We present a novel ultra-wide bandgap alloy system based on rutile-structured oxides (SnO2-GeO2-SiO2), and clearly show their superior points from a point of view of both experiments and first-principles calculations. Experimentally, we demonstrate that mist-CVD method is effective for the fabrication of r-GexSn1−xO2 alloy films. The r-GexSn1−xO2 alloy films (x≤0.96) are composed of single-crystalline compounds, while phase separation is found in the r-GeO2 films. The lattice parameters of r-GexSn1−xO2 alloy films decrease with an increase in fraction of Ge. Additionally, the bandgaps increase as the fraction of Ge increases. The compositional dependence of lattice parameters and bandgaps determined experimentally for the r-GexSn1−xO2 alloy films is in good agreement with those derived by the calculations. Our measurements of electrical properties indicate that the r-GexSn1−xO2 (x≤0.57) films are n-type semiconductors. Finally, we suggest band alignments calculated for r-GexSn1−xO2 and r-GexSi1−xO2 alloys. The results suggest a possibility of p-type doping in r-GeO2 and highly Ge-rich r-GexSn1−xO2. It is also suggested that it is preferable to use r-SiO2 and highly Si-rich r-GexSi1−xO2 as a blocking layer for other rutile-structured devices.
We proposed recently a new RF-MBE method called droplet elimination by radical-beam irradiation (DERI) for growing high-quality InN-based III-nitride films. DERI consists of two growth processes: a metal-rich growth process (MRGP) and a droplet elimination process (DEP). In InGaN growth, Ga was preferentially and selectively captured from the Ga/In wetting layer and droplets during MRGP. Then, excess In was swept out from the growing InGaN surface. The swept In was transformed to InN, epitaxially grown on top of InGaN during DEP using nitrogen radical beam irradiation. By repeating this process, an InN/InGaN MQW structure was successfully fabricated. Thick and uniform InGaN films were also successfully obtained by additionally irradiating the same Ga beam flux as that in MRGP even during DEP. When the irradiated Ga/N* beam flux ratio in DEP was changed from that in MRGP, an InxGa1-xN/InyGa1-yN MQW structure was successfully fabricated.
A new growth method, named droplet elimination by radical-beam irradiation (DERI), consisting of a metal-rich growth
process (MRGP) and a droplet elimination process (DEP), was proposed for the growth of high-quality InN. The DERI
method was also developed to the growth of InGaN ternally alloys. A periodic InN/InGaN structure was successfully
fabricated using the phenomena that Ga was preferentially captured in a growing InGaN layer and In was forced outward
to the surface in the MRGP and that the swept In was transformed to epitaxial InN on the InGaN underlayer in DEP. The
DERI method enables the simple and reproducible growth of both high-quality InN film and peridic InN/InGaN structure
by using in situ monitoring techniques.
Position controlled InN nanocolumns were fabricated by electron-cyclotron-resonance plasma-excited molecular beam epitaxy (ECR-MBE) on hole-patterned GaN template by focused ion beam (FIB). Dependences of morphological changes in InN nanocolumn on V/III ratio and hole size were investigated. It is found that growth with a higher V/III ratio and a larger hole size resulted in the multiple formation of InN nanocolumns in one hole. By varying the hole density on the GaN template, we succeeded to change the density of InN nanocolumn by one order of magnitude from about 100/μm2 to 9/μm2. InN nanocolumn showed luminescence with peak energy of 0.74 eV by cathodoluminescence measurement.
Cross-sectional potential distribution of AlGaN/GaN HFETs with and without surface passivation by silicon
nitride (SiNx) has been investigated by using Kelvin probe force microscopy to study the effect of the surface
passivation layer on an electric field under high operating bias conditions. The measured FETs exhibited DC
characteristics of the maximum drain current of 750 mA/mm, threshold voltage of -5 V, and the transconductance
of 150 mS/mm. For the bias condition of the gate voltage of -5 V and the drain voltage of 40 V, the electric field
is mainly concentrated at three areas without relation to the presence or absence of the surface passivation layer.
One is the mid-point between the gate and drain electrodes at FET surface. The others are the mid-depth of
GaN buffer layer under the drain electrode and the interface between GaN buffer and SiC substrates from drain
edge toward source electrode. Near the surface of SiNx-passivated AlGaN/GaN HFETs, it is confirmed that the
intensity of electric field concentration decreases compared to that of no-passivated AlGaN/GaN HFETs. It is
considered that this result originates in the decrease of the surface charge by SiNx passivation. In addition, It is
found that the electric field concentration near the GaN/SiC interface has a tendency to become stronger rather
than that between the drain and gate electrodes by SiNx passivation.
Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells are leading candidates for low-cost and high-efficiency solar cells. A band gap energy
(Eg) of CIGS can be controlled from 1.0 eV (CuInSe2) to 1.7 eV (CuGaSe2). The Eg of CIGS can be adjusted to the
theoretically estimated optimum value of 1.4 eV. However, maximum efficiencies for CIGS solar cells were achieved at
Eg=1.1~1.2 eV. A higher-Ga addition degrades the electronic properties of CIGS films. Compared to CIGS,
Cu(In,Al)Se2 (CIAS) can be adjusted the same Eg by a small Al addition. We report on the fabrication of the CIAS film
on Mo/soda-lime glass (SLG) substrate by a three-stage evaporation process. The film composition was
Cu/(In+Al)=0.89, Se/Metal=0.99 and Al/(In+Al)=0.15. The Eg of the film was 1.15 eV from the quantum efficiency
measurement. The cross-sectional scanning electron microscope image of the film showed a grain size of approximately
1μm. The composition depth profile by secondary ion mass spectroscopy showed the V-shape distribution of Al in the
depth direction. The CIAS solar cell consisted of Al/ITO/ZnO/CdS/CIAS/Mo/SLG was fabricated. The active cell area
was 0.12 cm2. A current-voltage measurement under illumination (AM1.5, 100mW/cm2) at 25°C showed the area
efficiency of 13.1% without antireflection coating.
We report on investigation of self-heating effects in AlGaN/GaN HFETs (heterostructure field effect transistors) using
numerical simulations and micro-Raman spectroscopy. In the numerical simulations, we used a temperature-dependent
thermal conductivity for each constituent material. To reduce the size effect of the device, we added wide thermal
diffusion regions to active device region. Both AlGaN/GaN HFETs on sapphire and SiC substrates were studied using
both electro-thermal 2D (two-dimensional) simulations and also analytical 3D thermal simulations. Good agreements
between the simulated and measured surface temperature distributions have been obtained, which supports the validity of
simulation models. The simulated temperature distribution for HFETs on SiC substrates was found to have a much
sharper peak than that on sapphire substrates. In addition, the region around the gate edge on the drain side usually
showed a maximum temperature for the devices operating at drain voltages less than about 40 V, but this region shifted
toward the drain side when the drain voltage was increased up to 50-80 V. These results show that micro-Raman
spectroscopy can be used for high-resolution temperature measurements.
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