Evgeniya I. Shabunina

We study recombination processes in nitride LEDs emitting from 270 to 540 nm with EQE ranging from 4% to 70%. We found a significant correlation between the LEDs’ electro-optical properties and the degree of nanomaterial disorder (DND) in quantum wells (QWs) and heterointerfaces. DND depends on the nanoarrangement of domain structure, random alloy fluctuations, and the presence of local regions with disrupted alloy stoichiometry. The decrease in EQE values is attributed to increased DND and excited defect (ED) concentrations, which can exceed those of Shockley–Read–Hall defects. We identify two mechanisms of interaction between EDs and charge carriers that lead to a narrowing or broadening of electroluminescence spectra and increase or decrease EQE, respectively. Both mechanisms involve multiphonon carrier capture and ionization, impacting EQE reduction and efficiency droop. The losses caused by these mechanisms directly affect EQE dependencies on current density and the maximum EQE values for LEDs, regardless of the emission wavelength. Another manifestation of these mechanisms is the reversibility of LED degradation. Recombination processes vary depending on whether QWs are within or outside the space charge region of the p-n junction.

The quality of graphene intended for use in biosensors was assessed on manufactured chips using a set of methods including atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, and low-frequency noise investigation. It is shown that local areas of residues on the graphene surface, formed as a result of the interaction of graphene with a photoresist at the initial stage of chip development, led to a spread of chip resistance (R) in the range of 1–10 kOhm and to an increase in the root mean square (RMS) roughness up to 10 times, which can significantly worsen the reproducibility of the parameters of graphene chips for biosensor applications. It was observed that the control of the photoresist residues after photolithography (PLG) using AFM and subsequent additional cleaning reduced the spread of R values in chips to 1–1.6 kOhm and obtained an RMS roughness similar to the roughness in the graphene film before PLG. Monitoring of the spectral density of low-frequency voltage fluctuation (S_U), which provides integral information about the system of defects and quality of the material, makes it possible to identify chips with low graphene quality and with inhomogeneously distributed areas of compressive stresses by the type of frequency dependence S_U(f).

Graphene quality for use in biosensors was assessed in fabricated chips by a set of methods that includes atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, and low-frequency noise. It is shown that local areas of residues on the graphene surface, which arisen due to the interaction of graphene with a photoresist at the initial stage of chips development, leads to a spread of chips resistance (R) within 1-10 kΩ and to an increase in the root mean square (RMS) roughness up to 10 times that can significantly impair reproducibility of graphene parameters in biosensors chips. It was observed that the control of the photoresist residues after photolithography (PLG) by AFM and subsequent additional cleaning allow reducing the spread of R values in chips to 1–1.6 kΩ and obtaining RMS roughness similar to the roughness in pristine graphene before PLG. Monitoring of the spectral density of low-frequency voltage fluctuation (SU), which provides integral information about the defect system and quality of the material, makes it possible to identify chips with low graphene quality and with inhomogeneously distributed compressive stresses areas by the type of frequency dependence SU (f).

In this study, we discuss the mechanisms behind changes in the conductivity, low-frequency noise, and surface morphology of biosensor chips based on graphene films on SiC substrates during the main stages of the creation of biosensors for detecting influenza viruses. The formation of phenylamine groups and a change in graphene nano-arrangement during functionalization causes an increase in defectiveness and conductivity. Functionalization leads to the formation of large hexagonal honeycomb-like defects up to 500 nm, the concentration of which is affected by the number of bilayer or multilayer inclusions in graphene. The chips fabricated allowed us to detect the influenza viruses in a concentration range of 10⁻¹⁶ g/mL to 10⁻¹⁰ g/mL in PBS (phosphate buffered saline). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that these defects are responsible for the inhomogeneous aggregation of antibodies and influenza viruses over the functionalized graphene surface. Non-uniform aggregation is responsible for a weak non-linear logarithmic dependence of the biosensor response versus the virus concentration in PBS. This feature of graphene nano-arrangement affects the reliability of detection of extremely low virus concentrations at the early stages of disease.

It is shown that a three-dimensional fractal–percolation system is formed in nanomaterials of light-emitting InGaN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN structures in the presence of conducting extended defects and...

The obtained results demonstrate that the improvement of nanomaterial arrangement in AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures quantitatively characterized with the use of a multifractal parameter (the degree of disorder) results in the increase at several times in the electron mobility values at 2DEG channel in HEMT structures and the reliability of HEMT parameters.

It was shown that the contribution of 3D nanoscale indium fluctuations into the efficiency droop at j < 50 A/cm² can be very high and results in different shapes of the efficiency dependency on current η(j) in blue and green LEDs. Reducing 3D nanoscale indium fluctuations can decrease the efficiency droop in these LEDs. The contribution of delocalized carriers is predominant at j > 50 A/cm² and the current dependences of efficiency, approximated by as η (j) α j^-b where 0.2 < b < 0.3, are alike in both green and blue LEDs.

The results of the degradation study of commercial InGaN/GaN LEDs with the external quantum efficiency (EQE) ~ 40-50 % at 450-460 nm are presented. It has been clarified that one of the mechanisms responsible for EQE degradation and the unpredictable failure of LEDs is the multiphonon recombination of carriers. The distorted forward branch of I-V characteristics at U <; 2V and the appearance of the SI ~j 4 section on the current spectral noise density dependences on current density in LEDs before or after 100 hours of aging test are the criteria identifying an unpredictable failure.