InAsNSb Dilute Nitride Materials for Mid-infrared Devices & Applications
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Physics & Astronomy
Abstract
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Publications
Pettinari G
(2015)
Genesis of "Solitary Cations" Induced by Atomic Hydrogen
in Advanced Functional Materials
Di Paola D
(2018)
Optical Detection and Spatial Modulation of Mid-Infrared Surface Plasmon Polaritons in a Highly Doped Semiconductor
in Advanced Optical Materials
Eßer F
(2015)
Direct determination of the electron effective mass of GaAsN by terahertz cyclotron resonance spectroscopy
in Applied Physics Letters
Ciatto G
(2015)
Synchrotron x-ray diffraction study of micro-patterns obtained by spatially selective hydrogenation of GaAsN
in Applied Physics Letters
Balakrishnan N
(2014)
Tunable spectral response by hydrogen irradiation of Ga(AsN) superlattice diodes
in Applied Physics Letters
Di Paola D
(2020)
Room temperature upconversion electroluminescence from a mid-infrared In(AsN) tunneling diode
in Applied Physics Letters
Velichko A
(2015)
H-tailored surface conductivity in narrow band gap In(AsN)
in Applied Physics Letters
Pettinari G
(2013)
A micrometer-size movable light emitting area in a resonant tunneling light emitting diode
in Applied Physics Letters
Velichko A
(2016)
Highly-mismatched InAs/InSe heterojunction diodes
in Applied Physics Letters
Kesaria M
(2015)
In(AsN) mid-infrared emission enhanced by rapid thermal annealing
in Infrared Physics & Technology
| Description | We have obtained fundamental information concerning the incorporation, properties and behaviour of nitrogen (N) in a new class of InAs-based semiconductors for mid-infrared photonics. In addition to the reduction of the energy gap, we observed that addition of N causes a reduction in the radiative efficiency for light generation and produces a corresponding increase in the residual electron concentration. We have demonstrated prototype mid-infrared devices including InAsN p-i-n diode photodetectors produced by ion implantation and obtained evidence of multiplication in avalanche photodiodes (APDs). We also produced InAsN quantum well LEDs and photodetectors, and recently demonstrated the first InAsN resonant tunnelling diodes. We have reported a novel linear magnetoresistance phenomenon that arises from multiple scattering of the current-carrying electrons by macroscopic disordered regions of the InAsN alloy. Monte Carlo computer simulations of the electron motion confirmed the experimental observations at magnetic fields up to 50T, thus unravelling the origin of the linear magnetoresistance and opening new ways of controlling it. The effects reported for InAsN has a wide applicability to different conducting systems. Together with University of Rome we obtained new information on the effects of hydrogen in InAs(Sb)N dilute nitrides: we observed a substantial increase in the electron concentration due to H and recovery of the radiative efficiency, which was also obtained using rapid thermal annealing. In particular, we have demonstrated that the surface conductivity of InAsN can be significantly increased by the incorporation of hydrogen. For a fixed dose of impinging H-atoms on the surface, the width of the surface conducting channel decreases with increasing concentration of N-atoms, which act as H-traps thus forming N-H donor complexes near the surface. This could provide a means to create plasmonic components for mid-infrared photonics. |
| Exploitation Route | Our observations and modelling of the linear magnetoresistance are applicable to other disordered systems. Our prototype LEDs and detectors represent the first step towards enabling new capabilities in mid-infrared sensing and imaging following further improvements in quantum efficiency. The fundamental information produced will be useful to device designers and engineers developing photonic components and systems. The resonant tunnelling diodes will be of interest to electronic engineers: they demonstrate a novel mechanism for negative differential resistance due to N-induced localized states in the energy gap of InAsN and weakly affected by temperature. The functionalization of the surface by hydrogen and the corresponding modulation of the surface conductivity can provide a platform for several important applications, including gas sensing, "all semiconductors" plasmonic waveguides, and printed circuits. |
| Sectors | Education,Electronics |
| Description | The investigation of the novel semiconductor alloy InAsN and of the effects of hydrogen has stimulated interdisciplinary international collaborations within the Initial Training Network (ITN) PROMIS (http://www.physics.lancs.ac.uk/promis/). Our work explores plasmonic applications of (InAsN) in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectral range, which is relevant for detection of selected gas and molecular fingerprints at target wavelengths. This work has led to additional publications associated to both the ITN and this EPSRC project. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
| Sector | Education,Electronics,Environment |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | EU-ITN, Postgraduate Research on Dilute Metamorphic Nanostructures and Metamaterials in Semiconductor Photonics "PROMIS" |
| Amount | € 262,000 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 641899 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 01/2015 |
| End | 12/2019 |
| Description | Nottingham/Osaka partnership on the modelling of mobility and magnetoresistance in non-homogeneous high-mobility semiconductors and hybrid systems |
| Organisation | Osaka University |
| Country | Japan |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Experiments were performed in Nottingham/Dresden and modelled in collaboration with our partner in Japan. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Experimental data were modelled by our partner in Japan. |
| Impact | This partnership led to research articles, as listed in the separate list of publications. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Nottingham/Rome partnership to study the effects of hydrogen dopants in semiconductors |
| Organisation | Sapienza University of Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We provided evidence for the unique effect of hydrogen on the transport properties of the mid-infrared alloy In(AsN). High electron concentrations and mobilities are simultaneously achieved in hydrogenated In(AsN), and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations are observed up to near room temperature. These results can be accounted for by the formation of N-H donor complexes with energy levels well above the Fermi energy, far from resonance with the conduction electrons, thus resulting in weak electron scattering even at high donor concentrations. Similar effects should be found in other narrow band gap dilute nitride alloys. This work further expanded to examine the effects of hydrogen on other semiconductors, including 2D materials. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partner contributed to this research by performing the hydrogenation of our samples using their facilities in Rome. |
| Impact | Several research articles, as indicated in the separate list of publications. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Contributed talk at "EDISON 2013", Matsue, Japan |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Report on linear magnetoresistance due to multiple-electron scattering by low-mobility islands in an inhomogeneous conductor. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Invited talk at "UK Semiconductors", Sheffield UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Linear magnetoresistance due to multiple-electron scattering by low-mobility islands in an inhomogeneous conductor Linear transverse magnetoresistance is commonly observed in many material systems including semimetals, narrow band-gap semiconductors, multi-layer graphene and topological insulators. It can originate in an inhomogeneous conductor from distortions in the current paths induced by macroscopic spatial fluctuations in the carrier mobility and it has been explained using a phenomenological semiclassical random resistor network model. However, the link between the linear magnetoresistance and the microscopic nature of the electron dynamics remains unknown. Here we demonstrate how the linear magnetoresistance arises from the stochastic behaviour of the electronic cycloidal trajectories around low-mobility islands in high-mobility inhomogeneous conductors and that this process is only weakly affected by the applied electric field strength. Also, we establish a quantitative link between the island morphology and the strength of linear magnetoresistance of relevance for future applications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |