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A single-phase white light-emitting phosphor Ca3La3(BO3)5: Dy3+ (CLBD) was prepared via a solid-state reaction. The introduction of Dy3+ in Ca3La3(BO3)5 with a preferred location on La3+ was confirmed by x-ray diffraction and Rietveld structural refinement studies. The micrograph observed by scanning electron microscopy reveals an inhomogeneous and uneven dense morphology in the micrometer range. The optical spectra analysis shows that the CLBD can be efficiently excited by ultraviolet (UV) light and emitted intense white light due to the combination of blue 4F9/2 → 6H15/2 (∼485 nm) and yellow 4F9/2 → 6H13/2 (∼575 nm) emissions originated from 4f–4f transitions of Dy3+. The critical concentration is determined to be ∼12 mol. %, and the dipole–dipole (d–d) interaction is responsible for the quenching mechanism. In additional, the CLBD has high thermal stability. By incorporating the CLBD with a phosphor-capping method on AlInGaN LED, we obtain the white light that meets the spectral and efficiency requirements for high-efficacy solid-state white lighting lamps. The Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage chromaticity coordinates and color correlated temperature with optimal electroluminescence intensity are calculated to be ∼(0.338, 0.342) and 5950 K, respectively. All results indicate the CLBD could serve as a promising candidate for white UV-LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present high-pressure experimental investigations on EuNbO4, an interesting technologically important material, using synchrotron based x-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and europium photoluminescence measurements up to 39.2, 31.6, and 32.4 GPa, respectively. All three techniques show the stability of the ambient monoclinic phase until 20 GPa. Beyond that, a pressure-induced structural phase transition takes place with the coexistence of two phases over a wide pressure range. The structure of the high-pressure phase has been determined as orthorhombic (space group: Imma) with a volume discontinuity of nearly 9% at the transition indicating the nature of transition to be first order. The high-pressure phase remains stable up to ∼40 GPa. The equation of state data for both phases have been determined, and the modulus of incompressibility indicates that the high-pressure phase with bulk modulus as 246(29) GPa is less compressible compared to the low-pressure phase having bulk modulus as 138(4) GPa. The transition involves a change in the coordination polyhedron around europium, increasing the coordination number from 8 in the fergusonite to 12 in the orthorhombic phase, while the coordination around niobium remains 4 in both the phases. All the 18 expected Raman modes in the fergusonite structure have been observed, and their variation as a function of pressure has been reported. The mode Grüneisen parameters for the observed Raman frequencies for monoclinic and orthorhombic phases have been determined. Europium photoluminescence spectra show drastic changes near the transition pressure, which point toward changes in the local environment around the europium ion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We carry out the surface potential (SP) measurements of Si-doped InN nanorods (NRs) grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Photoluminescence and photoemission spectroscopic studies reveal that the Si-doped InN nanorods possess surface electron accumulation. To estimate the SP value of the InN nanorods, a contact potential difference is measured using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). In order to avoid the influence of the surface adsorbed species, KPFM measurements were carried out at a high vacuum condition of ∼7.5 × 10−7 mbar. The SP value of the Si-doped InN nanorods is found to depend on the size of nanorods. The size-dependent SP value of the Si-doped InN nanorods is attributed to the variation in the downward surface band bending caused by the change in the sheet carrier density of surface electron accumulation. The change in surface band bending is the result of the variation in the free-electron distribution with a size of the NRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy combined with scanning near-field optical microscopy to directly observe the potential barriers in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) on a GaN layer grown under moderate temperatures (MT-GaN) as the V-pit expansion layer. Area-averaged PL spectra revealed shoulders on the higher-energy side of the InGaN/GaN MQW emission (HE emission) even at room temperature (RT), as well as at low temperature. These HE emission regions, which possessed island-like shapes in the PL intensity maps at RT, corresponded to the dark regions in the PL intensity maps of GaN emission. Low-temperature local PL spectra acquired at the measurement points where HE emissions were observed revealed multiple HE emission peaks at two distinct energies. Most of the regions where the HE emission occurred corresponded to the dark regions of GaN emission and their outer circumference. These experimental observations demonstrate the formation of potential barriers around threading dislocations in the InGaN/GaN MQWs on an MT-GaN layer as the pit expansion layer. The energy difference between the HE emissions and the MQW emissions on the MT-GaN layer tended to increase with increasing V-pit diameter and was much larger than the energy difference for an InGaN/GaN superlattice structure. This was rationalized by the greater change in transition energy for thinner MQWs on V-pits than for planar MQWs, when the thickness in the MQWs on MT-GaN decreases owing to strain effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In red phosphor CaAlSiN3:Eu2+, unintentional blue emission occurs with increasing intensity at low Eu2+ concentrations and also at low measurement temperatures. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements were used to confirm the decrease in red emission and increase in blue emission with the decreasing Eu2+ concentration. The peak timing of blue emission occurred faster than that of red emission, and long lasting luminescence of red emission was observed as well as that of blue emission. The Eu2+ concentration dependences of the red and blue emissions were similar to those of the g values 4.75 (Eu2+) and 2.0025 (nitrogen vacancies), respectively, which were observed from electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements. The origin of the blue emission is proposed to be nitrogen vacancy defects, which had about the same ESR signal intensity as that of Eu2+ ions in CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ containing 0.01 at. % Eu2+. The possibility of red emission also arising from excited electron tunneling or thermal pathways via nitrogen vacancies is discussed. Long lasting red emission was observed, which is proposed to involve trapped electrons remaining at nitrogen vacancies, yielding blue emission and inducing red emission from Eu2+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a novel method for evaluation of recombination coefficients corresponding to Shockley-Read-Hall, radiative, and Auger recombination channels has been proposed, which combines measurements of the light emitting diode (LED) external quantum efficiency under continuous wave operation with the determination of non-equilibrium carrier differential life time (DLT) by small-signal time-resolved photoluminescence [Nippert et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Part 1 55, 05FJ01 (2016)]. In this work, we suggest an alternative technique, small-signal frequency-domain lifetime measurements, which is implemented more easily and capable of operating in a wider range of LED operating currents. The DLTs measured by both techniques are shown to agree well with each other, but saturate at low currents, contrary to the trend predicted by the well-known ABC-model. We discuss possible reasons for this deviation, as well as advantages and limitations of the measurement techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel material, ZrScW2PO12, with negative thermal expansion (NTE) behavior, at least from 138 to 1300 K, and intense photoluminescence (PL) property is first reported in this paper. Temperature dependent Raman and PL spectral studies indicate that the material holds an orthorhombic structure down to about 74K and exhibits NTE property in the temperature range. The intense PL covering nearly the whole visible region was observed and can be deconvoluted into four bands, which present different shifts with elevation of temperature. The abundant optical property may be attributed to n- and p-type like co-doping effect and the specific structure with the abnormal thermal expansion property of the material. The integrated properties might suggest potential applications of this material in light emitting diodes and other light emitting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of (Ga, In)As/GaAs/Ga(As, Sb) multi-quantum well heterostructures is analyzed using temperature- and power-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Pronounced PL variations with sample temperature are observed and analyzed using microscopic many-body theory and band structure calculations based on the k·p method. This theory-experiment comparison reveals an unusual, temperature dependent variation of the band alignment between the (Ga, In)As and Ga(As, Sb) quantum wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel material, ZrScW2PO12, with negative thermal expansion (NTE) behavior, at least from 138 to 1300 K, and intense photoluminescence (PL) property is first reported in this paper. Temperature dependent Raman and PL spectral studies indicate that the material holds an orthorhombic structure down to about 74K and exhibits NTE property in the temperature range. The intense PL covering nearly the whole visible region was observed and can be deconvoluted into four bands, which present different shifts with elevation of temperature. The abundant optical property may be attributed to n- and p-type like co-doping effect and the specific structure with the abnormal thermal expansion property of the material. The integrated properties might suggest potential applications of this material in light emitting diodes and other light emitting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a characterization of doped InAs layers in interband cascade lasers exploiting the plasmon-enhanced waveguiding. Fast differential reflectance was employed in order to identify the plasma-edge frequency via the Berreman effect and shown as an advantageous method when compared to other types of measurements. The carrier concentration was then derived and compared with the nominal doping densities. The emission properties of the investigated structures were studied by means of photoluminescence (PL). Its full-width at half-maximum and integrated intensity were extracted from PL spectra and analyzed in the function of the doping density (carrier concentration). The PL linewidth was found to be independent of the carrier concentration indicating an insignificant contribution of doping to the structural properties deterioration. The PL intensity decay with the carrier concentration suggests being dominated by Auger recombination losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a systematic study of the photoluminescence (PL) properties of a series of nearly latticematched (LM) GaN/(Al,In)N single quantum well (SQW) samples, with well thickness ranging from 1.5 to 5 nm, grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Temperature dependent PL and timeresolved PL measurements reveal similar trends among the studied SQW samples, which also indicate strong localization effects. The observed PL energy behavior, akin to the S-shape, accompanied first by a narrowing and then a broadening of the PL line width with increasing temperature, closely resemble previous observations made on the more established (In,Ga)N/GaN QW system. The similar trends observed in the PL features of those two QW systems imply that the PL properties of LM GaN/(Al,In)N SQW samples are also governed by localized states. The effects of carrier transfer among these localization sites are clearly observed for the 3 nm thick QW, evidenced by an increasing PL intensity in the lower energy spectral window and a concomitant increase in the corresponding PL decay time. Time-resolved data corroborate the picture of strongly localized carriers and also indicate that above a well thickness dependent delocalization temperature carrier distribution across the localized sites reaches thermal equilibrium, as the PL decay times over different spectral regions converge to the same value. Based on the difference between the calculated QW ground state transition energy, obtained using the envelope wave function formalism, and the measured PL energy, a localization energy of at least a few hundreds of meV has been extracted for all of the studied SQW samples. This rather large value also implies that In-related localization effects are more pronounced in the GaN/(Al,In)N system with respect to those in the (In,Ga)N/GaN one for a similar In content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural and optical properties of lattice-matched InAs0.911Sb0.089 bulk layers and strain-balanced InAs/InAs1-xSbx (x∼0.1-0.4) superlattices grown on (100)-oriented GaSb substrates by molecular beam epitaxy are examined using X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and temperature dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photoluminescence and ellipsometry measurements determine the ground state bandgap energy and the X-ray diffraction measurements determine the layer thickness and mole fraction of the structures studied. Detailed modeling of the X-ray diffraction data is employed to quantify unintentional incorporation of approximately 1% Sb into the InAs layers of the superlattices. A Kronig-Penney model of the superlattice miniband structure is used to analyze the valence band offset between InAs and InAsSb, and hence the InAsSb band edge positions at each mole fraction. The resulting composition dependence of the bandgap energy and band edge positions of InAsSb are described using the bandgap bowing model; the respective low and room temperature bowing parameters for bulk InAsSb are 938 and 750 meV for the bandgap, 558 and 383 meV for the conduction band, and -380 and -367 meV for the valence band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deep ultraviolet luminescence (h??≥?5?eV) of multiwall boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) is studied with time- and energy-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. Two luminescence bands are observed at 5.35 and 5.54?eV. Both emissions undergo a large blue shift of several tens of meV with a linear slope ΔElum/ΔEexc ?

Localized and polarized photoluminescence spectra are observed in single GaAs nanowires with mixed zincblende and wurtzite phases, grown using molecular beam epitaxy. For low excitation intensities, the photoluminescence emission exhibits narrow spectral features predominantly polarized perpendicular to the nanowire axis. For high excitation intensities, the photoluminescence spectra transform into dominant broadened features, which exhibit different peak energies and polarization properties. The strongly polarized emission at high excitation intensities is identified as being due to a spatially direct transition in wurtzite sections of the nanowires. The analysis, including band structure calculations suggests that carriers in the wurtzite sections diffuse into regions where the average low-temperature peak emission energy and crystal field parameter are 1.535 eV and 20meV, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy under dual-wavelength optical excitation, we uncover the presence of deep-level hole traps in Ga(In)NP alloys grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The energy level positions of the traps are determined to be at 0.56 eV and 0.78 eV above the top of the valance band. We show that photo-excitation of the holes from the traps, by a secondary light source with a photon energy below the bandgap energy, can lead to a strong enhancement (up to 25%) of the PL emissions from the alloys under a primary optical excitation above the bandgap energy. We further demonstrate that the same hole traps can be found in various MBE-grown Ga(In)NP alloys, regardless of their growth temperatures, chemical compositions, and strain. The extent of the PL enhancement induced by the hole de-trapping is shown to vary between different alloys, however, likely reflecting their different trap concentrations. The absence of theses traps in the GaNP alloy grown by vapor phase epitaxy suggests that their incorporation could be associated with a contaminant accompanied by the N plasma source employed in the MBE growth, possibly a Cu impurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical interpretation of the photoluminescence excitation spectra of self-organized polar GaN/(Al,Ga)N quantum dots is presented. A numerical method assuming a realistic shape of the dots and including the built-in electric field effects is developed to calculate their energy structure and hence their optical absorption. The electron and hole spectra show the existence of a set of quasi-bound states that does not originate from the wetting layer and plays a crucial role in the observed absorption spectrum of the GaN/(Al,Ga)N dots. Transitions involving these quasi-bound states and wetting layer states give a sufficient explanation for the observed continuum absorption background. The properties of this absorption band, especially its extension, depend strongly on the dot's size. Our simulation provides a natural explanation of the experimental luminescence excitation spectra of ensembles of dots of different heights. Our theoretical model can be convenient for future optical studies including systems with more complicated potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate charging effects in CdTe and Cd1-xMnxTe quantum dots embedded in n-i-p diodes. The tunneling of holes out of the dots at reverse bias and hole injection at forward bias control the dot charge state and allow for its electric field tuning. Furthermore, we analyze the Stark shifts of the photoluminescence transitions and evaluate the effect of the electric field on the binding of the observed excitonic complexes. We find that the binding can be strengthened or weakened depending on the zero-field alignment of the electron and hole wavefunctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excitonic radiative transitions of InAsxP1-x (x=0.13 and x=0.40) alloy epitaxial layers were studied through magnetic field and temperature dependent photoluminescence and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. While the linewidth and lineshape of the exciton transition for x=0.40 indicate the presence of alloy broadening due to random anion distribution and the existence of localized exciton states, those of x=0.13 suggest that this type of compositional disorder is absent in x=0.13. This localization is further supported by the behavior of the exciton transitions at low temperature and high magnetic fields. InAs0.4P0.6 exhibits anomalous "S-shaped" temperature dependence of the excition emission peak below 100K as well as linewidth broadening at high magnetic fields due to the compression of the excitonic volume amid compositional fluctuations. Finally, photoluminescence decay patterns suggest that the excitons radiatively relax through two channels, a fast and a slow decay. While the lifetime of the fast decay is comparable for both compositions (∼30 ps), that of the slow decay increases from 206 ps to 427 ps as x increases from 0.13 to 0.40, attributable to carrier migration between the localization states of InAs0.4P0.6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu2ZnSnS4 is a promising low-cost, nontoxic, earth-abundant absorber material for thin-film solar cell applications. In this study, combinatorial coevaporation was used to synthesize individual thin-film samples spanning a wide range of compositions at low (325 °C) and high (475 °C) temperatures. Film composition, grain morphology, crystalline-phase and photo-excitation information have been characterized by x-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence imaging and mapping. Highly textured columnar grain morphology is observed for film compositions along the ZnS-Cu2ZnSnS4-Cu2SnS3 tie line in the quasi-ternary Cu2S-ZnS-SnS2 phase system, and this effect is attributed to structural similarity between the Cu2ZnSnS4, Cu2 SnS3, and ZnS crystalline phases. At 475 °C growth temperature, Sn-S phases cannot condense because of their high vapor pressures. As a result, regions that received excess Sn flux during growth produced compositions falling along the ZnS-Cu2ZnSnS4-Cu2SnS3 tie line. Room-temperature photoluminescence imaging reveals a strong correlation for these samples between film composition and photoluminescence intensity, where film regions with Cu/Sn ratios greater than ~2 show strong photoluminescence intensity, in comparison with much weaker photoluminescence in regions that received excess Sn flux during growth or subsequent processing. The observed photoluminescence quenching in regions that received excess Sn flux is attributed to the effects of Sn-related native point defects in Cu2ZnSnS4 on non-radiative recombination processes. Implications for processing and performance of Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoluminescence spectra of YVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles are presented, with and without the attachment of organic molecules that are proposed for linking to biomolecules. YVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles with 5% dopant concentration were synthesized via wet chemical synthesis. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show the expected wakefieldite structure of tetragonal particles with an average size of 17 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy determines that metal-carboxylate coordination is successful in replacing native metal-hydroxyl bonds with three organic linkers, namely, benzoic acid, 3-nitro 4-chloro-benzoic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, in separate treatments. UV-excitation photoluminescence spectra show that the position and intensity of the dominant 5D0 - 7F2 electric-dipole transition at 619 nm are unaffected by the benzoic acid and 3-nitro 4-chloro-benzoic acid treatments. Attachment of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid produces an order-of-magnitude quenching in the photoluminescence, due to the presence of high-frequency vibrational modes in the linker. Ratios of the dominant electric- and magnetic-dipole transitions confirm infrared measurements, which indicate that the bulk crystal of the nanoparticle is unchanged by all three treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated dynamics of different localized exciton magnetic polarons (LEMPs) in Cd0.70Mn0.30Te spin glass (SG) compound below the freezing temperature Tf in the crystal regions, where various microscopic magnetic spin states (MMSSs), namely, "loose" spins, finite, and infinite clusters, are formed. It was shown that there is a broad distribution of the LEMPs lifetimes. The presence of the long-lived LEMPs is caused by the admixture of the optically active bright exciton states to the dark exciton states, i.e., the "brightening" of the dark LEMPs which exist along with the bright LEMPs. The lifetimes of the dark LEMPs correspond to hundreds of nanoseconds. It was found that the time decay of photoluminescence band intensity is approximated by the sum of two functions: a single exponential function and the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts stretched exponential function. The stretched exponential function describes the recombination processes of the LEMPs formed in the crystal regions of the finite clusters as well as the infinite cluster. This reflects the appearance of spatially heterogeneous dynamics in Cd0.70Mn0.30Te SG compound below Tf which is due to the disorder in the spin distribution caused by the formation of different MMSSs. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of gadolinium (Gd) doping on the oxygen vacancy (VO) in monoclinic HfO2 have been studied by the first-principles calculations within the spin-polarized generalized gradient approximation plus Hubbard U approach. It is found that the Gd dopant and VO show strong attractive interaction, resulting in a cooperative effect that the substitution of Gd for Hf (GdHf) would increase the probability of oxygen vacancies generation and vice versa. The GdHf is more energetically favorable to be next to the vacancy site of a three-coordinated oxygen (O3), forming a complex defect GdHf + VO. A single GdHf acts a hole donor and passivates the defect states of VO. Our results suggest that the decrease of the VO-related defect states observed in the photoluminescence spectra of Gd-HfO2 is because Gd doping passivates the defect states of VO, rather than caused by decrease of VO concentration. Our findings would clarify the debate about the influence of Gd doping on the oxygen vacancies in HfO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically investigate the optical properties of photo-excited biaxially strained intrinsic and n-type doped Ge semi-infinite layers using a multi-valley effective mass model. Spatial inhomogeneity of the excess carrier density generated near the sample surface is considered. Strain effects on the band edges, on the band dispersions, and on the orbital compositions of the near gap states involved in radiative recombinations are fully taken into account. We obtain, as a function of the distance from the sample surface, the energy resolved absorption/gain spectra resulting from the contribution of the radiative direct and phonon-assisted band-to-band transitions and from the intra-band free carrier absorption. Photoluminescence spectra are calculated from the spatially dependent spontaneous radiative recombination rate, taking into account energy-dependent self-absorption effects. For suitable combinations of doping density, strain magnitude, pump power, and emitted photon polarization, we find gain values up to 5800 cm-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports for the first time on a spectral degradation of photoluminescence from a-SiOx that occurs due to the storage of the samples in ambient atmosphere. The spectra of samples with an initial emission peak EPL,ini > 2.16 eV shift to lower energies. The degraded spectra have a common maximum at EPL,deg ≈ 2.16 eV. In the spectra of samples with EPL,ini < 2.16 eV, a high-energetic shoulder around EPL ≈ 2.16 eV develops. The initial photoluminescence spectra result from radiative recombination between tail states. The degraded luminescence is dominated by two effects. On the one hand, band tail luminescence still occurs. On the other hand, the prevalent emission around EPL,deg ≈ 2.16 eV originates from recombination attributed to Si = O bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, materials science has experienced rapid development and posed increasingly high requirements for the characterizations of structures, properties, and performances. Herein, we report on our recent establishment of a multi-domain (energy, space, time) high-resolution platform for integrated spectroscopy and microscopy characterizations, offering an unprecedented way to analyze materials in terms of spectral (energy) and spatial mapping as well as temporal evolution. We present several proof-of-principle results collected on this platform, including in-situ Raman imaging (high-resolution Raman, polarization Raman, low-wavenumber Raman), time-resolved photoluminescence imaging, and photo-electrical performance imaging. It can be envisioned that our newly established platform would be very powerful and effective in the multi-domain high-resolution characterizations of various materials of photoelectrochemical importance in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on low-temperature (4 K) photoluminescence of an 8.3% efficient Cu2ZnSnS4 photovoltaic device. Measurements were recorded as a function of excitation intensity, and the evolution of the resulting spectra is discussed. The spectra indicate that the radiative recombination is characteristic of heavily compensated material with a high quasi donor-acceptor pair density, as determined by the relationship between peak height, peak position, and excitation intensity, as well as the carrier lifetimes at different wavelengths. The blue-shift of the defect-derived peak position is used to estimate the quasi donor-acceptor pair spacing and density. The data indicate an average pair spacing of roughly 3.3 nm, yielding an overall total radiative-defect density of ∼1.3 × 1019 cm-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correlation between excitation light source and the emission property of Sn2+-Ce3+ co-doped zinc phosphate glasses is examined. Although photoluminescence (PL) peaks of both Sn2+ and Ce3+ shifted with increasing amount of Ce3+, there was little energy resonance between Sn2+ and Ce3+ emission centers. On the other hand, radioluminescence (RL) spectra excited by X-ray was independent of the Ce concentration, indicating that emission was mainly observed from Sn2+ emission center. It is expected that energy relaxation process in a RL preferentially occurs in an ns2-type emission center that possesses high transition probability of the excited state in the higher energy region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied state-filling-dependent intraband carrier dynamics in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots using two-color photoexcitation spectroscopy. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity was observed to be dramatically reduced by selectively pumping carriers from the intermediate state to the continuum state located above the conduction band edge, and the PL-intensity reduction decreased with an increase in the continuous-wave excitation power. We analyzed the observed state-filling-dependent intraband carrier dynamics by detailed modeling of carrier excitation and relaxation processes in which the two-photon absorption for the interband transition, Pauli blocking, and saturable absorption for the intraband transition is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical properties of GaN nanowires (NWs) grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Si(111) substrates were studied with the use of micro-Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence. Two types of NWs, hereafter labeled as A and B, grown with different values of Ga flux were studied. Morphology of the samples was probed by high resolution scanning electron microscopy. It was found that large Ga flux has led to a partial coalescence of nanowires in sample A. Reduction of Ga flux during growth of sample B resulted in an ensemble of separated nanowires. Micro-Raman and photoluminescence spectra were taken under illumination of 325 nm He-Cd laser line. Micro-Raman data reveal hexagonal phase of GaN NWs as well as a slight strain of Si substrate. Photoluminescence data yield that ensembles of separated NWs in sample B are defect free, whereas the spectra for coalesced wires in sample A exhibit both broad yellow luminescence band and defect-related band centered around 3.36 eV. Moreover, it was found that photoluminescence spectra are sensitive to UV illumination in agreement with the model of photoinduced surface desorption of oxygen. The effect is stronger for sample B due to larger surface-to-volume ratio for separated NWs as compared to the coalesced NWs in sample A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time-resolved optical techniques of photoluminescence (PL), light-induced transient grating (LITG), and differential transmission spectroscopy were used to investigate carrier dynamics in a single 50-nm thick In0.13Ga0.97N epilayer at high photoexcitation levels. Data in wide spectral, temporal, excitation, and temperature ranges revealed novel features in spectral distribution of recombination rates as follows: at low injection levels, an inverse correlation of carrier lifetime increasing with temperature and diffusivity decreasing with temperature confirmed a mechanism of diffusion-limited nonradiative recombination at extended defects. Carrier dynamics in the spectral region below the absorption edge but ∼70 meV above the PL band revealed a recombination rate that increased with excitation, while recombination rate in PL emission band (420-430 nm) decreased after saturation of trapping centers. Monitoring of spectrally integrated carrier dynamics by LITG technique allowed us to ascribe the enhanced recombination rate to bimolecular recombination and determine its coefficient B = 7 × 10-11 cm3/s. Complementary measurements unveiled the cause of PL efficiency saturation at injection levels above 5 × 1018 cm-3, attributable to bandgap renormalization in the extended states above the PL emission band, which encumbers carrier transfer from high-to-low energy states. As the degree of localization, and therefore, the total number of band tail states is expected to increase with In content, their impact to dependence of PL efficiency on excitation density could even be stronger for higher In compositions. These results provided insight that spectrally resolved carrier generation-recombination rates are excitation-dependent and would play a critical role in saturation of internal quantum efficiency in InGaN alloys used in light emitters, such as light emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germanium nanocrystals were prepared by a nanocluster source and characterized by photoluminescence and spectroscopic photometry methods. The optical measurements were carried out in order to estimate the effective bandgap of the Ge nanocrystals. Both Mie theory and the quantum confinement theory were applied to interpret the extracted absorption data. We found that the quantum confinement theory enables to explain the nanocrystal size and the host matrix dependence of the nanocrystal bandgap. On the other hand, the photoluminescence measurements have not allowed to confirm the bandgap evaluated from absorption data. This is explained as due to the dominant effect of the recombination at the nanocrystals surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The defect-related levels of CuInS2 thin films prepared by sulfurization using ditertiarybutylsulfide [(t-C4H9)2S:DTBS] have been investigated by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The PL spectra exhibit four peaks at 1.43, 1.27, 1.21, and 1.17 eV. On the basis of the PL spectra observed at various excitation intensities and temperatures, the peak emissions are attributed to donor-acceptor pair transitions. The ionization energies of donors in CuInS2 thin films are determined to be 66, 330, 300, and 150 meV, and the ionization energies of acceptors are estimated to be 100, 170, and 390 meV, respectively. As a result of the different sulfurization conditions and times, the donors corresponding to these ionization energies are due to indium interstitial (Ini), indium atoms-occupied sulfur vacancies (InS), sulfur atoms-occupied copper vacancies (SCu), and sulfur vacancies (VS), and the acceptors are determined to be due to copper vacancies (VCu), sulfur interstitial (Si), and sulfur atoms-occupied indium vacancies (SIn), respectively. Using these data, a band diagram for the defect levels of CuInS2 thin films has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omnidirectional photoluminescence (ODPL) and standard photoluminescence (SPL) spectroscopy measurements were carried out on a freestanding GaN crystal at various temperatures (T) between 12 K and 300 K. The intensity ratio (ρ) of the ODPL to SPL spectra for the near-band edge (NBE) emission of the crystal showed a linearly decreasing slope with respect to photon energy (E) below the fundamental absorption edge energy (Eabs), and the slope became steeper at lower T. The linear extrapolations of the slopes at various T converged at a common point (E, ρ) = (3.539 eV, −6.306). This fact implies that the slope obtained for ρ corresponds to the Urbach–Martienssen (U–M) tail of the optical absorption spectra. Numerical simulations under the assumption, where a part of photoluminescence traveled inside the crystal and the scattering occurred at a backside of the crystal, substantially reproduced the ODPL spectra. Accordingly, the origin of the two-peak structure in the ODPL spectra around the NBE emission of the GaN crystal is attributed to the existence of the U–M tail. The Eabs value gives the photon energy at which the absorption coefficient becomes approximately 16.7 cm−1, which corresponds to an inverse of a doubled value of the crystal thickness (0.03 cm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, thermal lens spectroscopy was performed simultaneously with photoluminescence experiments for determining the absolute external quantum efficiency (EQE) of luminescent materials. The procedure involved measurements of nonradiative (heat) and radiative (photon) emission rates after excitation of the material with a tunable laser. The main advantage of this combined methodology was that the amount of light absorbed by the sample was not required for EQE determination, which minimized the experimental error. In order to validate the methodology, the well-known Ce3+:YAG crystal was used for EQE determination, with the value obtained being in agreement with previous experiments. This shows that the method is a promising tool for accurate measurements of the EQE for materials with a single excited emission state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser enhanced field evaporation of surface atoms in laser-assisted Atom Probe Tomography (APT) can simultaneously excite photoluminescence in semiconductor or insulating specimens. An atom probe equipped with appropriate focalization and collection optics has been coupled with an in situ micro-photoluminescence (μPL) bench that can be operated during APT analysis. The photonic atom probe instrument we have developed operates at frequencies up to 500 kHz and is controlled by 150 fs laser pulses tunable in energy in a large spectral range (spanning from deep UV to near IR). Micro-PL spectroscopy is performed using a 320 mm focal length spectrometer equipped with a CCD camera for time-integrated and with a streak camera for time-resolved acquisitions. An example of application of this instrument on a multi-quantum well oxide heterostructure sample illustrates the potential of this new generation of tomographic atom probes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO hexagonal bipods have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method using NaAOT as template. Co-doped ZnO bipods show obvious room temperature ferromagnetic behaviours. Phase composition, microstructure, and x-ray photoemission spectra analysis indicate that there is no Co cluster exsisting in the samples, and the ferromagnetism observed in Co-doped ZnO bipods should be intrinsic. Photoluminescence spectra indicate there exist a large amount of oxygen vacancies in the ZnO bipods. The ferromagnetism can be tuned by the content of Co ions, which should be closely realted to the magnetic coupling interaction between the Co2+ 3d spins and the electrons trapped at oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the conduction band electronic level structure of GaInAsN/(Al)GaAs-based quantum well (QW) infrared photodetectors using intersubband photocurrent (PC) spectroscopy and dark current analysis. Photoluminescence and intersubband absorption were carried out as complementary spectroscopic techniques. Based on the observed transition energy, we associated the photocurrent peaks with electron excitations from bound states in the quantum wells to quasi-bound states in the continuum. A good agreement with the experimental results was obtained using a 10-band k · p model that took into account the inhomogeneous distribution of nitrogen atoms along the quantum well's growth direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide (ZnO) epitaxial thin films grown on c-sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition were investigated using angle and polarization-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. Side-emission spectra differed significantly from surface-emission spectra in exhibiting dominant, narrow, polarization-resolved peaks. These spectral features were attributed to leaky substrate modes in the layers. Observations were first verified using transmission calculations with non-adjustable parameters, which took into account the dispersion, the anisotropy of the ZnO refractive index, and the dependence on film thickness. Results were consistent with Fabry-Perot-like interference being the origin of the distinctive ZnO luminescence observed at grazing incidence angles. A second analysis, based on the source terms method, was used in order to retrieve the bulk emission properties, including the wavelength-dependent quantum yield and the emission anisotropy. While ZnO thin films were considered here, this analysis method can be extended to any luminescent thin film of similar geometry, demonstrating the potential of leaky mode analysis for probing passive and active material properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiGaS2 (LGS) is a recently developed nonlinear optical crystal widely used for nonlinear conversion in the mid-infrared spectral region, but its applications are significantly influenced by the native defects present in the lattice. In this work, absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra are studied after annealing the as-grown LGS crystal in different chemical environments in order to reveal features related to anion vacancy (VS) and cation antisite defect (GaLi). In addition, irradiation with fast electrons produces VS centers and their complexes in LGS. The VS migration and mutual transformations in these defects take place at room temperature whereas their complete annealing occurs at 670 K. Meanwhile, the first-principles calculations are adopted to identify the relevant optical transitions. A good agreement with the experimental results was obtained. It is established that the dominant defects VS result in the optical absorption at 3.43 eV and violet PL emission, while GaLi is responsible for absorption at 2.95 eV. The intense PL peak at 1.92 eV is associated with the self-trapped excitons in LGS. The other weak PL bands are also related to the recombination of electrons or holes with the VS and GaLi defect states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lateral distributions of intrinsic point defects in n-type (0001) 4H-SiC have been investigated following room temperature irradiation with a focused beam of 10 keV protons. Laterally resolved deep level transient spectroscopy measurements reveal that the well-known and prominent Z1/2 and S1/2 centers display lateral diffusion lenghts on the order of 1 mm with negligible (if any) motion parallel to the direction of the c-axis. The migration occurs only in the presence of excess charge carriers generated during the proton irradiation, and no further motion takes place even under subsequent optical excitation of high intensity. Assuming one-dimensional geometry, an effective defect diffusivity in excess of 10-6 cm2/s is deduced by numerical modelling of the experimental data, corresponding to an energy barrier for migration of ∼0.2 eV. Possible mechanisms for the rapid migration, invoking charge carrier recombination as a necessary condition, are discussed, and especially, an association with the glide of partial dislocations along the (0001) basal plane is scrutinized in some detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a combination of pulse electron paramagnetic resonance and photoluminescence spectroscopy, we demonstrate the major role of phosphorous rather than aluminium in the rare-earth dissolution process, an essential advance in telecommunication and solid laser fields. Our results also provide new insight into the micro-structural origin of the photodarkening process occurring in Yb doped fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KCl:Sn2+ phosphors were synthesized from aqueous KCl/SnCl2 solutions. Solvents with a molar ratio of KCl : SnCl2 = 1 : M (M = 0 - 5) were dissolved in de-ionized water. The optical properties of the synthesized phosphors were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) analysis, PL excitation spectroscopy (PLE), and PL lifetime measurements. KCl:Sn2+ phosphor synthesized with M = 0.1 exhibited the strongest PL emission in the green (AT band) and red spectral regions (R band). The phosphors synthesized with M ≥ 1 were composites of various potassium chlorostannates and emitted light in the red spectral region (R band). Annealing the M = 0.1 phosphor in dry N2 resulted in a PL spectrum that was the same as those usually observed in melt-grown KCl:Sn2+ phosphors (i.e., exhibiting only the AT emission band). Annealing also led to a change in the PL decay characteristic from a double exponential curve to a single exponential curve. The AT and R emission bands had nearly the same PLE spectra and were related to the deexcitation of the Sn2+ (5s5p) ions in KCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoluminescence (PL) of Si nanocrystals (Si-nc) embedded in fused silica has been investigated under simultaneous excitations by laser and low energy proton beam. Ionodegradation of the sample, characterized by a rapid decrease and a spectral blueshift of the PL emission has been observed. These effects are associated with the creation of non-radiative centers in the Si-nc. Micro-Raman spectroscopy analysis shows that the proton beam has not changed the average size of Si-nc, but has disturbed a fraction of Si-Si bonds inside the Si-nc, which is consistent with both simulations and direct measurements. A post-annealing performed at 400 °C for 1 h can restore the structural properties of the Si-nc, but only a part of their nominal PL emission intensity is recovered. Characterization of the damage induced by low energy proton irradiation reported in this paper makes the use of light ion beams relevant for the experimental investigation of nanostructured systems, such as ionoluminescence measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the observation of photoluminescence (PL) transitions in ZnO epilayers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on C-sapphire substrates with linewidths as low as 0.2 meV at 4.2 K. A dominant donor bound exciton (D0X) peak at 3361.0 meV is observed in all undoped samples together with the corresponding ionized donor bound exciton (D+X) peak at 3372.9 meV. The addition of In dopant using trimethylindium results in the appearance of the I9 transition at 3357.8 meV, which has been previously attributed to In D0X transitions. By intentionally doping the epilayers with In we can calibrate the PL energy spectra, and thereby identify the dominant D0X transition in undoped material at 3361.0 meV as due to Ga donors. The In and Ga identifications are also confirmed by the observation of two electron satellites. High temperature annealing under O2 results in a strong reduction of the In and Ga transitions, and the appearance of a third line which we attribute to Al out-diffusing from the sapphire substrate. Temperature dependent PL measurements on In-doped samples above 4 K show additional lines due to well-resolved D0X (B) transitions separated by 4.6 meV for both Ga and In donors due to the crystal field splitting of the valence band. The line intensities are modeled by simple Boltzmann statistics. On the basis of comparison with accepted values of the I9 transition energy in homoepitaxial ZnO samples, we deduce a strain-induced blueshift of ∼ 1.2 meV which is consistent with residual compressive strain induced in the ZnO films due to the smaller in-plane effective lattice constant of sapphire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of hydrothermal bulk ZnO were measured in the temperature range from 5 to 298 K. The sample was excited by means of the 266-nm line of an Nd3+: YAG Q-switched pulsed laser with numerous average excitation powers in the range from 0.33 to 7.50 mW. At constant temperatures, the most intense PL peak red-shifts with average excitation power, whereas positions of other near-band-edge peaks remain unchanged. It was experimentally proven that the red-shift is not due to local heating at the excited spot. Rather, it is due to relaxation of photoexcited carriers to lower energy transitions as the most intense transition is saturated by high excitation photon density. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of energy of the most intense PL peak was fitted with the Varshni equation. The Varshni coefficients α and β decrease with increasing pulsed laser excitation power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured the density dependence of both the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum and the PL lifetime of CdSe/ZnS core-shell colloidal quantum dots (QDs) from 0.01 to 10.0 nmol/ml at room temperature. We found that the PL lifetime increased drastically while the PL spectrum changed slightly with an increase in the density of the QDs. The density dependence of the PL lifetime is explained using the imprisonment of resonance radiation model, which has been discussed in atomic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectroscopic study of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) capped with an InxGa1-xAs quantum well (QW) is carried out under variable excitation intensity and temperature. The QW reduces strain in the QDs, and it is demonstrated that the cap layer shifts the transition energy of the QD lower, while maintaining the strong quantization of the QD electronic states which develops in photoluminescence as a series of excited state transitions at higher excitation intensity. An additional spectral band is also revealed below the energy of the InGaAs QW exciton, which is unambiguously assigned to the emission of a strain-induced QD layer created by the InAs stressors within the InGaAs QW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]