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Journal ArticleDOI

Large‐band‐gap SiC, III‐V nitride, and II‐VI ZnSe‐based semiconductor device technologies

01 Aug 1994-Journal of Applied Physics (American Institute of Physics)-Vol. 76, Iss: 3, pp 1363-1398
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compare the performance of SiC, GaN, and ZnSe for high-temperature electronics and short-wavelength optical applications and conclude that SiC is the leading contender for high temperature and high power applications if ohmic contacts and interface state densities can be further improved.
Abstract: In the past several years, research in each of the wide‐band‐gap semiconductors, SiC, GaN, and ZnSe, has led to major advances which now make them viable for device applications. The merits of each contender for high‐temperature electronics and short‐wavelength optical applications are compared. The outstanding thermal and chemical stability of SiC and GaN should enable them to operate at high temperatures and in hostile environments, and also make them attractive for high‐power operation. The present advanced stage of development of SiC substrates and metal‐oxide‐semiconductor technology makes SiC the leading contender for high‐temperature and high‐power applications if ohmic contacts and interface‐state densities can be further improved. GaN, despite fundamentally superior electronic properties and better ohmic contact resistances, must overcome the lack of an ideal substrate material and a relatively advanced SiC infrastructure in order to compete in electronics applications. Prototype transistors have been fabricated from both SiC and GaN, and the microwave characteristics and high‐temperature performance of SiC transistors have been studied. For optical emitters and detectors, ZnSe, SiC, and GaN all have demonstrated operation in the green, blue, or ultraviolet (UV) spectra. Blue SiC light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) have been on the market for several years, joined recently by UV and blue GaN‐based LEDs. These products should find wide use in full color display and other technologies. Promising prototype UV photodetectors have been fabricated from both SiC and GaN. In laser development, ZnSe leads the way with more sophisticated designs having further improved performance being rapidly demonstrated. If the low damage threshold of ZnSe continues to limit practical laser applications, GaN appears poised to become the semiconductor of choice for short‐wavelength lasers in optical memory and other applications. For further development of these materials to be realized, doping densities (especially p type) and ohmic contact technologies have to be improved. Economies of scale need to be realized through the development of larger SiC substrates. Improved substrate materials, ideally GaN itself, need to be aggressively pursued to further develop the GaN‐based material system and enable the fabrication of lasers. ZnSe material quality is already outstanding and now researchers must focus their attention on addressing the short lifetimes of ZnSe‐based lasers to determine whether the material is sufficiently durable for practical laser applications. The problems related to these three wide‐band‐gap semiconductor systems have moved away from materials science toward the device arena, where their technological development can rapidly be brought to maturity.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work reviews the historical development of Transition metal dichalcogenides, methods for preparing atomically thin layers, their electronic and optical properties, and prospects for future advances in electronics and optoelectronics.
Abstract: Single-layer metal dichalcogenides are two-dimensional semiconductors that present strong potential for electronic and sensing applications complementary to that of graphene.

13,348 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The semiconductor ZnO has gained substantial interest in the research community in part because of its large exciton binding energy (60meV) which could lead to lasing action based on exciton recombination even above room temperature.
Abstract: The semiconductor ZnO has gained substantial interest in the research community in part because of its large exciton binding energy (60meV) which could lead to lasing action based on exciton recombination even above room temperature. Even though research focusing on ZnO goes back many decades, the renewed interest is fueled by availability of high-quality substrates and reports of p-type conduction and ferromagnetic behavior when doped with transitions metals, both of which remain controversial. It is this renewed interest in ZnO which forms the basis of this review. As mentioned already, ZnO is not new to the semiconductor field, with studies of its lattice parameter dating back to 1935 by Bunn [Proc. Phys. Soc. London 47, 836 (1935)], studies of its vibrational properties with Raman scattering in 1966 by Damen et al. [Phys. Rev. 142, 570 (1966)], detailed optical studies in 1954 by Mollwo [Z. Angew. Phys. 6, 257 (1954)], and its growth by chemical-vapor transport in 1970 by Galli and Coker [Appl. Phys. ...

10,260 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reported the observation of optically pumped lasing in ZnO at room temperature using a plasma-enhanced molecular beam epitaxy on sapphire substrates.
Abstract: We report the observation of optically pumped lasing in ZnO at room temperature. Thin films of ZnO were grown by plasma-enhanced molecular beam epitaxy on (0001) sapphire substrates. Laser cavities formed by cleaving were found to lase at a threshold excitation intensity of 240 kW cm−2. We believe these results demonstrate the high quality of ZnO epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy while clearly demonstrating the viability of ZnO based light emitting devices.

2,126 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the InGaN multi-quantum-well (MQW) structure was used for laser diodes, which produced 215mW at a forward current of 2.3
Abstract: InGaN multi-quantum-well (MQW) structure laser diodes (LDs) fabricated from III-V nitride materials were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on sapphire substrates. The mirror facet for a laser cavity was formed by etching of III-V nitride films without cleaving. As an active layer, the InGaN MQW structure was used. The InGaN MQW LDs produced 215 mW at a forward current of 2.3 A, with a sharp peak of light output at 417 nm that had a full width at half-maximum of 1.6 nm under the pulsed current injection at room temperature. The laser threshold current density was 4 kA/cm2. The emission wavelength is the shortest one ever generated by a semiconductor laser diode.

2,100 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The theoretical modeling of point defects in crystalline materials by means of electronic-structure calculations, with an emphasis on approaches based on density functional theory (DFT), is reviewed in this paper.
Abstract: Point defects and impurities strongly affect the physical properties of materials and have a decisive impact on their performance in applications. First-principles calculations have emerged as a powerful approach that complements experiments and can serve as a predictive tool in the identification and characterization of defects. The theoretical modeling of point defects in crystalline materials by means of electronic-structure calculations, with an emphasis on approaches based on density functional theory (DFT), is reviewed. A general thermodynamic formalism is laid down to investigate the physical properties of point defects independent of the materials class (semiconductors, insulators, and metals), indicating how the relevant thermodynamic quantities, such as formation energy, entropy, and excess volume, can be obtained from electronic structure calculations. Practical aspects such as the supercell approach and efficient strategies to extrapolate to the isolated-defect or dilute limit are discussed. Recent advances in tractable approximations to the exchange-correlation functional ($\mathrm{DFT}+U$, hybrid functionals) and approaches beyond DFT are highlighted. These advances have largely removed the long-standing uncertainty of defect formation energies in semiconductors and insulators due to the failure of standard DFT to reproduce band gaps. Two case studies illustrate how such calculations provide new insight into the physics and role of point defects in real materials.

1,846 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the thermaloxidation kinetics of silicon are examined in detail based on a simple model of oxidation which takes into account the reactions occurring at the two boundaries of the oxide layer as well as the diffusion process, the general relationship x02+Ax0=B(t+τ) is derived.
Abstract: The thermal‐oxidation kinetics of silicon are examined in detail. Based on a simple model of oxidation which takes into account the reactions occurring at the two boundaries of the oxide layer as well as the diffusion process, the general relationship x02+Ax0=B(t+τ) is derived. This relationship is shown to be in excellent agreement with oxidation data obtained over a wide range of temperature (700°–1300°C), partial pressure (0.1–1.0 atm) and oxide thickness (300–20 000 A) for both oxygen and water oxidants. The parameters A, B, and τ are shown to be related to the physico‐chemical constants of the oxidation reaction in the predicted manner. Such detailed analysis also leads to further information regarding the nature of the transported species as well as space‐charge effects on the initial phase of oxidation.

3,083 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the growth condition dependence of crystalline quality is also studied, and the narrowest x-ray rocking curve from the (0006) plane is 2.70' and from the 2024 plane is 1.86' on sapphire substrates.
Abstract: Atmospheric pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxial growth and characterization of high quality GaN on sapphire (0001) substrates are reported. Using AlN buffer layers, GaN thin films with optically flat surfaces free from cracks are successfully grown. The narrowest x‐ray rocking curve from the (0006) plane is 2.70’ and from the (2024) plane is 1.86’. Photoluminescence spectra show strong near band edge emission. The growth condition dependence of crystalline quality is also studied.

2,035 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the p-n junction LED using Mg-doped GaN treated with low-energy electron-beam irradiation (LEEBI) was reported for the first time.
Abstract: Distinct p-type conduction is realized with Mg-doped GaN by the low-energy electron-beam irradiation (LEEBI) treatment, and the properties of the GaN p-n junction LED are reported for the first time. It was found that the LEEBI treatment drastically lowers the resistivity and remarkably enhances the PL efficiency of MOVPE-grown Mg-doped GaN. The Hall effect measurement of this Mg-doped GaN treated with LEEBI at room temperature showed that the hole concentration is ~21016cm-3, the hole mobility is ~8 cm2/Vs and the resistivity is ~35 Ωcm. The p-n junction LED using Mg-doped GaN treated with LEEBI as the p-type material showed strong near-band-edge emission due to the hole injection from the p-layer to the n-layer at room temperature.

1,789 citations

PatentDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a II-VI compound semiconductor laser diode is formed from overlaying layers of material including an n-type single crystal semiconductor substrate (12), adjacent N-type and p-type guiding lasers (14), a quantum well active layer (18), and a second electrode (30) is characterized by a Fermi energy, with shallow acceptors having a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 1 x 1017 cm 3.
Abstract: A II-VI compound semiconductor laser diode (10) is formed from overlaying layers of material including an n-type single crystal semiconductor substrate (12), adjacent n-type and p-type guiding lasers (14) and (16) of II-VI semiconductor forming a pn junction, a quantum well active layer (18) of II-VI semiconductor between the guiding layers (14) and (16), first electrode (32) opposite the substrate (12) from the n-type guiding layer (14), and a second electrode (30) opposite the p-type guiding layer (16) from the quantum well layer (18) Electrode layer (30) is characterized by a Fermi energy A p-type ohmic contact layer (26) is doped, with shallow acceptors having a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 1 x 1017 cm-3, and includes sufficient deep energy states between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy to enable cascade tunneling by charge carriers

1,453 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Vapor deposited GaN single crystals tested for electrical and optical properties, determining band gap energy, electron concentration, etc as mentioned in this paper, were tested for testing the properties of single crystals.
Abstract: Vapor deposited GaN single crystals tested for electrical and optical properties, determining band gap energy, electron concentration, etc

1,211 citations