L'intégration monolithique de matériaux III-V ou Ge sur Si est un enjeu majeur de l'hétéroépitaxie qui a donné lieu à de nombreuses recherches depuis plus de vingt ans. Car premièrement, il permet de combiner des fonctionnalités optoélectroniques au standard industriel CMOS, cela peut remplacer des interconnexions métalliques par des interconnexions optiques dans lescircuits intégrés. De plus, le procédé d'intégration de semiconducteurs III-V ou de Ge sur Si permettrait de réduire sensiblement le coût de fabrication des cellules solaire pour le marché de niche du spatial.L'hétéroépitaxie directe de tels matériaux sur Si n'est pas aisée du fait du fort désaccord de maille et du différent coefficient de dilatation thermique entre ces matériaux. Plusieurs méthodes on tété proposées au cours des 20 derniers, notamment les solutions reposant sur des technologies de report telle que 'Smart Cut TM', 'GEOI condensation' donnent d'excellents résultats, mais n'offre pas autant de souplesse qu'une technologie d'hétéroépitaxie, et induit des coûts nettement supérieurs.L'objectif de cette thèse est de proposer une solution qui consiste à intégrer de façon monolithique des semiconducteurs III-V sur Si en utilisant des couches tampons des oxydes. Nous avons tout d'abord montré de manière théoriquement et expéritalement que pour les systèmes semiconducteur/oxyde, le semiconducteur croît avec son paramètre de maille massif dès le début decroissance et ne contient pas de défaut entendus associé à la relaxation plastique, la différence deparamètre de maille est entièrement accommodée par un réseau de dislocation interfacial. Il est donc apriori possible d'obtenir une couche 2D plane de semiconducteur/oxyde par la coalescence des îlots sans défauts étendus, présentant le paramètre de maille massif du semiconducteur dès le début de lacroissance, a condition qu'aucun défaut ne soit formé lors de la coalescence des îlots.La deuxième partie est dédiée à la coalescence des îlots pour le système InP/SrTiO3/Si, une stratégie de 3-étape a été utilisé pour favoriser la coalescence des îlots InP sur SrTiO3, la couche InPcoalescée présente une très bonne qualité structurale et surfacique. Cependant, nous avons observé la présence de défauts, notamment des micromacles et des parois d'inversion. Malgré ses défauts dans la couche, nous avons réalisé le puits quantique InP/InAsP épitaxié sur SrTiO3/Si, il présente une meilleure qualité cristalline et optique comparé avec un puits quantique référence InP/InAsP qui est épitaxié directement sur Si.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Chemistry / Emily McLaurin / Semiconductors are materials whose conductivity is between metals and insulators. Semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) have sizes in the range 2 to 10 nm. Because of their unique optical properties like tunable emission wavelength, narrow emission peak, and stability over dyes, they have potential applications in displays. Indium phosphide (InP) is considered a less toxic alternative to commercially used cadmium-based semiconductor NCs. Microwave-assisted (MA) methods using ionic liquids (ILs) afford fast reaction heating rates because of the good MW absorbing capacity of ILs. For tuning size and surface, which are some of the important problems associated with the InP NCs, new synthetic methods are reported herein. In MAIL etching HF generated in the microwave reaction etches the InP NCs surface. Pyridinium and imidazolium based ILs containing tetrafluoroborate (BF₄⁻) and hexafluorophosphate (PF₆⁻) ions yield luminescent NCs. In a silicon carbide (SiC) reaction vessel, which blocks most of the microwaves penetrating into the reaction, bigger NCs form than those from a Pyrex reaction vessel because of the higher reaction temperatures in the SiC vessel. By changing microwave set-power (SP), different reaction times can be achieved. Though a small degree of change in average NC diameter of the NCs is observed at different SPs and reaction temperatures, addition of dodecylamine (DDA) yields NCs with average sizes between 3.2 to 4.2 nm with a broad size distribution. At lower SPs smaller NCs form and at higher SPs bigger NCs form. NC luminescence can be tuned from green (545 nm) to red (630 nm) in the visible region with quantum yields as high as 30%. Rapid heating and InP precursor activation might be responsible for the larger change in NC size. The effect of DDA on NC size is also verified by microwave reactions in SiC vessels. ILs containing PF₆⁻ ions at 280 °C will modify the surface of the NCs so the NC dispersibility changes from non-polar (toluene) to polar (DMSO) as the amount of IL increases. This is due to ligand stripping, which is the removal of large palmitic ligands from the NC surface. These NCs have broad absorption features and emission peaks with QYs of up to 30%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicates the absence of palmitic acid ligands on the NC surface and zeta potential measurements indicate the presence of anions on the NC surface. From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the inorganic ion PO₂F₂⁻ is identified on the NCs surface.

Photodetectors are used in many applications such as digital and thermal cameras or in solar panels. They can also be designed to detect the omnipresent high-energy radiation/particles, and for radiation imaging in biomedical applications. Novel nanostructures offer significant advantages compared to traditional designs for the realization of fast, sensitive, compact and cheap sensors and efficient solar cells. Examples of such nanostructures include quantum dots (QDs), quantum wells (QWs) and NW arrays. This thesis is devoted to experimental investigations of effects of high-energy (1 MeV) protons on the optical and electrical performance of InP/InAsP NW-based QDiscs-in wire photodetectors. The proton-induced degradation of the optical performance has been studied by means of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) photocurrent spectroscopy. The spectrally resolved photocurrent (PC) and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were measured at low temperature (5 K and 77K) and at room temperature (300K) before and after 1 MeV proton irradiation under vacuum conditions with fluences ranging from 1.0×1012–3.0×1013 cm-2. The particle radiation exposure has been done in the Ion Beam Accelerator at the Department of Nuclear Physics Department at Lund University. Considering both PC and I-V characteristics, it was found that the devices were sensitive to all proton irradiation at all fluences. In general, the PC intensity significantly increased after radiation for all fluences, however, a week after exposure the PC and dark current gradually recovered. At 3×1012 p/cm2 fluence level, it was figured out that photocurrent which attributed to QDiscs disappeared for a couple of days after exposure, however, over time and gradually, those started to manifest again even at low and room temperatures, causing radiation-induced changes in device parameters to be time-dependent; however, it was not recorded any signals related to QDiscs at fluence of 3×1013 p/cm2. Substantial changes in the dark I-V characteristics, as well as increases in the dark current, are observed after irradiation. The influence of proton irradiation on light and dark current characteristics also indicated that NW structures are a good potential candidate for radiation harsh-environment applications. It was also observed a significant increase in dark current after the radiation for all devices, however, by applying the voltage to the photodetectors, the PC and I-V characteristics gradually being to diminish, which may be attributed to an annealing process.

Clouds and aerosols impact the Earth’s thermostat and precipitation. There is increasing evi- dence that dust aerosol frequently controls cloud glaciation, modifying clouds’ radiative eect and response to global warming. For realistic climate change projections, it is crucial to improve the simulated pathway between dust immersion freezing and cloud glaciation. However, current freezing schemes, which extrapolate laboratory results to larger atmospheric scales, are poorly constrained. Based on spaceborne observations of cloud-phase and aerosols, we explore whether dust-driven immersion freezing can be improved in a climate model so that the climate impact of dust ice-nuclei can be estimated more accurately. Combining an aerosol model reanalysis with spaceborne retrievals of cloud phase, we estimated the global co-variability between mineral dust aerosol and cloud glaciation. Relying on a spaceborne lidar, a lidar-radar synergy, and a radiometer-polarimeter synergy, we also locate and quantify the hemispheric and seasonal con- trast in cloud-phase. Finally, we use these estimations to refine the dust-driven droplet freezing in a climate model. Our results show that observations of cloud-top phase contrasts may be used to evaluate dust-driven droplet freezing in climate models. In the extratropics, the average frequency of ice cloud increases by +5% to +10% for higher mineral dust mixing-ratios on a day-to-day basis. For similar mixing-ratios of mineral dust, we found that the ice frequency can still vary between latitudes, especially between Hemispheres and between mid- and high-latitudes. By using only retrievals for which satellite products agree on cloud-phase, we find that the cloud-phase transition from liquid to ice occurs within a narrower temperature range. This suggests that individual products tend to classify too many clouds as liquid for temperatures below -30°C and too many as ice for temperatures above -10°C. At -30°C, the hemispheric and seasonal contrasts — relative to the Southern Hemisphere and boreal spring, respectively — lie between +21% to +39% for individual cloud- phase products and between +52% to +75% for a combination of products. We use these contrasts to tune the dust ice-nuclei eciency in the model, limiting their eect during clean conditions. Consequently, the model agrees better with the estimated cloud-top-phase contrasts and a dust-driven glaciation eect of 0.14 ± 0.13 W m^2 in the Northern Hemisphere, which is lower than previously assumed. These changes are associated with a decrease in the cloud liquid water path and a weak enhancement of the stratiform precipitation at the expense of convective precipitation. Our results show that observations of cloud-top phase contrasts may be used as a constraint for dust-driven droplet freezing in climate models. Thus, our constraining approach may help to achieve more accurate climate predictions and direct future climate model development. / Wolken und Aerosole beeinflussen den Energiehaushalt und den Wasserkreislauf der Erde. Es gibt zunehmend Hinweise darauf, dass Staubaerosol die Vereisung von Wolken, ihren Strahlungsef- fekt und ihre Antwort auf die globale Erwärmung beeinflusst. Um den Klimawandel genauer zu projizieren, ist es daher wichtig, den Weg von staubinduzierten Gefrierprozessen zur Vereisung der Wolken besser zu simulieren. Gegenwärtige Gefrierschemen, die von Laborergebnissen auf gröbere atmosphärische Skalen extrapolieren, sind jedoch limitiert in ihrer Anwendbarkeit. Basierend auf Satelliten-Beobachtungen von Wolkenphasen und Aerosolen wird in dieser Ar- beit untersucht, wie das staubbedingte Gefrieren in Klimamodellen verbessert werden kann, um Klimaeekte von Staubeiskeimen genauer abschätzen zu können. Zu diesem Zweck wer- den Reanalyse-Daten eines Aerosolmodells mit dem Satelliten-Beobachtungen von Wolkenphase kombiniert und die globale Kovariabilität zwischen Mineralstaubaerosol und Wolkenvereisung abgeschätzt. Basierend auf einem weltraumgestützten Lidar, einer Lidar-Radar Kombination und einer Radiometer-Polarimeter Kombination werden hemisphärische und saisonalen Kon- traste in der Wolkenphase lokalisiert und quantifiziert. Schließlich werden diese Schätzungen verwendet, um den Einfluss des Mineralstaubes auf das Gefrieren von Wolkentröpfchen in einem Klimamodell einzugrenzen. Die vorgelegten Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Beobachtungen des Kon- trastes in der Wolkenphase dafür verwendet werden können, das staubgetriebene Gefrieren von Wolkentröpfchen in Klimamodellen zu optimieren. In den Extratropen steigt die durchschnittliche Häufigkeit von Eiswolken für höhere Mineralstaub- Mischungsverhältnisse um +5% bis +10%. Bei ähnlichen Mischungsverhältnissen von Min- eralstaub kann die Häufigkeit von Eiswolken für verschiedene Breiten immer noch variieren. Einzelne Wolkenphasen-Produkte neigen dazu, zu viele Wolken als flüssig für Temperaturen unter -30°C und zu viele als Eis für Temperaturen über 10°C zu klassifizieren. Bei -30°C liegen die hemisphärischen und die saisonalen Kontraste — relativ zur südlichen Hemisphäre bzw. zum borealen Frühjahr — zwischen +21% und +39% für einzelne Produkte in der Wolken- phase und zwischen +52% und +75% für eine Kombination der Produkte. Diese Kontraste wurden verwendet, um die Ezienz der Staubeiskeime im Modell zu optimieren. Nach er- folgter Optimierung stimmt das Modell besser mit den aus Beobachtungen der geschätzten Kontraste in der Wolkenphase überein und zeigt einen staubbedingten nordhemisphärischen Netto-Strahlungseekt von 0.14 ± 0.13 W m^2 durch die Vereisung, der niedriger ist als bisher angenommen. Diese Änderungen sind mit einer Abnahme der Gesamtwassermenge in den Wolken und einer Verstärkung des stratiformen Niederschlags auf Kosten des konvektiven Niederschlags verbunden.

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<p> Semiconductor quantum wire (QWR) structure is a promising candidate for potential applications in long wavelength laser devices. In this thesis, the investigations were focused on the growth and characterization on the structural and optical properties of InAs quantum wires deposited on InGaAlAs lattice matched with InP substrate by gas source molecular beam epitaxy. </p> <P> The practical growth parameters were first determined by studying the samples containing single InAs layer embedded within Ino.s3Gll{)_37Alo.10As barrier layers. These parameters were then employed for fabricating multilayer quantum wires with different (1) spacer layer thicknesses; (2) quantum wire layer thicknesses; and (3) different Al concentrations in the spacer/barrier layer materials. </P> <P>Structural properties of the quantum wires were characterized by (scanning) transmission electron microscopy based techniques. The composition variation, elastic field and the variation of QWR stacking patterns in multilayer samples were qualitatively studied through diffraction contrast imaging. Quantification of the In distribution in individual QWRs and the QWR-induced In composition modulation in barrier layers were obtained by electron energy loss spectrometry and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, respectively. These experimentally observed structural features were explained through finite element simulations. </P> <P> The optical properties of the QWR structures were studied by photoluminescence. Optical emission at room temperature was achieved from selected multilayer QWR samples after etching and rapid thermal annealing. The emission wavelength ranging from 1.53 to 1.72 μm makes the QWR structure suitable candidates for laser device applications. </P> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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This thesis describes the incorporation within a semiconductor laser of a multiple quantum well InGaAsP/InP Electron Bragg Reflector (EBR). The EBR is intended to improve laser performance by inhibiting the escape of hot electrons from the laser active region by quantum mechanical Bragg reflection. To the author's knowledge, this investigation represents the first attempt to realize an EBR in the InGaAsP/InP material system. Computer models based on a transfer matrix method for the solution of Schrodinger's equation were written to obtain the EBR design. The transfer matrix method is described. Extensions to the transfer matrix method for optics are presented and are demonstrated to provide more than an order of magnitude improvement in computational efficiency for the calculation of the complex TE-mode propagation constant for planar graded-index waveguides with absorption or gain. The EBR designed for this work incorporates several new features. Deleterious band bending in the vicinity of the EBR is minimized by exploiting material strain to reduce the density of hole states in the EBR quantum wells. To maximize reflection bandwidth and relax fabrication tolerances, the EBR design used well widths that decreased with increasing depth into the p-type InP cladding. By the placement of the EBR adjacent to the separate confinement region, a return path was provided for electrons that scattered inelastically within the EBR. Moreover, the EBR structure was designed to support no bound electron states, so that the recombination of electrons with holes in the EBR would be minimal. To the author's knowledge, the EBR-equipped laser fabricated for this work represents the first attempt to exploit electron state exclusion. To explore the effectiveness of EBRs in the InGaAsP/InP material system, two nearly identical ridge waveguide lasers (one with an EBR, and one without) were designed, fabricated, and tested. The EBR-equipped lasers exhibited an anomalous threshold current temperature dependence which featured a "negative-To" regime (in which the threshold current decreases with increasing temperature), attaining a minimum in threshold current between T=150 K and T=200 K. These lasers had a threshold current temperature stability superior to that of standard lasers within a ~70 K window around the minimum threshold temperature. Experimental evidence suggests that the improved stability is not due to quantum mechanical Bragg reflection provided by the EBR, but is attributable to the temperature-dependent rate of hole escape from the EBR quantum wells into the separate confinement region. The proposed mechanism is described in detail and is supported by theoretical and experimental evidence. The results have implications for device design, because the mechanism by which the superior temperature stability is achieved does not rely on the electron coherence effects; the mathematical model suggests that the mechanism can be exploited to provide superior temperature stability in semiconductor lasers at 300 K or above. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (ME)