Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Wierer, Jonathan J.

Publications and source records attributed to Wierer, Jonathan J..

11 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Visible Quantum Nanophotonics.

The goal of this LDRD is to develop a quantum nanophotonics capability that will allow practical control over electron (hole) and photon confinement in more than one dimension. We plan to use quantum dots (QDs) to control electrons, and photonic crystals to control photons. InGaN QDs will be fabricated using quantum size control processes, and methods will be developed to add epitaxial layers for hole injection and surface passivation. We will also explore photonic crystal nanofabrication techniques using both additive and subtractive fabrication processes, which can tailor photonic crystal properties. These two efforts will be combined by incorporating the QDs into photonic crystal surface emitting lasers (PCSELs). Modeling will be performed using finite-different time-domain and gain analysis to optimize QD-PCSEL designs that balance laser performance with the ability to nano-fabricate structures. Finally, we will develop design rules for QD-PCSEL architectures, to understand their performance possibilities and limits.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Selective layer disordering in intersubband Al 0.028 Ga 0.972 N/AlN superlattices with silicon nitride capping layer

We demonstrate the selective layer disordering in intersubband Al 0.028 Ga 0.972 N/AlN superlattices using a silicon nitride (SiN x ) capping layer. The (SiN x ) capped superlattice exhibits suppressed layer disordering under high-temperature annealing. In addition, the rate of layer disordering is reduced with increased SiN x thickness. The layer disordering is caused by Si diffusion, and the SiN x layer inhibits vacancy formation at the crystal surface and ultimately, the movement of Al and Ga atoms across the heterointerfaces. In conclusion, patterning of the SiN x layer results in selective layer disordering, an attractive method to integrate active and passive III–nitride-based intersubband devices.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Growth temperature dependence of Si doping efficiency and compensating deep level defect incorporation in Al{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}N

The growth temperature dependence of Si doping efficiency and deep level defect formation was investigated for n-type Al{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}N. It was observed that dopant compensation was greatly reduced with reduced growth temperature. Deep level optical spectroscopy and lighted capacitance-voltage were used to understand the role of acceptor-like deep level defects on doping efficiency. Deep level defects were observed at 2.34 eV, 3.56 eV, and 4.74 eV below the conduction band minimum. The latter two deep levels were identified as the major compensators because the reduction in their concentrations at reduced growth temperature correlated closely with the concomitant increase in free electron concentration. Possible mechanisms for the strong growth temperature dependence of deep level formation are considered, including thermodynamically driven compensating defect formation that can arise for a semiconductor with very large band gap energy, such as Al{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}N.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Defect-reduction mechanism for improving radiative efficiency in InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes using InGaN underlayers

The influence of a dilute In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N (x ∼ 0.03) underlayer (UL) grown below a single In{sub 0.16}Ga{sub 0.84}N quantum well (SQW), within a light-emitting diode (LED), on the radiative efficiency and deep level defect properties was studied using differential carrier lifetime (DCL) measurements and deep level optical spectroscopy (DLOS). DCL measurements found that inclusion of the UL significantly improved LED radiative efficiency. At low current densities, the non-radiative recombination rate of the LED with an UL was found to be 3.9 times lower than the LED without an UL, while the radiative recombination rates were nearly identical. This suggests that the improved radiative efficiency resulted from reduced non-radiative defect concentration within the SQW. DLOS measurement found the same type of defects in the InGaN SQWs with and without ULs. However, lighted capacitance-voltage measurements of the LEDs revealed a 3.4 times reduction in a SQW-related near-mid-gap defect state for the LED with an UL. Quantitative agreement in the reduction of both the non-radiative recombination rate (3.9×) and deep level density (3.4×) upon insertion of an UL corroborates deep level defect reduction as the mechanism for improved LED efficiency.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Optical Strong Coupling between near-Infrared Metamaterials and Intersubband Transitions in III-Nitride Heterostructures

We present the design, realization, and characterization of optical strong light–matter coupling between intersubband transitions within a semiconductor heterostructures and planar metamaterials in the near-infrared spectral range. The strong light–matter coupling entity consists of a III-nitride intersubband superlattice heterostructure, providing a two-level system with a transition energy of ~0.8 eV (λ ~1.55 μm) and a planar “dogbone” metamaterial structure. Furthermore, as the bare metamaterial resonance frequency is varied across the intersubband resonance, a clear anticrossing behavior is observed in the frequency domain. We found that this strongly coupled entity could enable the realization of electrically tunable optical filters, a new class of efficient nonlinear optical materials, or intersubband-based light-emitting diodes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Electrical current leakage and open-core threading dislocations in AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

Electrical current transport through leakage paths in AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet (DUV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and their effect on LED performance are investigated. Open-core threading dislocations, or nanopipes, are found to conduct current through nominally insulating Al{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}N layers and limit the performance of DUV-LEDs. A defect-sensitive phosphoric acid etch reveals these open-core threading dislocations in the form of large, micron-scale hexagonal etch pits visible with optical microscopy, while closed-core screw-, edge-, and mixed-type threading dislocations are represented by smaller and more numerous nanometer-scale pits visible by atomic-force microscopy. The electrical and optical performances of DUV-LEDs fabricated on similar Si-doped Al{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}N templates are found to have a strong correlation to the density of these nanopipes, despite their small fraction (<0.1% in this study) of the total density of threading dislocations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗