Engineering Commons^™

Preparation And Surface Studies Of Negative Electron Affinity Semiconductors Photocathodes, Khaled A. Elamrawi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Fabrication of high quantum efficiency, long lifetime negative electron affinity photocathodes is important for applications such as photomultipliers, image intensifiers, electron beam lithography, electron microscopy, and polarized electron sources. The surface cleanliness of the III-V semiconductor photocathode is crucial in obtaining high photosensitivity.

GaAs(100) and InP(100) photocathodes are prepared by atomic hydrogen cleaning. The cleaning effect on the photocathode performance is discussed. The surface degradation mechanisms which reduce the photocathode lifetime are presented. The photocathode surface cleanliness, structure, and morphology are studied using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED).

Quantum efficiencies of ∼14% and 8% are obtained for GaAs and InP, …

Influence Of Processing Techniques On Copper Deep Levels Formation And On Photoconductivity In Silicon Doped Gallium Arsenide, Lucy M. Thomas

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Diffusion of copper in silicon doped gallium arsenide under different diffusion conditions is studied. Copper compensated silicon doped gallium arsenide (GaAs:Si:Cu) is used as switch material for bulk optically controlled semiconductor switch, and on-state photoconductivity of the switch is primarily due to the properties of the copper deep levels introduced in the material during diffusion. Gallium arsenide being a compound semiconductor, presence of vacancies and defects make the study of diffusion a complex process. The objective of the current research is twofold: a) to study the influence of diffusion conditions and processing techniques on copper deep level formation in silicon …

Experimental Studies Of Bulk Optically Controlled Gaas Switches Utilizing Fast Infrared Quenching, Michael S. Mazzola

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation describes some of the properties of copper-compensated, silicon-doped GaAs (Cu:Si:GaAs) with the purpose of demonstrating the feasibility of the Bulk Optically Controlled Switch (BOSS) concept. The BOSS concept involves the excitation of electrons or holes from selected deep centers in the band gap of a bulk Cu:Si:GaAs photoconductor. The conductivity of the Cu:Si:GaAs crystal can be increased or decreased on command by irradiating the crystal with laser light of different wavelengths in the infrared. Photoconductivities as large as 1 (Ω cm^)-1 were measured to persist for microseconds after illumination by a 7 ns laser pulse with wavelength …