AlGaAs Shell Research Articles

Terahertz emission from GaAs-AlGaAs core-shell nanowires on Si (100) substrate: Effects of applied magnetic field and excitation wavelength

Terahertz (THz) emission from GaAs-AlGaAs core-shell nanowires (CSNW) on silicon (100) substrates was investigated using THz time-domain spectroscopy. The applied magnetic field polarity dependence strongly suggests that THz emission originated from photo-carriers in the CSNWs. Optical excitation of the GaAs-AlGaAs core-shell yielded a wider THz emission bandwidth compared with that of just the GaAs core material. This result is currently attributed to faster carrier lifetimes in the AlGaAs shell. The THz emission spectral data are supported by time-resolved photoluminescence studies.

Precursor flow rate manipulation for the controlled fabrication of twin-free GaAs nanowires on silicon substrates

Vertically oriented GaAs nanowires (NWs) are grown on Si(111) substrates using metal–organic chemical vapor deposition. Controlled epitaxial growth along the 〈111〉 direction is demonstrated following the deposition of thin GaAs buffer layers and the elimination of structural defects, such as twin defects and stacking faults, is found for high growth rates. By systematically manipulating the AsH3 (group-V) and TMGa (group-III) precursor flow rates, it is found that the TMGa flow rate has the most significant effect on the nanowire quality. After capping the minimal tapering and twin-free GaAs NWs with an AlGaAs shell, long exciton lifetimes (over 700 ps) are obtained for high TMGa flow rate samples. It is observed that the Ga adatom concentration significantly affects the growth of GaAs NWs, with a high concentration and rapid growth leading to desirable characteristics for optoelectronic nanowire device applications including improved morphology, crystal structure and optical performance.

Growth of zinc blende GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure nanowires on Si substrate by using AlGaAs buffer layers

Vertical GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure nanowires (NWs) with pure zinc blende structure were grown on Si (111) substrates by using AlGaAs/GaAs buffer layers. Axial and radial heterostructure NWs with different facets can be realized by tuning the growth temperature, so quantum wells with a triangular cross section enclosed by two {112} and one {110} facets can be obtained. Intensity of the room temperature photoluminescence can be greatly enhanced by passivating the surface states of GaAs NWs via growth of higher band-gap AlGaAs shells. The relevant growth mechanism is discussed.

GaAs-based Nanowires Studied by Low-Temperature Cathodoluminescence

We present cathodoluminescence data of nanowires (NWs) grown using size-selected gold particles as seeds. The NWs have a GaAs core with a diameter of 50 nm and a length of several |im. The NWs in this study were generally covered with a shell of AlGaAs. With increasing growth temperature, the emission intensity increases significantly. From a variety of growth conditions, we conclude that the exposed sides of the NWs during growth play an important role in the emission intensity. The diffusion of carriers was studied by inserting a segment of GalnAs in GaAs NWs. By capping the NWs with an AlGaAs shell, we observe a tenfold increase in the diffusion length along the core.

Free standing modulation doped core–shell GaAs/AlGaAs hetero‐nanowires

AbstractModulation doped AlGaAs/GaAs core–shell nanowire structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy. A Si delta‐doping was introduced in the AlGaAs shell around the {110} facets of the GaAs core. The wires are typically highly resistive at low temperatures. However, they show a pronounced persistent photoconductivity effect indicating activation of free carriers from the delta‐doped shell to the GaAs core. The n‐type character of the channel is demonstrated by applying a back‐gate voltage. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Low temperature photoluminescence and Raman phonon modes of Au-catalyzed MBE-grown GaAs–AlGaAs core–shell nanowires grown on a pre-patterned Si (1 1 1) substrate

We present the optical properties of MBE-grown GaAs–AlGaAs core–shell nanowires (NWs) grown on anodized-aluminum-oxide (AAO) patterned-Si (1 1 1) substrate using photoluminescence and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The GaAs NWs were grown via the vapor–liquid–solid method with Au-nanoparticles as catalysts. Enhancement in emission of at least an order of magnitude was observed from the GaAs–AlGaAs core–shell NWs as compared to the bare GaAs NWs grown under similar conditions, which is an indication of improved radiative efficiency. The improvement in radiative efficiency is due to the passivating effect of the AlGaAs shell. Variation in bandgap emission energy as a function of temperature was analyzed using the semi-empirical Bose–Einstein model. Results show that the free exciton energy of the GaAs core–shell agrees well with the known emission energy of zinc blende (ZB) bulk GaAs. Further analysis on the linear slope of the temperature dependence curve of photoluminescence emission energy at low temperatures shows that there is no difference between core–shell nanowires and bulk GaAs, strongly indicating that the grown NWs are indeed predominantly ZB in structure. The Raman modes show downshift and asymmetrical broadening, which are characteristic features of NWs. The downshift is attributed to lattice defects rather than the confinement or shape effect.

Fabrication and characterization of GaAs quantum well buried in AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure nanowires

We developed a growth method for forming a GaAs quantum well contained in an AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure nanowire using selective-area metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. To find the optimum growth condition of AlGaAs nanowires, we changed the growth temperature between 800 and 850 °C and found that best uniformity of the shape and the size was obtained near 800 °C but lateral growth of AlGaAs became larger, which resulted in a wide GaAs quantum well grown on the top (1 1 1)B facet of the AlGaAs nanowire. To form the GaAs quantum well with a reduced lateral size atop the AlGaAs nanowire, a GaAs core nanowire about 100 nm in diameter was grown before the AlGaAs growth, which reduced the lateral size of AlGaAs to roughly half compared with that without the GaAs core. Photoluminescence measurement at 4.2 K indicated spectral peaks of the GaAs quantum wells about 60 meV higher than the acceptor-related recombination emission peak of GaAs near 1.5 eV. The photoluminescence peak energy showed a blue shift of about 15 meV, from 1.546 to 1.560 eV, as the growth time of the GaAs quantum well was decreased from 8 to 3 s. Transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis of an AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure nanowire indicated a GaAs quantum well with a thickness of 5−20 nm buried along the 〈1 1 1〉 direction between the AlGaAs shells, showing a successful fabrication of the GaAs quantum well.

Structural and optical properties of a catalyst-free GaAs/AlGaAs core–shell nano/microwire grown on (1 1 1)Si substrate

Heterostructure in the catalyst-free GaAs nanowire grown on the Si substrate was studied for the application of optical devices in the next generation. We fabricated AlGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well (QW) structure on the side facet of the catalyst-free GaAs nanowire grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The cathode luminescence (CL) measurement showed that the uniform GaAs quantum well was formed between AlGaAs shell layers. On the basis of this structure, we also grew the thick AlGaAs shell layers (∼700 nm) on GaAs nanowires, and observed whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonant in the thick AlGaAs hexagonal structure.

Wurtzite GaAs/AlGaAs core–shell nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy

We report the growth of GaAs/AlGaAs core–shell nanowires (NWs) on GaAs(111)Bsubstrates by Au-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Electron microscopy shows theformation of a wurtzite AlGaAs shell structure both in the radial and the axial directionsoutside a wurtzite GaAs core. With higher Al content, a lower axial and a higher radialgrowth rate of the AlGaAs shell were observed. Room temperature and low temperature(4.4 K) micro-photoluminescence measurements show a much higher radiativeefficiency from the GaAs core after the NW is overgrown with a radial AlGaAs shell.

Realization of defect-free epitaxial core-shell GaAs/AlGaAs nanowire heterostructures

We report the controlled growth of vertically aligned GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires. By optimizing the shell deposition temperature and catalyst density we maintain high temperature stability and achieve defect-free epitaxial AlGaAs shell deposition with high aluminum incorporation. Energy dispersive x-ray analysis determines the shell composition to be Al0.9Ga0.1As and measures the uniformity of the shell thickness. Lattice-resolved high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy images confirm the core-shell interface to be defect-free, epitaxial, and atomically sharp. The ability to realize GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires with precise control over the morphology and composition is essential to the development of nanowire-based high mobility electronics.

Nearly intrinsic exciton lifetimes in single twin-free GaAs∕AlGaAs core-shell nanowire heterostructures

CW and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements are used to investigate exciton recombination dynamics in GaAs∕AlGaAs heterostructure nanowires grown with a recently developed technique which minimizes twinning. A thin capping layer is deposited to eliminate the possibility of oxidation of the AlGaAs shell as a source of oxygen defects in the GaAs core. We observe exciton lifetimes of ∼1ns, comparable to high quality two-dimensional double heterostructures. These GaAs nanowires allow one to observe state filling and many-body effects resulting from the increased carrier densities accessible with pulsed laser excitation.