PL and PLE characterization of high current density resonant tunnelling diodes for THz applications

Article Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy for structural and electronic characterization of resonant tunneling diodes for THz applications

M. Cito et al.

Summary: Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy (PLE) and high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) were used to characterize the structural and electronic properties of high current density InGaAs/AlAs/InP resonant tunneling diode wafer structures. Through simulation and careful selection of detection wavelength, crucial information about band-offsets was obtained non-destructively. An agreement between HR-XRD data, PL, and PLE data was achieved at a specific conduction band offset percentage of 58.8%. This scheme provides important electronic and structural information without damaging the materials.

AIP ADVANCES (2021)

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Article Physics, Applied

Micro-PL analysis of high current density resonant tunneling diodes for THz applications

M. Cito et al.

Summary: The study uses low-temperature micro-photoluminescence (mu PL) to evaluate wafer structural uniformity of InGaAs/AlAs/InP resonant tunneling diode (RTD) structures, finding that thin quantum wells exhibit fluctuations leading to non-uniform electrical properties. The use of a common photolithography mask reduces the PL spot size, and variations in PL line shape for different strain-budget samples are discussed in terms of long-range disorder brought about by strain relaxation processes. The study concludes that strain model limits may overestimate the strain budget in these devices and highlights mu PL as a powerful nondestructive characterization method for RTD structures.

APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS (2021)

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Proceedings Paper Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Fitting of photoluminescence spectra for structural characterisation of high current density resonant tunnelling diodes for THz applications

Michele Cito et al.

Summary: High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) and low-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy (LT-PL) were used to investigate the structural properties and inhomogeneities of high current density InGaAs/AlAs/InP resonant tunnel diode (RTD) wafer structures. Experimental PL data were compared with simulations to deconvolute the PL spectra, providing details of the non-uniformity of the epitaxial material non-destructively.

TERAHERTZ, RF, MILLIMETER, AND SUBMILLIMETER-WAVE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS XIV (2021)

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Article Physics, Applied