Group III-Nitride Semiconductor Optoelectronics

Group III-Nitride Semiconductor Optoelectronics Discover a comprehensive exploration of the foundations and frontiers of the optoelectronics technology of group-III nitrides and their ternary alloys In Group III-Nitride Semiconductor Optoelectronics, expert engineer Dr. C. Jayant Praharaj delivers an insightful overview of the optoelectronic applications of group III-nitride semiconductors. The book covers all relevant aspects of optical emission and detection, including the challenges of optoelectronic integration and a detailed comparison with other material systems. The author discusses band structure and optical properties of III-nitride semiconductors, as well as the properties of their low-dimensional structures. He also describes different optoelectronic systems such as LEDs, lasers, photodetectors, and optoelectronic integrated circuits. Group III-Nitride Semiconductor Optoelectronics covers both the fundamentals of the field and the most cutting-edge discoveries. Chapters provide thorough connections between theory and experimental advances for optoelectronics and photonics. Readers will also benefit from: A thorough introduction to the band structure and optical properties of group III-nitride semiconductors Comprehensive explorations of growth and doping of group III-nitride devices and heterostructures Practical discussions of the optical properties of low dimensional structures in group III- nitrides In-depth examinations of lasers and light-emitting diodes, other light-emitting devices, photodetectors, photovoltaics, and optoelectronic integrated circuits Concise treatments of the quantum optical properties of nitride semiconductor devices Perfect for researchers in electrical engineering, applied physics, and materials science, Group III-Nitride Semiconductor Optoelectronics is also a must-read resource for graduate students and industry practitioners in those fields seeking a state-of-the-art reference on the optoelectronics technology of group III-nitrides.

Table of Contents:
Preface ix 1 Introduction 1 2 Band Structure and Optical Properties of Group III-Nitride Semiconductors 3 Crystal Symmetry (Wurtzite and Cubic Phases) 3 Lattice Periodicity and Crystal Hamiltonian 4 Bloch's Theorem and Nature of Electron States 4 Quantum Mechanical Properties Corresponding to Bloch States 5 Light–Matter Interaction in Semiconductors 7 Spontaneous and Piezoelectric Polarization 11 Phonon Spectrum 13 Scattering Mechanisms 13 Donors and Deep Acceptors 17 3 Growth and Doping of Group III-Nitride Devices 19 Major Epitaxial Growth Methods 19 In Situ and Implant Doping 31 Dislocations and Point Defects 31 Dopant-induced Defects 31 Substrates and Growth 31 Gallium Nitride Growth on Silicon Substrates 32 4 Optical Properties of Low-dimensional Structures in Group III Nitrides 39 Quantum Wells, Quantum Wires, and Quantum Dots 39 The k.p Method 43 Crystal Symmetry and Low-dimensional Structures 50 Alloy Disorder and Density Functional Theory Electronic Structure Calculation 51 Deviations from Charge Neutrality and Effect on Electronic Structure 54 Polarization Engineering Using Quaternaries and Complex Structures 55 Dislocations in Low-dimensional Structures and Carrier Dynamics 57 Disorder, Carrier Localization, and Effect on Recombination and Red Shifts 57 5 Light-emitting Diodes and Lasers 67 Blue, Green, and Ultraviolet (UV) LEDs 67 Light-emitting Diode Basic Operating Principles 71 Blue, Green, and UV Lasers 72 Blue, Green, and Device Laser Materials – Device Considerations 78 Nanowire microLEDs 80 LED Quantum Efficiencies and Laser Threshold Currents in Quantum Wires and Quantum Dots 80 Auger Recombination and Efficiency Droop in Group III-Nitride LEDs 82 Dislocations in Low-dimensional Structures and Carrier Dynamics 86 Disorder, Carrier Localization, and Effect on Recombination and Red Shifts 87 Staggered Quantum-well InGaN Laser Characteristics 87 Non-polar Plane Quantum-well InGaN LEDs and Lasers 89 Semi-polar Plane Quantum-well InGaN LEDs and Lasers 90 p-Type Ohmic Contacts and Efficiency of LEDs and Lasers 91 Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers 93 Distributed Feedback Lasers 94 Plasmonic Nanolasers 94 Indium Gallium Nitride LEDs and Lasers on Si Substrates 95 6 Inter Sub-band Devices 103 Quantum Cascade Lasers 103 Infrared Photodetectors 103 7 Photodetectors 111 Ultraviolet Photodetectors 111 Complex Dielectric Function 111 Basic Principle of Operation 113 Metal–Semiconductor–Metal (MSM) Photodetector 115 Solar-blind Group III-Nitride UV Photodetectors 118 p-i-n Photodiodes 118 Schottky Barrier Photodiodes 123 Heterogenous Photodiodes with Group III Nitrides and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides 123 Alloy Nitrides and Spectral Response 124 Photodetectors and Substrate Engineering 125 8 Photovoltaics and Energy Conversion Devices 129 Indium Gallium Nitride Material System for Solar Cells 129 Basic Solar Cell Physics – p-n Junction Solar Cells 129 Intermediate Band Solar Cells 137 Substrate Effects on InGaN Solar Cells 139 Ohmic Contact Effects in p-n and p-i-n InGaN Solar Cells 140 Plasmonically Enhanced Solar Cells 140 Solar Concentrating Photovoltaics 140 Tandem Solar Cells Using Indium Gallium Nitride 141 Semiconductor Photocatalysis Using InGaN 143 9 Quantum Photonic Properties of Nitride Semiconductor Devices 147 Non-classical Light from Group III-Nitride Heterostructures 147 Spontaneous and Piezoelectric Polarization Effects 150 Spectral Diffusion in Quantum Dots 151 Photon Linewidths 152 Optically Pumped Versus Electrically Pumped Quantum Emitters 152 Photon Detection Properties 152 10 Polaritons in Nitride Semiconductor Heterostructures 155 Strong Coupling between Excitons and Cavity Modes 155 Conditions for Strong Coupling 155 Energies of Polariton Modes 156 Characterization of Polariton Modes 156 Polaritonic Lasing versus Photonic Lasing 157 Exciton Binding Energies and Polaritonic Lasing 159 Spontaneous and Piezoelectric Polarization Effects 160 Optically Pumped versus Electrically Pumped Polariton Lasers 161 Inhomogeneous Broadening in Polaritonic Lasing 161 Polariton Lasing in Quantum Heterostructure Nanocavities 162 11 Plasmon-coupled Group III-Nitride Optoelectronic Devices 163 Coupling between Localized Surface Plasmons (LSPs) and Quantum Wells 163 LEDs and Lasers Based on LSPR Coupling 163 Biosensing Schemes Based on LSPR/QW Coupling 164 InGaN QW Substrates for Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Extended Hotspots 165 InGaN Nanorods Plus Metal NPs for Water Splitting Using SPR Effects 166 InGaN QDs Plus Metal NPs for Water Splitting Using SPR Effects 168 12 Photonic Integrated Circuits Using Group III-Nitride Semiconductors 169 Indium Gallium Nitride (InGaN)-based Monolithic Photonic Chips 169 Photonic Integrated Circuits with Plasmonic Components 170 Exploring Modulators Using Nitrides for Easier Integration 170 Combining Photonic and Electronic Components on the Same Chip 171 Monolithically Integrated Multi-color LED Display on a Single Chip 171 13 Conclusion 173 Index 175

About the Author :
C. Jayant Praharaj, PhD, is a Research and Development Scientist at Band Photonics Materials in California. He received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University in 2004. He has authored several research articles in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings.