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The temperature dependence of carrier dynamics in GaNxPyAs1-y-x alloys has been investigated by time resolved photoluminescence. This investigation has shown that the decay time constant does not change significantly up to 100 K, and then starts to decrease rapidly above this temperature. Additionally, the decay times at the high-energy side of the spectrum decrease faster than those at the low-energy side. The effects have been explained by the interplay between carrier capture by radiative and nonradiative recombination centers. Detailed simulations show that the effect of carrier localization in the investigated materials is better described by double-scale potential fluctuations that are related to (i) distribution of localized states energy and (ii) bandgap fluctuations. In addition, it was observed that the increase in nitrogen concentration leads to a shorter decay time at room temperature, which is attributed to a larger concentration of non-radiative recombination centers. Furthermore, a post-growth annealing step leads to a longer decay time at room temperature, which is attributed to a reduction in non-radiative recombination centers. At low temperatures, the role of non-radiative centers is suppressed, and therefore the decay time does not differ significantly for samples with either different nitrogen concentrations or in both the as-grown and annealed samples. [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]

Structural properties of ZnO/Ni core/shell nanowires (NWs) are studied in detail by means of Raman spectroscopy. It is shown that formation of the Ni shell leads to passivation of surface states responsible for the observed enhanced intensity of the A1(LO) Raman mode of the bare ZnO NWs. It also causes appearance of 490 cm-1 and 710 cm-1 modes that are attributed to local vibrational modes of a defect/impurity (or defects/impurities). This defect is concluded to be preferably formed in annealed ZnO/Ni NWs and is unlikely to contain a Ni atom, as the same Raman modes were also reported for the Ni-free ZnO nanostructures. From our resonant Raman studies, we also show that the ZnO/Ni core/shell NWs exhibit an enhanced Raman signal with a multiline structure involving A1(LO). This observation is attributed to combined effects of an enhanced Fröhlich interaction at the ZnO/Ni heterointerface and coupling of the scattered light with local surface plasmons excited in the Ni shell. The plasmonic effect is also suggested to allow detection of carbon-related species absorbed at the surface of a single ZnO/Ni NW, promising for applications of such structures as efficient nano-sized gas sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoluminescence and optically detected magnetic resonance techniques are utilized to study defect properties of GaNP and GaNAs alloys subjected to post-growth hydrogenation by low-energy sub-threshold ion beam irradiation. It is found that in GaNP H incorporation leads to activation of new defects, which has a Ga interstitial (Gai) atom at its core and may also involve a H atom as a partner. The observed activation critically depends on the presence of N in the alloy, as it does not occur in GaP with a low level of N doping. In sharp contrast, in GaNAs hydrogen is found to efficiently passivate Gai-related defects present in the as-grown material. A possible mechanism responsible for the observed difference in the H behavior in GaNP and GaNAs is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoluminescence (PL) and optically detected magnetic resonance are employed to study effects of nonstoichiometry during the growth on defect formation in ZnO epilayers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). Several defects are revealed via monitoring the yellow PL emission (∼2.17 eV) and their magnetic resonance signatures are obtained. The defects are concluded to be common for the MBE growth and are facilitated during the off-stoichiometric growth conditions, especially under excess of oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated electrical properties and deep levels of n-GaP1-xNx (x=0%-0.62%) grown on (100) n-GaP substrates by gas source molecular beam epitaxy. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed no significant effects on the chemical bonding status of the host Ga-P matrix by the incorporation of small amounts of N atoms. In the Raman spectra, the zone-edge GaP-like vibration was observed at 387 cm-1, originating from alloy disorder or local distortion of the GaP1-xNx lattice. The electrical properties of the GaP1-xNx surfaces were characterized using a Schottky contact structure. An ideality factor of 1.10–1.15 and a Schottky barrier height of 1.1 eV were obtained from the current-voltage characteristics of Ni/GaP1-xNx diodes, indicating good interface quality. The thermal admittance spectroscopy clearly detected the Si donor level with an activation energy of 84±4 meV in GaP and GaP1-xNx. For the GaP1-xNx samples, we observed deep levels probably associated with N-induced defects such as N-N pairs, N clusters, and an N-containing complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Properties of photoluminescence (PL) upconversion (PLU) in GaInNP/GaAs heterostructures are studied in detail by employing a number of optical spectroscopies. Based on excitation power dependent and temperature dependent PL measurements, the upconverted PL from GaInNP under optical excitation below its band gap is attributed to radiative transitions involving spatially separated localized electron-hole pairs, which is of a similar origin as the near-band-gap emission detected under optical excitation above the GaInNP band gap. The PLU process is shown to be largely promoted by increasing N content in the GaInNP alloys, due to a N-induced change in the band alignment at the GaInNP/GaAs heterointerface from the type I in the N-free structure to the type II in the samples with N compositions exceeding 0.5%. A possible mechanism for the energy upconversion is discussed in terms of two-step two-photon absorption. The photon recycling effect is shown to be important for the structures with N=1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]