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Effective Surface Passivation of InP Nanowires by Atomic-Layer-Deposited Al2O3 with POx Interlayer
L E Black1, A Cavalli1, M A Verheijen1,2
1Eindhoven University of Technology , Postbus 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Nano Letters
|September 9, 2017
Summary
We developed a novel surface passivation for indium phosphide (InP) nanowires using a phosphorus oxide (POx) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) stack. This method significantly enhances photoluminescence efficiency and stability, crucial for advanced InP nanowire devices.
Area of Science:
- Semiconductor Nanostructures
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- III/V semiconductor nanostructures offer device potential but require effective surface passivation due to high surface-area-to-volume ratios.
- Indium phosphide (InP) surfaces are challenging to passivate, often showing degradation after dielectric deposition.
- Existing passivation methods struggle to maintain surface integrity, limiting InP nanostructure applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel, low-temperature surface passivation technique for indium phosphide (InP) nanowires.
- To improve the photoluminescence (PL) efficiency and stability of InP nanowires for device applications.
- To establish a reliable method for calculating internal quantum efficiency (IQE) in InP nanowires.
Main Methods:
- Deposition of a phosphorus-rich oxide (POx) layer at room temperature using plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (ALD).
- Encapsulation of the POx layer with a thin ALD Al2O3 capping layer to create a stable POx/Al2O3 stack.
- Characterization of passivation effectiveness using photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and time-resolved PL decay measurements.
Main Results:
- The POx/Al2O3 passivation scheme improved PL efficiency by approximately 20 times at low excitation.
- Calculated internal quantum efficiency (IQE) reached 27% at high excitation, an unprecedented level for undoped InP nanowires.
- The passivation demonstrated excellent long-term stability (>7 months) and enhanced thermal stability (>300 °C).
Conclusions:
- The developed POx/Al2O3 passivation is a highly effective method for improving the performance of InP nanowires.
- This passivation strategy overcomes previous limitations in InP surface treatment, enabling advanced device fabrication.
- The findings pave the way for the development of high-performance InP nanowire-based nanolasers and solar cells.
