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Copper-doped zinc oxide nanowires were fabricated on copper-coated silicon substrate by sintering a mixture of zinc oxide and graphite powders at high temperature. Copper functioned as a catalyst in the zinc oxide nanowire growth and was incorporated during the growth as a dopant. The size of copper-doped zinc oxide nanowires ranges from 30 to 100 nm in diameter and tens to hundreds of microns in length. The photoluminescent excitation spectra showed multiple absorption peaks in the ultraviolet and blue/green region. Correspondingly, broad and continuous photoluminescence spectra were observed extending from the ultraviolet to the red region with shoulder peaks at room temperature, which is different from that of the bulk. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low temperature photoluminescence were employed to analyse the luminescent mechanism.

Using micro-Raman spectroscopy, we have studied the vibrational properties of GaN and Al0.5Ga0.5N/GaN long period superlattices (SLs) grown on Si(111). Crack-free areas of GaN layers grown on Si(111) exhibit residual tensile stress, which is evidenced by the red shift of the frequency of E2(TO) phonon. We have derived the strain cartography in GaN and Al0.5Ga0.5N/GaN long period SLs, which shows that cracking leads to strain relaxation. In addition, the AlGaN layers on GaN introduce an additional component of compressive strain into the GaN layers in these SLs. The amount of strain is quantified using micro-Raman analyses and by taking into account the elastic properties of GaN and AlGaN. By introducing a thin, low temperature InGaN interlayer, we could significantly reduce the crack density of the GaN layer.

Postgrowth rapid thermal annealing was used to modify the structural and optical properties of the self-assembled InAs quantum dots grown on GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. It is found that significant narrowing of the luminescence linewidth ͑from 78.9 to 20.5 meV͒ from the InAs dot layer occurs together with about 260 meV blueshift at annealing temperatures up to 850 °C. Observation of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows the existence of the dots under lower annealing temperatures but disappearance of the dots annealed at 850 °C. The excited-state-filling experiments for the samples show that the luminescence of the samples annealed at 850 °C exhibits quantum well-like behavior. Comparing with the reference quantum well, we demonstrate significant enhancement of the interdiffusion in the dot layer.

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We report on synthesis and properties of p-type Ga2S3 semiconductor thin films that were prepared by sulfurizing epiready n-type GaAs (111) surface at elevated temperatures. Comparisons of structural and optical properties among the thin films, peeling-off resulted microtubes, and the remains after peeling-off give a clear clue to the crystal growth and phase evolutions of Ga2S3. Three layers of Ga2S3 are clearly identified in the thin films. They are layer i, cubic Ga2S3 epitaxially grown on the GaAs (111) substrate; layer ii, polycrystalline cubic Ga2S3 on top of layer-i; and layer iii, monoclinic and/or hexagonal Ga2S3 on top of layer ii. The onset of peeling-off occurred in layer i and/or at the interface between layer i and ii. Both the phase evolutions and the location of peeling-off are associated with a Ga out diffusion growth mechanism. Absorption spectroscopy revealed a direct bandgap of 3.0 eV, whereas photoluminescence spectra showed defects (excited Ga vacancies) related red (1.62 eV) and green (2.24 eV) emissions of the Ga2S3 films; both are qualitatively consistent with those reported values obtained at lower sample temperatures from Ga2S3 single crystals. These results, together with a large on/off current ratio (i.e., ∼14 at a bias of 4.0 V) of the resultant hetero p-Ga2S3/n-GaAs junction under a blue laser (405 nm, 3.0 mW) illumination, shed light on consequent integrations of Ga2S3- and GaAs-based optoelectronic devices, e.g., high-power laser radiation sensors.

High-density plasma-induced etch damage of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well light-emitting diodesThe effects of plasma etching on 1/f noise and photoluminescence ͑PL͒ characteristics of n-GaN have been investigated. A reduction of 1/f noise was observed after plasma exposure, a result of enhanced passivation of the reactive surface. This is attributed to the removal of carbon and the creation of a Ga-rich surface by the etching process. Nevertheless, the formation of nonradiative recombination centers impaired the PL intensity. Reconstruction of a stoichiometric surface was achieved by annealing. This induced the incorporation of carbon into GaN, deteriorating the PL performance further, but it could be restored by a chemical treatment of 10:1 HF:H 2 O.

Optically-active defects of undoped GaN epilayers grown on sapphire by metalorganic chemical vapor epitaxy was investigated with photoluminescence. A new metastable defect emitting blue light was found, besides the well-known yellow luminescence centers. With excitation by the 325 nm He–Cd laser, this metastable defect, at low temperature, exhibits the luminescence fatigue effect with the decay time determined to be about 6 min. When the temperature is increased to room temperature, it recovers its optically-active state. The yellow band emission increases in intensity as the blue band emission decreases in intensity. Analysis shows that this metastable center is a hole trap, and Ga vacancy is its most probable candidate.