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Full-Text Articles in Physics

Practicality Of Compensating The Loss In The Plasmonic Waveguides Using Semiconductor Gain Medium, Jacob B. Khurgin, Greg Sun Jan 2012

Practicality Of Compensating The Loss In The Plasmonic Waveguides Using Semiconductor Gain Medium, Jacob B. Khurgin, Greg Sun

Physics Faculty Publications

We consider the issue of compensating the loss in plasmonic waveguides with semiconductor gain material and show that, independent of specific geometry, full loss compensation in plasmonic waveguides with significantly sub-wavelength light confinement (less than λ/4n) requires current density well in excess of 100 kA/cm2. This high current density is attributed to the unavoidable shortening of recombination time caused by the Purcell effect inherent to sub-wavelength confinement. Consequently, an injection-pumped plasmonic laser that is truly sub-wavelength in all three dimensions (“spaser”) would have threshold current densities that are hard to obtain in any conceivable semiconductor device.


Deep Traps In Algan/Gan Heterostructures Studied By Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy: Effect Of Carbon Concentration In Gan Buffer Layers, Z-Q. Fang, B. Claflin, David C. Look, D. S. Green, R. Vetury Sep 2010

Deep Traps In Algan/Gan Heterostructures Studied By Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy: Effect Of Carbon Concentration In Gan Buffer Layers, Z-Q. Fang, B. Claflin, David C. Look, D. S. Green, R. Vetury

Physics Faculty Publications

Electrical properties, including leakage currents, threshold voltages, and deep traps, of AlGaN/GaN heterostructure wafers with different concentrations of carbon in the GaN buffer layer, have been investigated by temperature dependent current-voltage and capacitance-voltage measurements and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), using Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs). It is found that (i) SBDs fabricated on the wafers with GaN buffer layers containing a low concentration of carbon (low-[C] SBD) or a high concentration of carbon (high-[C] SBD) have similar low leakage currents even at 500 K; and (ii) the low-[C] SBD exhibits a larger (negative) threshold voltage than the high-[C] SBD. Detailed …


Enhancement Of Light Absorption In A Quantum Well By Surface Plasmon Polariton, Jacob B. Khurgin, Greg Sun May 2009

Enhancement Of Light Absorption In A Quantum Well By Surface Plasmon Polariton, Jacob B. Khurgin, Greg Sun

Physics Faculty Publications

We investigate analytically the degree to which the absorption of light in a single quantum well can be enhanced in the proximity of a structured metallic surface and show that the wavelength at which the maximum enhancement of about one order of magnitude is attained depends on metal loss and the initial absorption in a quantum well.


Practical Enhancement Of Photoluminescence By Metal Nanoparticles, Greg Sun, Jacob B. Khurgin, R. A. Soref Mar 2009

Practical Enhancement Of Photoluminescence By Metal Nanoparticles, Greg Sun, Jacob B. Khurgin, R. A. Soref

Physics Faculty Publications

We develop a simple yet rigorous theory of the photoluminescence (PL) enhancement in the vicinity of metal nanoparticles. The enhancement takes place during both optical excitation and emission. The strong dependence on the nanoparticle size enables optimization for maximum PL efficiency. Using the example of InGaN quantum dots (QDs) positioned near Ag nanospheres embedded in GaN, we show that strong enhancement can be obtained only for those QDs, atoms, or molecules that are originally inefficient in absorbing as well as in emitting optical energy. We then discuss practical implications for sensor technology.


Electroluminescence Efficiency Enhancement Using Metal Nanoparticles, Jacob B. Khurgin, Greg Sun, R. A. Soref Jul 2008

Electroluminescence Efficiency Enhancement Using Metal Nanoparticles, Jacob B. Khurgin, Greg Sun, R. A. Soref

Physics Faculty Publications

We apply the “effective mode volume” theory to evaluate enhancement of the electroluminescence efficiency of semiconductor emitters placed in the vicinity of isolated metal nanoparticles and their arrays. Using the example of an InGaN/GaN quantum-well active region positioned in close proximity to Ag nanospheres, we show that while the enhancement due to isolated metal nanoparticles is large, only modest enhancement can be obtained with ordered array of those particles. We further conclude that random assembly of isolated particles holds an advantage over the ordered arrays for light emitting devices of finite area.


Atomic Size Mismatch Strain Induced Surface Reconstructions, Jessica E. Bickel, Normand A. Modine, Anton Van Der Ven, Joanna Mirecki Millunchick Feb 2008

Atomic Size Mismatch Strain Induced Surface Reconstructions, Jessica E. Bickel, Normand A. Modine, Anton Van Der Ven, Joanna Mirecki Millunchick

Physics Faculty Publications

The effects of lattice mismatch strain and atomic size mismatch strain on surface reconstructions are analyzed using density functional theory. These calculations demonstrate the importance of an explicit treatment of alloying when calculating the energies of alloyed surface reconstructions. Lattice mismatch strain has little impact on surface dimer ordering for the α2(2×4) reconstruction of GaAs alloyed with In. However, atomic size mismatch strain induces the surface In atoms to preferentially alternate position, which, in turn, induces an alternating configuration of the surface anion dimers. These results agree well with experimental data for α2(2×4) domains in InGaAs∕GaAs surfaces.


Practicable Enhancement Of Spontaneous Emission Using Surface Plasmons, Greg Sun, Jacob B. Khurgin, Richard A. Soref Mar 2007

Practicable Enhancement Of Spontaneous Emission Using Surface Plasmons, Greg Sun, Jacob B. Khurgin, Richard A. Soref

Physics Faculty Publications

The authors develop a rigorous theory of the enhancement of spontaneous emission from a light emitting device via coupling the radiant energy in and out of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on the metal-dielectric interface. Using the GaN/Ag system as an example, the authors show that using SPP pays off only for emitters that have a low luminescence efficiency.


Nonlinear All-Optical Gan/Algan Multi-Quantum-Well Devices For 100 Gb/S Applications At Λ = 1.55 Μm, Greg Sun, Jacob B. Khurgin, Richard A. Soref Nov 2005

Nonlinear All-Optical Gan/Algan Multi-Quantum-Well Devices For 100 Gb/S Applications At Λ = 1.55 Μm, Greg Sun, Jacob B. Khurgin, Richard A. Soref

Physics Faculty Publications

Using quantum-mechanical analysis, a strain-balanced stack of coupled GaN/AlGaNquantum wells has been engineered for bandwidth-optimized all-optical switching at low switching powers. Intersubband transitions between three conduction subbands provide the basis for the large, fast, nonlinear optical response. Optimized performance for a given symbol rate is obtained by engineering the response time and nonlinear phase shift.


320-Channel Dual Phase Lock-In Optical Spectrometer, Petru S. Fodor, S. Rothenberger, J. Levy Jan 2005

320-Channel Dual Phase Lock-In Optical Spectrometer, Petru S. Fodor, S. Rothenberger, J. Levy

Physics Faculty Publications

The development of a multiple-channel lock-in optical spectrometer (LIOS) is presented, which enables parallel phase-sensitive detection at the output of an optical spectrometer. The light intensity from a spectrally broad source is modulated at the reference frequency, and focused into a high-resolution imaging spectrometer. The height at which the light enters the spectrometer is controlled by an acousto-optic deflector, and the height information is preserved at the output focal plane. A two-dimensional InGaAs focal plane array collects light that has been dispersed in wavelength along the horizontal direction, and in time along the vertical direction. The data is demodulated using …


Phonon-Pumped Terahertz Gain In N-Type Gaas/Algaas Superlattices, Greg Sun, Richard A. Soref May 2001

Phonon-Pumped Terahertz Gain In N-Type Gaas/Algaas Superlattices, Greg Sun, Richard A. Soref

Physics Faculty Publications

Local population inversion and far-IR gain are proposed and theoretically analyzed for an unbiased n-doped GaAs/Al0.15Ga0.85As superlattice pumped solely by phonons. The lasing transition occurs at the Brillouin zone boundary of the superlattice wave vector kzbetween the two conduction minibands CB1 and CB2 of the opposite curvature in kzspace. The proposed waveguided structure is contacted above and below by heat sinks at 300 K and 77 K, respectively. Atop the superlattice, a heat buffer layer confines longitudinal optical phonons for enhanced optical-phonon pumping of CB1 electrons. A gain of 345 cm …


Electron-Irradiation-Induced Deep Level In N-Type Gan, Z-Q. Fang, Joseph W. Hemsky, David C. Look, M. P. Mack Jan 1998

Electron-Irradiation-Induced Deep Level In N-Type Gan, Z-Q. Fang, Joseph W. Hemsky, David C. Look, M. P. Mack

Physics Faculty Publications

Deep-level transient spectroscopy measurements of n-type GaN epitaxial layers irradiated with 1-MeV electrons reveal an irradiation-induced electron trap at EC−0.18 eV. The production rate is approximately 0.2 cm−1, lower than the rate of 1 cm−1 found for the N vacancy by Hall-effect studies. The defect trap cannot be firmly identified at this time. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.


Hopping Conduction In Molecular Beam Epitaxial Gaas Grown At Very Low Temperatures, David C. Look, Z-Q. Fang, J. W. Look, J. R. Sizelove Jan 1994

Hopping Conduction In Molecular Beam Epitaxial Gaas Grown At Very Low Temperatures, David C. Look, Z-Q. Fang, J. W. Look, J. R. Sizelove

Physics Faculty Publications

Conductivity and Hall effect measurements have been performed on 2 μm thick molecular beam epitaxial layers grown at very low substrate temperatures, 200 to 400°C. For growth temperatures below 300°C, the conduction is dominated by hopping between arsenic antisite defects of concentrations up to 1020 cm−3. Below measurement temperatures of about 130 K, the hopping conduction can be quenched by strong IR light illumination, because the antisite then becomes metastable. The antisite has a thermal activation energy of , and thus is not identical to the famous EL2. Both nearest‐neighbor and variable‐range hopping mechanisms are considered in …


Contact Resistance Measurements In Gaas Mesfet's And Modfet's By The Magneto‐Tlm Technique, David C. Look Jan 1988

Contact Resistance Measurements In Gaas Mesfet's And Modfet's By The Magneto‐Tlm Technique, David C. Look

Physics Faculty Publications

The standard transmission‐line model (TLM) for specific contact resistivity measurements of planar contacts is improved in two ways: (i) the addition of a magnetic field, which gives the mobility and carrier concentration of the bulk material, and the mobility of the material under the contact; and (ii) an extension to two layers, which makes the model applicable to MODFET structures. The results are applied to MESFET material, and MODFET material. One conclusion concerning the latter material is that the electrons directly beneath the annealed Au/Ge/Ni contacts have lower mobility than those in the bulk, but still …


Electrical Characterization Of Ion Implantation Into Gaas, David C. Look Jan 1987

Electrical Characterization Of Ion Implantation Into Gaas, David C. Look

Physics Faculty Publications

Recent advances in the characterization of ion‐implanted samples have included whole wafer mapping (topography) and depth profiling techniques. We review several methods for mapping electrical parameters, including the dark‐spot resistance (DSR), and the microwave photoconductance techniques. In addition, we suggest a new photo‐Hall technique which would allow mobility and carrier‐concentration mapping as well as that of resistivity . Finally, we review methods for obtaining ρ, μ, and depth profiles, with particular emphasis on the application of the magnetoresistance techniques in actual field‐effect transistor structures.