We successfully fabricated defect-free, distributed and sub-20-nm GaAs quantum dots (named GaAs nanodisks (NDs)) by using a novel top-down technique that combines a new bio-template (PEGylated ferritin) and defect-free neutral beam etching (NBE). Greater flexibility was achieved when engineering the quantum levels of ND structures resulted in greater flexibility than that for a conventional quantum dot structure because structures enabled independent control of thickness and diameter parameters. The ND height was controlled by adjusting the deposition thickness, while the ND diameter was controlled by adjusting the hydrogen-radical treatment conditions prior to NBE. Photoluminescence emission due to carrier recombination between the ground states of GaAs NDs was observed, which showed that the emission energy shift depended on the ND diameters. Quantum level engineering due to both diameter and thickness was verified from the good agreement between the PL emission energy and the calculated quantum confinement energy.

Quantum size effects in GaAs nanodisks fabricated using a combination of the bio-template technique and neutral beam etching.

In this work, we report on the photoelectrochemical (PEC) investigation of n-GaN nanopillar (NP) photoanodes fabricated using metal organic chemical vapour deposition and the top-down approach. Substantial improvement in photocurrents is observed for GaN NP photoanodes compared to their planar counterparts. The role of carrier concentration and NP dimensions on the PEC performance of NP photoanodes is further elucidated. Photocurrent density is almost doubled for doped NP photoanodes whereas no improvement is noticed for undoped NP photoanodes. While the diameter of GaN NP is found to influence the onset potential, carrier concentration is found to affect both the onset and overpotential of the electrodes. Optical and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy characterisations are utilised to further explain the PEC results of NP photoanodes. Finally, improvement in the photostability of NP photoanodes with the addition of NiO as a co-catalyst is investigated.

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Improved photoelectrochemical performance of GaN nanopillar photoanodes

We report the fabrication of GaN nanopillar arrays with good structural uniformity using the top-down approach. The photoluminescence intensity from the nanopillar arrays is enhanced compared to the epilayer. We use finite difference time domain simulations to show that the enhancement in photoluminescence intensity from the nanopillar arrays is a result of anti-reflection properties of the arrays that result in enhanced light absorption and increase light extraction efficiency compared to the epilayer. The measured quantum efficiency of the nanopillars is comparable to that of an epitaxially grown GaN epilayer.

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Enhanced luminescence from GaN nanopillar arrays fabricated using a top-down process.

Large-area gallium nitride (GaN) micro- and nanopillar (NP) arrays were fabricated by plasma etching of lithographically patterned GaN thin-film grown on Si substrate. Deep-ultraviolet lithography, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching, and subsequent chemical treatments were effectively utilized to fabricate GaN pillars with diameters ranging from 250 nm to 10 μm. The impact of various plasma etching process parameters and chemical etchants on the morphology, strain, and surface defects of these NPs were studied using scanning-electron microscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that the shape of the NPs can be controlled by the substrate temperature during the plasma etch and by using different gas chemistries. Room-temperature PL and Raman spectroscopy measurements revealed significant strain relaxation in 250 nm diameter pillars as compared to 10 μm diameter pillars. PL measurement also indicated that the surface damage from the plasma etch can be removed by etching in KOH-ethylene glycol solution. Post-ICP selective wet chemical etch enabled us to fabricate functional structures such as micro- and nanodisks of GaN, which potentially could be utilized in nitride-based resonators and lasers.

Top-down fabrication of large-area GaN micro- and nanopillars

We have demonstrated the fabrication of homogeneously distributed In0.3Ga0.7N/GaN quantum nanodisks (QNDs) with a high density and average diameter of 10 nm or less in 30-nm-high nanopillars. The scalable top-down nanofabrication process used biotemplates that were spin-coated on an In0.3Ga0.7N/GaN single quantum well (SQW) followed by low-damage dry etching on ferritins with 7 nm diameter iron cores. The photoluminescence measurements at 70 K showed a blue shift of quantum energy of 420 meV from the In0.3Ga0.7N/GaN SQW to the QND. The internal quantum efficiency of the In0.3Ga0.7N/GaN QND was 100 times that of the SQW. A significant reduction in the quantum-confined Stark effect in the QND structure was observed, which concurred with the numerical simulation using a 3D Schrodinger equation. These results pave the way for the fabrication of large-scale III–N quantum devices using nanoprocessing, which is vital for optoelectronic communication devices.

Optical Study of Sub-10 nm In0.3Ga0.7N Quantum Nanodisks in GaN Nanopillars

Nanopillars with diameters down to 20 nm were fabricated from InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) by using a nanosphere–SiO2 double mask and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching. Clear photoluminescence (PL) signals of the nanopillars were observed at room temperature, and the PL peak energy at 20 K showed a large blueshift of 220 meV compared with that of the original MQWs. The exciton activation energy in the temperature range of 100 ∼300 K increased from 33 meV for MQWs to 83 meV for nanopillars. According to the measurements and numerical simulation results, the strain relaxation effect is believed to play a dominant role rather than the quantum confinement effect in determining the emission wavelength of nanopillars. This work also demonstrates a promising method for obtaining IIInitride quantum dots.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-4484/26/7/075302/pdf

Nano-fabrication and related optical properties of InGaN/GaN nanopillars

InGaN/GaN nanopillars are fabricated by nanosphere lithography method. The TDPL measurement and simulation results reveal that both strain relaxation and quantum confinement induce the blue shift of the PL peak wavelength of the nanopillars.

Wang Lai

Papers

Nano-fabrication and related optical properties of InGaN/GaN nanopillars

Optical Properties of Nano-Fabricated InGaN/GaN Pillars