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The detection of hydrogen in the Earth's deep underground poses a major challenge due to the lack of oxygen and continuous changes in environmental conditions. An innovative class of hydrogen gas sensors based on AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) with Platinum (Pt) gates as a functionalization layer, has been developed and optimized for geo-sensing. The study investigated the sensor characteristics using two carrier gases to simulate underground conditions, namely air (with 20 % O 2) and N 2 (with 0 % O 2), across a range of temperatures from 50 °C to 300 °C and with hydrogen concentrations varying from 25 ppm to 400 ppm. The detection limit was found to be approximately 1 ppm of hydrogen in the atmospheric air. The gas sensor transduction is based on the modification of the conductivity of a 2-Dimensional Electron Gas (2DEG). In this study, the principle was investigated using two gases, O 2 and H 2 , with different electronegativities relative to platinum. The adsorption competition between H 2 and O 2 on platinum was evaluated, and this allowed the calculation of the ratio of thermodynamic adsorption constants between these two gases. • Investigated the Pt-AlGaN/GaN HEMT-based sensor for detecting underground H 2 gas using N 2 and air as carrier gases. • Key parameters for hydrogen sensing included the effects of temperature and hydrogen concentration. • Demonstrated that hydrogen has 2000 times greater affinity than O 2 with the Pt-AlGaN/GaN sensor functional layer. • Presented and comprehensively explained the adsorption kinetics of hydrogen with the Pt functional layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report improved sensitivity to NO, NO2 and NH3 gas with specially-designed AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) that are suitable for operation in the harsh environment of diesel exhaust systems. The gate of the HEMT device is functionalized using a Pt catalyst for gas detection. We found that the performance of the sensors is enhanced at a temperature of 600 °C, and the measured sensitivity to 900 ppm-NO, 900 ppm-NO2 and 15 ppm-NH3 is 24%, 38.5% and 33%, respectively, at 600 °C. We also report dynamic response times as fast as 1 s for these three gases. Together, these results indicate that HEMT sensors could be used in a harsh environment with the ability to control an anti-pollution system in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid state semiconductor based neutron detectors have the potential to be energy efficient and compact, making them suitable for applications where low power consumption and size constraints are important considerations. Herein, neutron detection devices based on PIN structures consisting of BGaN/GaN superlattice (SL) are demonstrated. These SL structures enable to incorporate significant boron (B) content and achieve good crystalline quality epilayers crucial for better neutron detection. Further, by leveraging the built‐in electric field generated by the PIN structure, these devices can be operated without any applied bias, simplifying overall operation and enabling a more compact size system for detection. Their performance is evaluated by measuring real‐time current response under neutron irradiation (IN) and without it (ID). The neutron induced current density (ΔJ = JN − JD) is determined, reaching an impressive value of 0.67 pA cm−2 (two times JD) under thermal neutron flux of 1.2 × 104 n cm−2 s−1 without biasing, demonstrating their self‐powered capability. They exhibit a linear response to varying thermal neutron flux levels. Additionally, the detectors successfully detect low thermal neutron fluxes down to 300 n cm−2 s−1, showcasing their potential for diverse applications, including in low neutron environments, screening nuclear warheads, and preventing illegal trafficking of radiological materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• InGaN nano-pyramid absorber is shown to release the usual challenging constraint on p-GaN doping. • SiO2 mask is shown to help trap light into the nanopyramids leading to a larger efficiency. • Nanopyramid-based solar cell lead to an efficiency at least twice that of planar solar cell. InGaN nano-structures, grown using nano selective area growth, have been shown to exhibit high crystalline quality, even for high In content InGaN alloy, and reduced polarization charge effect. They are thus very attractive for the realization of high efficiency solar cells. Compared to planar InGaN absorbers, nanopyramid-based absorbers are shown to relax the usual challenging constraint on the doping of the p-GaN layer, which would be needed to overcome the polarization-induced electric field. NP-based solar cells maintain the same performance with ten times lower p-GaN doping. Furthermore, the SiO 2 mask used for selective area growth of the nanopyramids is shown to help trap light into the nanopyramids, leading to increased optical absorption and thus efficiency. Last, InGaN nanopyramid absorber-based solar cells can allow for a higher InGaN residual donor concentration than that of the planar InGaN solar cells. Overall, an optimized In 0.3 Ga 0.7 N nanopyramid-based solar cell can lead to an efficiency twice than that of a planar InGaN-based solar cells with standard p- and n-GaN doping level. As a proof of concept, an In 0.09 Ga 0.91 N nanopyramid-based solar cell has been fabricated and is shown to have larger short circuit photocurrent and open circuit voltage than a state of the art In 0.08 Ga 0.92 N-based planar solar cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • h-BN were grown on sub-micron size dome patterned sapphire substrates. • Wrinkled morphology of layered h-BN was obtained on c -plane sapphire. • On the domes, h-BN were different demonstrating anisotropy. • TEM confirmed h-BN is layered and continuous with turbostratic islands on domes. • 320 nm peak intensity increase confirms the TEM observations. Abstract Layered h-BN were grown on sub-micron size dome patterned sapphire substrates (PSS) by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) to study the effects of substrate orientations, strain and subsequent thermal stress evolution. Electron micrograph images on the surface of the c -plane sapphire in-between the dome structures show typical wrinkled morphology of layered h-BN, similar to the reference sample surface confirming the high quality h-BN growth. However, the h-BN morphology on the domes exhibited pattern like folding which were drastically different from the h-BN on the c -plane sapphire. Detailed TEM studies show that the h -BN is layered and covers the dome patterns of the sapphire substrates like a "blanket of snow" continuously with localized strain variations induced turbostratic phase insertions. In addition, the local variation in optical emission properties of layered materials, which are dramatically affected by the rippled morphology were also investigated using depth resolved cathodoluminescence. The intensity variation of the 320 nm peak confirms that the BN on dome structures have more strain related defects than the c -plane h-BN. Thus, these results give better insight on the origin of turbostratic BN grains and local control over the structural and optical emission characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Demonstrated growth and mechanical exfoliation of MQWs on h-BN templates. • Obtained satellite peaks on the MQWs structure on h-BN indicating good periodicity. • Good heterointerface quality was confirmed with TEM analysis. • Depth resolved CL shows double MQW emission peaks. • After lift-off CL analysis confirmed good preservation of optical functionalities. Abstract We report wafer-scale growth and mechanical exfoliation of 20 periodAl 0.58 Ga 0.42 N/Al 0.37 Ga 0.63 N multiple quantum wells (MQWs) on h-BN buffered templates and compare them to control samples of the same structure on AlN templates. X-ray diffraction measurements of the MQW structure on h-BN clearly featured satellite peaks up to third order in the 2θ−ω scans indicating good MQW periodicity. Detailed transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis show good heterointerface quality in the structure and large V-pits on the surface. Depth resolved cathodoluminescence of the MQWs on h-BN revealed a UV emission peak at 299 nm and a sharp shoulder at 292 nm. We also report lift-off and transfer of the MQW on the h-BN structure and have investigated post-transfer optical emission, which demonstrates good preservation of optical emission characteristics. Together these results show the suitability of h-BN buffers for the realization of free-standing or flexible optical devices emitting in the deep UV region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable p-doped hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) could enable wide bandgap optoelectronic devices such as deep ultra-violet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs), solar blind photodiodes and neutron detectors. We report the study of Mg in h-BN layers as well as Mg h-BN/AlGaN heterostructures. Mg incorporation in h-BN was studied under different biscyclopentadienyl-magnesium (Cp2Mg) molar flow rates. 2θ-ω x-ray diffraction scans clearly evidence a single peak, corresponding to the (002) reflection plane of h-BN with a full-width half maximum increasing with Mg incorporation in h-BN. For a large range of Cp2Mg molar flow rates, the surface of Mg doped h-BN layers exhibited characteristic pleats, confirming that Mg doped h-BN remains layered. Secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis showed Mg incorporation, up to 4 × 1018 /cm3 in h-BN. Electrical conductivity of Mg h-BN increased with increased Mg-doping. Heterostructures of Mg h-BN grown on n-type Al rich AlGaN (58% Al content) were made with the intent of forming a p-n heterojunction. The I-V characteristics revealed rectifying behavior for temperatures from 123 to 423 K. Under ultraviolet illumination, photocurrent was generated, as is typical for p-n diodes. C-V measurements evidence a built-in potential of 3.89 V. These encouraging results can indicate p-type behavior, opening a pathway for a new class of wide bandgap p-type layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical release of III‐nitride devices using h‐BN is a promising approach for heterogeneous integration. Upscaling this technology for industrial level requires solutions that allow a simple pick‐and‐place technique of selected devices for integration while preserving device performance. An advance that satisfies both of these requirements is demonstrated in this work. It is based on a lateral control of the h‐BN quality, using patterned sapphire with a SiO2 mask, to achieve localized van der Waals epitaxy of high‐quality GaN based device structures. After process fabrication, the devices can be individually picked and placed on a foreign substrate without the need for a dicing step. In addition, this approach could reduce delamination of h‐BN on large diameter substrates because each h‐BN region is smaller, with independent device structures. Discrete InGaN LEDs on h‐BN are grown and fabricated on 2 in. patterned sapphire using a SiO2 mask. A set of devices are selectively released and transferred to flexible aluminum tape. The transferred LEDs exhibit blue light emission around 435 nm. The approach presented here is scalable on any wafer size, can be applied to other types of nitride‐based devices, and can be compatible with commercial pick‐and‐place handlers for mass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]