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InAsNSb Dilute Nitride Materials for Mid-infrared Devices & Applications

用于中红外器件的 InAsNSb 稀氮化物材料

基本信息

批准号：
EP/J015849/1
负责人：
Anthony Krier
金额：
$ 47.19万
依托单位：
Lancaster University
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2012
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2012 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FJ015849%2F1
关键词：
InAsNSb Dilute Nitride Materials Mid

项目摘要

We aim to achieve a breakthrough in the performance of "dilute nitride" semiconductor materials to enable the development of novel light sources and photodetectors which can operate in the mid-infrared spectral range. The 3-5 um wavelength range is technologically important because it is used for applications including; remote gas sensing, range-finding and night vision, bio-medical imaging for diagnosis in healthcare and sensitive detection in optical spectroscopy. However, the development of instrumentation is limited by the availability of efficient, affordable light sources and photodetectors, which is directly determined by the semiconductor materials which are currently available. By introducing small amounts (~ 1%) of N into InAs(Sb) we have shown that it is possible to access the mid-infrared using a new (dilute nitride) semiconductor and we are now seeking to engineer its band structure in order to significantly enhance the material's optical properties and increase quantum efficiency for light detection and emission. To enable the development of new photodetectors we will exploit the sensitivity of the conduction band to the resonant interaction of the N-level with the extended states of the host InAsSb crystal lattice to tailor the photoresponse and create a near ideal situation for electron acceleration and avalanche multiplication, resulting in a much larger detectable signal. To minimise the unwanted processes causing excessive noise and dark current, which compete with the avalanche multiplication and light detection in the detector, we shall arrange for the avalanche multiplication to be initiated by only one carrier type (electrons in our case). Many applications rely on the detection of very weak signals consisting of only a few photons. Conventional photodiodes have a limited sensitivity, especially if high speed detection is needed. In applications which are "photon starved", avalanche photodiodes (APDs) can provide an effective solution. However, at present effective avalanche multiplication in the mid-infrared spectral range can only be obtained by using exotic CdHgTe (CMT) semiconductor alloys. The resulting detectors require cooling, thus making CMT-based APDs prohibitively expensive for all except military applications. Simpler fabrication, low noise, low operating voltage, inexpensive manufacturing and room temperature operation, together with monopolar electron ionisation are all significant advantages of APDs based on the dilute nitride materials compared to existing technologies. Similarly, we shall enable the development of more efficient mid-infrared light sources. By adjusting the N content within InAsN(Sb) quantum wells and carefully tailoring the residual strain and carrier confinement, we shall be able to defeat competing non-radiative recombination processes whilst simultaneously enhancing the light generation efficiency. These novel quantum wells would then form the basis of the active region from where the light is generated, either within an LED or a diode laser. Currently mid-infrared LED efficiency is low at room temperature, and with the improvements which we shall deliver; we envisage that devices with significantly higher dc output power will be developed following our lead. Mid-infrared diode lasers incorporating our strained dilute nitride quantum wells are also expected to exhibit a reduced threshold current and could offer an affordable alternative to existing technology, especially in the 3-4 um spectral range. We will produce prototype photodetectors and LEDs and use these to demonstrate the above-mentioned avalanche behaviour and quantum efficiency improvements respectively. We shall validate our dilute nitride materials and structures in close collaboration with our collaborators at NPL, SELEX, CST and INSTRO to evaluate performance for use in practical applications and help ensure uptake of our technology.

我们的目标是在“稀氮化物”半导体材料的性能方面取得突破，以开发可在中红外光谱范围内工作的新型光源和光电探测器。3-5 μ m波长范围在技术上很重要，因为它用于包括远程气体传感、测距和夜视、用于医疗保健诊断的生物医学成像和光谱学中的灵敏检测在内的应用。然而，仪器的发展受到有效的、负担得起的光源和光电探测器的可用性的限制，这直接由当前可用的半导体材料决定。通过在InAs（Sb）中引入少量（~ 1%）的N，我们已经表明，使用新的（稀氮化物）半导体可以访问中红外，我们现在正在寻求设计其能带结构，以显着增强材料的光学特性并提高光检测和发射的量子效率。为了开发新的光电探测器，我们将利用导带的灵敏度与主机InAsSb晶格的扩展状态的N-能级的共振相互作用，以定制的光响应，并创建一个接近理想的情况下，电子加速和雪崩倍增，从而在一个更大的可检测信号。为了最小化引起过多噪声和暗电流的不需要的过程，这些过程与雪崩倍增和检测器中的光检测竞争，我们将安排雪崩倍增仅由一种载流子类型（在我们的情况下是电子）启动。许多应用依赖于仅由几个光子组成的非常弱的信号的检测。传统的光电二极管具有有限的灵敏度，特别是如果需要高速检测。在“光子匮乏”的应用中，雪崩光电二极管（APD）可以提供有效的解决方案。然而，目前有效的雪崩倍增在中红外光谱范围内只能通过使用外来的CdHgTe（CMT）半导体合金。由此产生的探测器需要冷却，因此使得基于CMT的APD对于除军事应用之外的所有应用都过于昂贵。与现有技术相比，基于稀氮化物材料的APD的制造更简单、低噪声、低工作电压、廉价的制造和室温操作以及单极电子电离都是其显著的优点。同样，我们将开发更高效的中红外光源。通过调整InAsN（Sb）量子威尔斯内的N含量并仔细地定制残余应变和载流子限制，我们将能够击败竞争性非辐射复合过程，同时提高光产生效率。然后，这些新颖的量子威尔斯将形成在LED或二极管激光器内产生光的有源区的基础。目前，中红外LED在室温下的效率较低，随着我们的改进，我们预计将在我们的领导下开发出具有更高直流输出功率的设备。中红外二极管激光器结合我们的应变稀释氮化物量子威尔斯也有望表现出降低的阈值电流，并可以提供一个负担得起的替代现有技术，特别是在3-4微米的光谱范围。我们将生产原型光电探测器和LED，并使用这些来证明上述雪崩行为和量子效率的改善分别。我们将与NPL、SELEX、CST和INSTRO的合作者密切合作，验证我们的稀氮化物材料和结构，以评估在实际应用中使用的性能，并帮助确保我们的技术的采用。

项目成果

期刊论文数量（10）

专著数量（0）

科研奖励数量（0）

会议论文数量（0）

专利数量（0）

Peculiarities of the hydrogenated In(AsN) alloy

氢化In(AsN)合金的特性

DOI：
10.1088/0268-1242/30/10/105030
发表时间：
2015
期刊：
Semiconductor Science and Technology
影响因子：
1.9
作者：
Birindelli S
通讯作者：
Birindelli S

Room temperature upconversion electroluminescence from a mid-infrared In(AsN) tunneling diode

DOI：
10.1063/5.0002407
发表时间：
2020-04-06
期刊：
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
影响因子：
4
作者：
Di Paola, D. M.;Lu, Q.;Patane, A.
通讯作者：
Patane, A.

Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode.

DOI：
10.1038/srep32039
发表时间：
2016-08-18
期刊：
Scientific reports
影响因子：
4.6
作者：
Di Paola DM;Kesaria M;Makarovsky O;Velichko A;Eaves L;Mori N;Krier A;Patanè A
通讯作者：
Patanè A

Electroluminescence and photoluminescence of type-II InAs/InAsSb strained-layer superlattices in the mid-infrared