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Background noise poses a significant challenge to people who have a cochlear implant for restoring their hearing ability. A cochlear implant can process sound into 12 to 24 channels and it provides limited temporal and spectral information to the auditory nerve through electrical current stimulation. In this paper, a specific noise reduction algorithm was developed to accommodate the need of adaptively applying a small number of gains to the stimulation signals in cochlear implants. A sound signal was first divided into 22 channels using the WOLA (Weighted Overlap Add) spectral analysis. The spectral templates of background noise were estimated by automatically tracking energy gaps between speech segments. The gap detection algorithm utilized a mechanism like the charging and discharging of a capacitor in an envelope detector, which offers the ability for the extracted energy signal to stay at noise floors. The noise templates were updated adaptively when a segment of signal was determined to be noise. Simulations of the proposed noise reduction algorithm were performed using offline processing and it has also been implemented on the Ezairo 7150 (ON Semiconductor Corporation) DSP platform with a WOLA co-processor. Initial evaluation results showed that the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio can be improved by up to 10 dB after noise removal.

HgCdTe has been the material of choice for MWIR, and LWIR infrared sensing due to its highly tunable band gap and favorable material properties. However, HgCdTe growth and processing for the ESWIR spectral region is less developed, so alternative materials are actively researched. It is important to compare the fundamental limitations of each material to determine which offers optimal device performance. In this article, we investigate the intrinsic recombination mechanisms of ESWIR materials—InGaAs, GeSn, and HgCdTe—with cutoff wavelength near 2.5μm, and MWIR with cutoff of 5μm. First, using an empirical pseudo-potential model, we calculate the full band structure of each alloy using the virtual crystal approximation, modified to include disorder effects and spin-orbit coupling. We then evaluate the Auger and radiative recombination rates using a Green’s function based model, applied to the full material band structure, yielding intrinsic carrier lifetimes for each given temperature, carrier injection, doping density, and cutoff wavelength. For example, we show that ESWIR HgCdTe has longer carrier lifetimes than InGaAs when strained or relaxed near room temperature, which is advantageous for high operating temperature photodetectors. We perform similar analyses for varying composition GeSn by comparing the calculated lifetimes with InGaAs and HgCdTe. Finally, we compare HgCdTe, InAsSb and GeSn with a cutoff in the MWIR spectral band.

A numerical model based on the Green’s function formalism has been developed and used to investigate the radiative recombination processes in multiple narrow-gap semiconductor materials. Full band structures and adaptive band-dependent tetrahedral meshes were adopted to improve the accuracy of the calculation. As a validation, the spectrum of the absorption coefficient for germanium was examined, giving good agreement with the experimental data. The absorption coefficient and radiative recombination lifetime for HgCdTe were then investigated for different compositions, carrier concentrations, and operating temperatures. The results confirmed the accuracy of the widely used theoretical formula for the radiative recombination lifetime under the condition that the effective mass of holes in the formula must be carefully chosen. Based on all our comparisons and calculations, the Green’s function model is proved to be a reliable tool for predicting the radiative recombination properties of HgCdTe, which could further facilitate the investigation of more complicated processes such as photon-recycling issues.

The Gesub1-x/subSnsubx/suballoy is a promising material for optoelectronic applications. It offers a tunable wavelength in the infrared (IR) spectrum and high compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. However, difficulties in growing device quality Gesub1-x/subSnsubx/subfilms has left the potentiality of this material unexplored. Recent advances in technological processes have renewed the interest toward this material paving the way to potential applications. In this work, we perform a numerical investigation on absorption coefficient, radiative recombination rate, and Auger recombination properties of intrinsic and doped Gesub1-x/subSnsubx/subfor application in the extended-short wavelength infrared and medium wavelength infrared spectrum ranges. We apply a Green's function based model to the Gesub1-x/subSnsubx/subfull electronic band structure determined through an empirical pseudopotential method and determine the dominant recombination mechanism between radiative and Auger processes over a wide range of injection levels.

Indium gallium arsenide (In 1−x Ga x As) is an ideal material choice for short wave infrared (SWIR) imaging due to its low dark current and excellent collection efficiency. By increasing the indium composition from 53% to 83%, it is possible to decrease the energy gap from 0.74 eV to 0.47 eV and consequently increase the cutoff wavelength from 1.7 μm to 2.63 μm for extended short wavelength (ESWIR) sensing. In this work, we apply our well-established numerical modeling methodology to the ESWIR InGaAs system to determine the intrinsic performance of pixel detectors. Furthermore, we investigate the effects of different buffer/cap materials. To accomplish this, we have developed composition-dependent models for In 1−x Ga x As, In 1−x Al x As, and InAs 1−y P y . Using a Green’s function formalism, we calculate the intrinsic recombination coefficients (Auger, radiative) to model the diffusion-limited behavior of the absorbing layer under ideal conditions. Our simulations indicate that, for a given total thickness of the buffer and absorbing layer, structures utilizing a linearly graded small-gap InGaAs buffer will produce two orders of magnitude more dark current than those with a wide gap, such as InAlAs or InAsP. Furthermore, when compared with experimental results for ESWIR photodiodes and arrays, we estimate that there is still a 1.5x magnitude of reduction in dark current before reaching diffusion-limited behavior.

H-shaped resonant optical antennas are proposed by adding resonant strips at the ends of arms of short dipole antennas. Numerical simulations using finite-difference time-domain method show that the H-shaped antennas present greater electric field enhancement compared with optical dipole antennas at the same resonant wavelength. The slot coupling between the two arms also results in a smaller full width at half maximum of the scattering spectra. Two field-enhancing mechanisms are found to decide the resonant properties of the H-shaped antennas. The influence of the geometry is studied.

The potential applications of germanium and its alloys in infrared silicon-based photonics have led to a renewed interest in their optical properties. In this letter, we report on the numerical determination of Auger coefficients at T = 300 K for relaxed and biaxially strained germanium. We use a Green's function based model that takes into account all relevant direct and phonon-assisted processes and perform calculations up to a strain level corresponding to the transition from indirect to direct energy gap. We have considered excess carrier concentrations ranging from 1016 cm−3 to 5 × 1019 cm−3. For use in device level simulations, we also provide fitting formulas for the calculated electron and hole Auger coefficients as functions of carrier density.

Understanding the radiative and non-radiative properties of semiconductor materials is a prerequisite for optimizing the performance of existing light emitters and detectors and for developing new device architectures based on novel materials. Due to the ever increasing complexity of novel semiconductor systems and their relative technological immaturity, it is essential to have design tools and simulation strategies that include the details of the microscopic physics and their dependence on the macroscopic (continuum) variables in the macroscopic device models. Towards this end, we have developed a robust full-band structure based approach that can be used to study the intrinsic material radiative and non-radiative properties and evaluate the same characteristics of low-dimensional device structures. A parallel effort is being carried out to model the effect of substrate driven stress/strain and material quality (dislocations and defects) on microscopic quantities such as non-radiative recombination rate. Using this modeling approach, we have extensively studied the radiative and non-radiative properties of both elemental (Si and Ge) and compound semiconductors (HgCdTe, InGaAs, InAsSb and InGaN). In this work we outline the details of the modelling approach, specifically the challenges and advantages related to the use of the full-band description of the material electronic structure. We will present a detailed comparison of the radiative and Auger recombination rates as a function of temperature and doping for HgCdTe and InAsSb that are two important materials for infrared detectors and emitters. Furthermore we will discuss the role of non-radiatiave Auger recombination processes in explaining the performance of light emitter diodes. Finally we will present the extension of the model to low dimensional structures employed in a number of light emitter and detector structures.

Emission spectra of avalanching n(+)p junctions manufactured in a standard CMOS technology with no process modifications were measured over a broad photon energy spectrum ranging from 0.8 eV to 2.8 eV at various temperatures. The temperature coefficients of the emission rates at different photon energies were determined. Below a photon energy of 1.35 eV the temperature coefficient of emission was positive, and above 1.35 eV the temperature coefficient was negative. Two narrowband emissions were also identified from the temperature characterization, namely an enhanced positive temperature coefficient at 1.15 eV photon energy, and an enhanced negative temperature coefficient at 2.0 eV. Device simulations and Monte Carlo simulations were used to interpret the results.

A generalized numerical model for the phonon-assisted optical interband transition based on the Green's function formalism was developed and implemented to investigate optical processes in germanium and silicon media intended for on-chip light emitter and laser applications. High-fidelity full band structures obtained from the empirical pseudopotential method, self-energies, and the corresponding spectral density functions for the phonon-perturbed electron and holes have been computed numerically as a function of strain, temperature, and doping level. Validation has been carried out by showing the model's ability to accurately reproduce the measured temperature dependent absorption coefficient data for both germanium and silicon. Absorption coefficients, radiative recombination rates of germanium and silicon active media were investigated with different biaxial tensile strain, doping concentrations and injection conditions. Furthermore, when the model is employed to compute the optical gain in strained germanium, we find that the use of tensile strain and high injection are the preferable approaches to obtain population inversion. At the same time, strong absorption from the spin-orbit to the heavy-hole band limits the maximum injection density that can be applied. Finally, when applied to study silicon, the proposed model also successfully reproduces the experimentally observed radiative recombination peak due to the two-phonon process.

Intrinsic carrier lifetime due to radiative and Auger recombination in HgCdTe and strained InGaAs has been computed in the extended short-wavelength infrared (ESWIR) spectrum from 1.7 μm to 2.7 μm. Using the Green's function theory, both direct and phonon-assisted indirect Auger recombination rates as well as the radiative recombination rates are calculated for different cutoff wavelengths at 300 K with full band structures of the materials. In order to properly model the full band structures of strained InGaAs, an empirical pseudo-potential model for the alloy is fitted using the virtual crystal approximation with spin-orbit coupling included. The results showed that for InxGa1−xAs grown on InP substrate, the compressive strain, which presents in the film when the cutoff wavelength is longer than 1.7 μm, leads to decrease of Auger recombination rate and increase of radiative recombination rate. Since the dominant intrinsic recombination mechanism in this spectral range is radiative recombination, the ove...

Parameter model methods of power spectrum estimation in electronic signal processing field have been introduced including Levinson-Durbin Method, Burg Method and the latter proposed Covariance Method. The measure of the random processing signal spectrum has been investigated based on the mathematic software MATLAB. The performance of spectrum estimation such as the analyzing of signal frequency, resolution, and side lobe characters has been realized in the research. Different parameter values of method has been compared, conclusions can be made that larger the sampling number is, higher estimation performance will be, and Covariance Method is equipped with a satisfying performance to its counterparts although the appearance of frequency fluctuation in side band.

The intrinsic carrier recombination lifetime in relaxed and strained InAs1−xSbx alloys is investigated using the full-band Green's function theory. By computing the phonon-perturbed electron self-energy of the system, both direct and phonon-assisted indirect Auger and radiative processes are studied as functions of antimony molar fractions, lattice temperatures and applied in-plane biaxial strains. To improve the overall accuracy of the calculation, an empirical pseudopotential band structure for the alloy is also fitted to the measured band extrema and effective masses under different biaxial strains. A set of effective screened potentials valid for all the needed antimony fractions x and biaxial strains ϵ, therefore, is obtained and applied to the calculation. The results showed reduced total Auger recombination rates and enhanced radiative recombination rates in InAsSb alloys at room temperature when a compressive strain is applied. Furthermore, the study on the widely employed mid-wavelength infrared detector material,InAs0.91Sb0.09, strained by an InAs substrate, demonstrated that much longer minority carrier lifetime can be achieved compared to that in the lattice-matched situation when the lattice temperature is above 200 K.

Direct and phonon-assisted (PA) indirect Auger and radiative recombination lifetime in HgCdTe, InAsSb, and InGaAs is calculated and compared under different lattice temperatures and doping concentrations. Using the Green's function theory, the electron self energy computed from the electron-phonon interaction is incorporated into the quantum-mechanical expressions of Auger and radiative recombination, which renders the corresponding minority carrier lifetime in the materials due to both direct and PA indirect processes. Specifically, the results of two pairs of materials, namely, InAs0.91Sb0.09, Hg0.67Cd0.33Te and In0.53Ga0.47As, Hg0.38Cd0.62Te with cutoff wavelengths of 4 μm and 1.7 μm at 200 K and 300 K, respectively, are presented. It is shown that for InAs0.91Sb0.09 and Hg0.67Cd0.33Te, when the lattice temperature falls below 250 K the radiative process becomes the limiting factor of carrier lifetime in both materials at an n-type doping of 1015 cm−3, while at a constant temperature of 200 K, a high n...

We investigated the field enhancement properties of optical resonant Archimedean spiral antennas by using a finite difference time domain method. Due to the spiral structure, the antennas show a circular dichroism in the electric field enhancement, especially for a large turning angle. A large magnetic field enhancement is also obtained with a confinement in the nanometer size. When the turning angle equals π for a linearly polarized incident beam, the polarization of the enhanced field in the spiral antenna can be perpendicular to the incident polarization with a similar enhancement factor to the optical resonant dipole antennas.