Electro-optically modulated lossy-mode resonance

Sensitivity, selectivity, reliability, and measurement range of a sensor are vital parameters for its wide applications. Fast growing number of various detection systems seems to justify worldwide efforts to enhance one or some of the parameters. Therefore, as one of the possible solutions, multi-domain sensing schemes have been proposed. This means that the sensor is interrogated simultaneously in, e.g., optical and electrochemical domains. An opportunity to combine the domains within a single sensor is given by optically transparent and electrochemically active transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), such as indium tin oxide (ITO). This work aims to bring understanding of electro-optically modulated lossy-mode resonance (LMR) effect observed for ITO-coated optical fiber sensors. Experimental research supported by numerical modeling allowed for identification of the film properties responsible for performance in both domains, as well as interactions between them. It has been found that charge carrier density in the semiconducting ITO determines the efficiency of the electrochemical processes and the LMR properties. The carrier density boosts electrochemical activity but reduces capability of electro-optical modulation of the LMR. It has also been shown that the carrier density can be tuned by pressure during magnetron sputtering of ITO target. Thus, the pressure can be chosen as a parameter for optimization of electro-optical modulation of the LMR, as well as optical and electrochemical responses of the device, especially when it comes to label-free sensing and biosensing.

Investigation of the stability of graphene devices for quantum resistance metrology at direct and alternating current

Interlaboratory comparisons of the quantized Hall resistance are essential to verify the international coherence of primary impedance standards. Here we report on the investigation of the stability of p-doped graphene-based quantized Hall resistance devices at direct and alternating currents at CMI, KRISS, and PTB. To improve the stability of the electronic transport properties of the polymer encapsulated device, it was shipped in an over-pressurized transport chamber. The agreement of the quantized resistance with RK/2 at direct current was on the order of 1 nΩ/Ω between 3.5 T and 7.5 T at a temperature of 4.2 K despite changes in the carrier density during the shipping of the devices. At alternating current, the quantized resistance was realized in a double-shielded graphene Hall device. Preliminary measurements with digital impedance bridges demonstrate the good reproducibility of the quantized resistance near the frequency of 1 kHz within 0.1 μΩ/Ω throughout the international delivery.

HfAlOx/Al2O3 Bilayer Dielectrics for a Field Effect Transistor on a Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond

In this work, a hydrogen-terminated (H-terminated) diamond field effect transistor (FET) with HfAlOx/Al2O3 bilayer dielectrics is fabricated and characterized. The HfAlOx/Al2O3 bilayer dielectrics are deposited by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, which can protect the H-terminated diamond two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) channel. The device demonstrates normally-on characteristics, whose threshold voltage (VTH) is 8.3 V. The maximum drain source current density (IDSmax), transconductance (Gm), capacitance (COX) and carrier density (ρ) are −6.3 mA/mm, 0.73 mS/mm, 0.22 μF/cm2 and 1.53 × 1013 cm−2, respectively.

Полупроводниковые свойства полимерных пленок на основе комплекса никеля с лигандом саленового типа

Complexes of metals with Schiff bases are considered as promising materials for creating energy storage and photovoltaic devices. In this work, the semiconducting properties of a polymer nickel film with a salen-type ligand (poly-Ni(CH3O-Salen)) were studied by spectrophotometric and Faraday impedance spectroscopy. The Mott-Schottky analysis showed that the polymer film is a semiconducting material with a fairly narrow band gap, high charge carrier density and p-type conductivity. Using the method of Faraday impedance spectroscopy, the limiting stage of the oxygen photoelectroreduction reaction, the process of charge transfer from the film to molecular oxygen, has been established.

On the Superconducting Critical Temperature of Heavily Disordered Interfaces Hosting Multi-Gap Superconductivity

LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces are a nice example of a two-dimensional electron gas, whose carrier density can be varied by top- and back-gating techniques. Due to the electron confinement near the interface, the two-dimensional band structure is split into sub-bands, and more than one sub-band can be filled when the carrier density increases. These interfaces also host superconductivity, and the interplay of two-dimensionality, multi-band character, with the possible occurrence of multi-gap superconductivity and disorder calls for a better understanding of finite-bandwidth effects on the superconducting critical temperature of heavily disordered multi-gap superconductors.

Nondegenerate Polycrystalline Hydrogen-Doped Indium Oxide (InOx:H) Thin Films Formed by Low-Temperature Solid-Phase Crystallization for Thin Film Transistors

We successfully demonstrated a transition from a metallic InOx film into a nondegenerate semiconductor InOx:H film. A hydrogen-doped amorphous InOx:H (a-InOx:H) film, which was deposited by sputtering in Ar, O2, and H2 gases, could be converted into a polycrystalline InOx:H (poly-InOx:H) film by low-temperature (250 °C) solid-phase crystallization (SPC). Hall mobility increased from 49.9 cm2V−1s−1 for an a-InOx:H film to 77.2 cm2V−1s−1 for a poly-InOx:H film. Furthermore, the carrier density of a poly-InOx:H film could be reduced by SPC in air to as low as 2.4 × 1017 cm−3, which was below the metal–insulator transition (MIT) threshold. The thin film transistor (TFT) with a metallic poly-InOx channel did not show any switching properties. In contrast, that with a 50 nm thick nondegenerate poly-InOx:H channel could be fully depleted by a gate electric field. For the InOx:H TFTs with a channel carrier density close to the MIT point, maximum and average field effect mobility (μFE) values of 125.7 and 84.7 cm2V−1s−1 were obtained, respectively. We believe that a nondegenerate poly-InOx:H film has great potential for boosting the μFE of oxide TFTs.

Investigation of Traps in AlGaN/GaN Heterostructures by Ultrasonic Vibrations

A method of dynamic deformations has been proposed as a useful informative tool in the characterization of transportation properties of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. It is found that the exposing of a sample to ultrasonic vibrations results in the persistent acousto-conductivity (PAC) which was observed up to room temperatures. The PAC behaves itself like persistent photoconductivity (PPC), and the carrier density in the 2DEG channel is primarily contributed by the transfer of electrons excited from traps (like DX centers) as a result of their reconstruction under the ultrasonic loading.

Method for noncontact measurement of 2DEG mobility and carrier density in AlGaN/GaN on semi-insulating wafers

We present a charge-assisted sheet resistance technique for noncontact wafer level determination of 2DEG mobility vs. sheet carrier density without any test structures or gates. Instead, the electrical biasing of 2DEG is provided by surface charge deposition, using a corona charging method. Analysis of the sheet resistance vs. deposited charge identifies the 2DEG full depletion condition and enables calculation of the 2DEG sheet carrier density required for the mobility. Results for AlGaN/GaN heterostructures on semi-insulating SiC and sapphire substrates show good agreement with Hall results at a zero-bias condition.