches the greenish electroemission of the PFP. The white color, based on the CIE color coordinates (x = 0.35 e y = 0.31), was obtained by the red emission of the external MDMO-PPV film and the blue-greenish EL emission from the formed PFP diode. White emission was produced by adjusting the absorbance of the layer thickness and the blue-greenish component until it reached the CIE white coordinates. / Doutorado / Quimica Inorganica / Doutor em Quimica

An Investigation into Red Emitting Phosphors for Display and Lightings Two very different classes of red phosphors were evaluated in this thesis; sulphide based phosphors (CaS:Eu2+) and phosphors based on the formulae:- LiEu1- xMx(MoO4)2-y(WO4)y, [M=Al3+, Y3+ and Gd3+]. CaS:Eu2+ was coated with Al2O3 using atomic layer deposition technique and placed into a humidity chamber at high temperature and high humidity for a period of time. The emission spectra were measured and evaluated against uncoated CaS:Eu2+. The results from the humidity tests revealed that Al2O3 coated CaS:Eu2+ increased the life span of the phosphor and therefore can be the potential use for the purpose of application at moderate humidity and temperature. For the phosphors based on LiEu1-xMx(MoO4)2-y(WO4), all the findings reported herein showed that, depending upon the types of cations introduced to the host lattices, incorporation of M at some point offered very much the same or better luminous efficacy when compared to the parent compound with 100 mol% of Eu3+. This work also attempted to examine the correlative relationship between the crystal structures and the luminous efficacies although some attempts were unsuccessful. The findings discovered within this research are beneficial for solid state lighting industries where the cost of using rare earth metals has become significant and recycling is difficult.

Room temperature photomodulated reflectance (PR), Photoluminescence (PL) and double crystal x-ray diffraction (DCXRD) measurements have been performed on a series of tensilely strained InxGa1-xAs (0.316 &le; x &le; 0.533) multiple quantum well (QW) structures, with In0.80Ga0.20As0.43P0.57 barriers. The DCXRD measurements provided accurate information on composition, strain and layer thickness, while PR was used to determine the energies of the full manifold of allowed and forbidden critical point interband QW transitions. A three-band effective mass formalism was used to model the QW transitions to derive structural information on each sample. The energies of the ground-state QW transitions, H11 and L11, were found to increase with tensile strain, becoming degenerate near 0.36% tensile strain. Room temperature PR and conventional reflectance (R) measurement have been performed on two I.R. emitting InGaAs/GaAs/A1As vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) structures. The R measurements were modelled using a transfer matrix formalism to determine errors in the growth fluxes. A new PR lineshape model has been developed based on energy dependent Seraphin coefficients, to describe the cavity mode interaction with a confined-state QW transition. The model is demonstrated on a set of PR spectra, and used in a novel way to derive the Deltaepsilon2 spectrum of the QW layers directly. The results are compared with those taken of the QW layers directly after removing the top Bragg stack reflector. Whilst the QW layers in one sample were found to be close to nominal, the in composition of QW in the other sample was found to depart significantly from the nominal 23%, and was found to be 28%. Room temperature and ~ 80K PR measurements were performed on three InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dot (QD) structures: a sample with a single layer of QDs, and two with two layers. The PR revealed five equally spaced confined-state QD transitions, at both 80K and room temperature, with ~ 54 meV separation. The behaviour of the QD1 transition as a function of temperature was investigated and an anomalous increase in linewidth was observed on cooling. Annealing of one of the samples produced a strong blue shift (~ 250 meV) and narrowing of the QD transitions.

Le but de cette thèse a été de caractériser des boîtes quantiques obtenues avec une nouvelle méthode de croissance. Utilisant des techniques de microphotoluminescence, nous avons étudié les différentes contributions au mélange des bandes de trous lourds et de trous légers. En l'absence de contrainte, la distribution du paramètre de mélange est plus homogène ; cependant, d'autres contributions deviennent dominantes et nous les avons discutées. Nous avons mesuré les paramètres magnéto-optiques : facteurs Landé de l'électron et du trou, décalage diamagnétique, paramètres de structure fine des états noirs et brillants. Les valeurs obtenues ont permis d'estimer la variation des paramètres géométriques des boîtes, ce qui est lié à la qualité du contrôle de la croissance. La polarisation des états noirs mesurée s'est révélée différente de celle prévue selon le modèle utilisé précédemment dans la littérature. Utilisant un modèle théorique récent, nous avons reproduit nos observations, ce qui met en évidence une modulation possible de la polarisation des états noirs par le champ magnétique. Finalement, nous avons effectué des études de contrôle de charges dans des structures n-i Schottky. Pour des boîtes uniques, des états multichargés ont été observés. Nous avons mesuré les énergies de liaison des trions positif et négatif, au préalable à une étude sur des molécules de boîtes. Nous avons observé des anticroisements des états S des trous dans deux boîtes, en accord avec nos prévisions basées sur les paramètres nominaux de l'échantillon. / The goal of this thesis work was to characterise quantum dots obtained by a novel growth method. We used microphotoluminescence techniques to study multiple properties of these dots. We have evaluated main contributions to light-heavy hole valence band mixing. Contrary to self-assembled dots, we find a more homogeneous distribution of the mixing parameter, which can be explained by the absence of mechanical tension due to lattice mismatch. We have also measured magneto-optical parameters such as electron and hole g-factors, diamagnetic shift, fine structure splitting for bright and dark states. These results allowed us to estimate geometric parameters of dots, making a point on the growth quality. Polarisation studies on the dark states have revealed a result different from previous theoretical predictions. We have used a recently presented model to explain our findings. The last part of this work presents results on quantum dots embedded in an n-i Schottky structure. We have measured binding energies of positive and negative trions, to make a connection with previous results, to then study double quantum dot system. We have observed an anticrossing of hole S states, which is in agreement with our estimations based on sample parameters.

Investigation of the thermal quenching of photoluminescence (PL) in semiconductors provides valuable information on identity and characteristics of point defects in these materials, which helps to better understand and improve the properties of semiconductor materials and devices. Abrupt and tunable thermal quenching (ATQ) of PL is a relatively new phenomenon with an unusual behavior of PL. This mechanism was able to explain what a traditional model failed to explain. Usually, in traditional model used to explain “normal” quenching, the slope of PL quenching in the Arrhenius plot determines the ionization energy of the defect causing the PL band. However, in abrupt quenching when the intensity of PL decreases by several orders of magnitude within a small range of temperature, the slope in the Arrhenius plot has no relation to the ionization energy of any defect. It is not known a priori if the thermal quenching of a particular PL band is normal or abrupt and tunable. Studying new cases of unusual thermal quenching, classifying and explaining them helps to predict new cases and understand deeper the ATQ mechanism of PL thermal quenching. Very few examples of abrupt and tunable quenching of PL in semiconductors can be found in literature. The abrupt and tunable thermal quenching, reported here for the first time for high-resistivity ZnO, provides an evidence to settle the dispute concerning the energy position of the LiZn acceptor. In high-resistivity GaN samples, the common PL bands related to defects are the yellow luminescence (YL) band and a broad band in the blue spectral region (BL2). In this work, we report for the first time the observation of abrupt and tunable thermal quenching of the YL band in GaN. The activation energies for the YL and BL2 bands calculated through the new mechanism show agreement with the reported values. From this study we predict that the ATQ phenomenon is quite common for high-resistivity semiconductors.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Physics / Hongxing Jiang / Deep ultraviolet (UV) photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been employed to study optical properties of AlGaN alloys, undoped and doped AlN epilayers and nanostructure AlN photonics crystals (PCs). Using a deep UV laser system with an excitation wave length at 197 nm, continuous wave PL, temperature dependent, and time-resolved PL have been carried out on these AlGaN and AlN epilayers and nanostructures. We have measured the compositional and temperature dependence of the energy bandgap of AlxGa1-xN alloys covering the entire alloy range of x, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 and fitted with the Varshni equation. Varshni coefficients, alpha and beta in AlGaN alloys have a parabolic dependence with alloy concentration x. Based on the experimental data, an empirical relation was thus obtained for the energy gap of AlGaN alloys for the entire alloy concentration and at any temperature below 800 K. The exciton localization energy in AlxGa1-xN alloys the entire composition range (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) has been measured by fitting the band edge emission peak energy with the Varshni equation. Deviations of the excitonic emission peak energy from the Varshni equation at low temperatures provide directly the exciton localization energies, ELoc in AlGaN alloys. It was found that ELoc increases with x for x ≤ 0.7, and decreases with x for x ≥ 0.8. The relations between the exciton localization energy, the activation energy, and the emission linewidth have been established. It thus provides three different and independent methods to determine the exciton localization energies in AlGaN alloys. Impurity transitions in AlGaN alloys have also been investigated. Continuous wave (CW) PL spectra of Si and undoped AlGaN alloys reveals groups of impurity transitions that have been assigned to the recombination between shallow donors and an isolated triply charged cation-vacancy (VIII)3-, a doubly charged cation-vacancy-complex (VIII-complex)2-, and a singly charged cation-vacancy-complex (VIII-complex)-1. The energy levels of these deep acceptors in AlxGa1-xN (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) alloys are pinned to a common energy level in the vacuum. AlGaN alloys predominantly exhibiting the bandedge and (VIII-complex)1- transitions possess improved conductivities over those emitting predominantly (VIII)3- and (VIII-complex)2- related transitions. These results thus answer the very basic question of high resistivity in Al-rich AlGaN alloys. Acceptor doped AlGaN alloys have been studied by deep UV PL. A PL emission line at 6.02 eV has been observed at 10 K in Mg-doped AlN. It is due to the recombination of an exciton bound to the neutral Mg acceptor (I1) with a binding energy, Ebx of 40 meV, which indicates large activation energy of the Mg acceptor. The observed large binding energy of the acceptor-bound exciton is consistent with relatively large binding energy of the Mg acceptor in AlN. With the energy level of 0.51 eV for Mg dopants in AlN, it is interesting and important to study other suitable acceptor dopants for AlN. Growth and optical studies of Zn-doped AlN epilayers has been carried out. The PL spectra of Zn-doped AlN epilayers exhibited two impurity emission lines at 5.40 and 4.50 eV, which were absent in undoped epilayers. They are assigned respectively, to the transitions of free electrons and electrons bound to triply positively charged nitrogen vacancies (0.90 eV deep) to the Zn0 acceptors. It was deduced that the Zn energy level is about 0.74 eV above the valence band edge, which is about 0.23 eV deeper than the Mg energy level in AlN. Nitrogen vacancies are the compensating defects in acceptor doped AlGaN alloys. A nitrogen vacancy (VN) related emission line was also observed in ion-implanted AlN at 5.87 eV and the energy level of singly charged VN1+ is found at 260 meV below the conduction band. As a consequence of large binding energy of VN1+ as well as high formation energy, VN1+ in AlN cannot contribute significant n-type conductivity, which is consistent with experimental observation. The temperature dependent PL study of the bandedge emissions in GaN and AlN epilayers up to 800 K has been carried out, which reveals two distinctive activation processes. The first process occurring below Tt = 325 K (Tt = 500 K) for GaN (AlN) is due to the activation of free excitons to free carriers, whereas the second occurring above Tt with an activation energy of 0.29 eV (0.3 eV) for GaN (AlN) is believed to be associated with a higher lying conduction band (3) at about 0.3 eV above the conduction band minimum (1). These higher lying bands could affect device performance of GaN and AlN at elevated temperatures. Two-dimensional nanostructured AlN photonic crystals (PCs) with a varying periodicity/diameter down to 150 nm/75 nm have also been studied by deep UV PL. With PCs formation, a 20-fold enhancement in the band edge emission intensity at 208 nm over unpatterned AlN epilayer has been observed. The emission intensity increases with the decrease in the lattice constant of the AlN PCs. AlN PCs represent photonic crystals with highest (shortest) bandgap (wavelength) semiconductors, which open up new opportunities for exploring novel physical phenomena in the artificially structured photonic band gap material systems and their applications, particularly in the area of deep UV as well as nano-photonics.

In this work tunability, implantation damage and recovery of GaAs doping superlattices implanted with hydrogen ions were studied. The applicability of two models of the optical properties of semiconductors was also investigated. GaAs doping superlattices were implanted with 0.5 MeV hydrogen ions at doses of 1012 cm-2, 1014 cm-2 and 1016 cm-2. This gradually modifies their optical characteristics from superlattice behaviour to something resembling the bulk material and beyond. Such a processing technique therefore provides a convenient way of tuning the optical properties of a superlattice semi-permanently. A combined result of ellipsometry and near infrared reflectance measurements showed that a single effective oscillator as well as a more advanced three-parameter model could be applied to the virgin and ion-implanted doping superlattices. This allowed us to determine the dose dependent effective band gap as well as other model parameters. Photoluminescence as well as normal and resonance Raman techniques were applied to study hydrogen ion implantation damage and its recovery. These techniques showed that implantation damage could be reversed to a large extent by a simple thermal annealing step. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Physics / unrestricted