High-Performance Piezo-Phototronic Devices Based on Intersubband Transition of Wurtzite Quantum Well

Small. 2021 Apr;17(13):e2008106. doi: 10.1002/smll.202008106. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Abstract

III-nitride semiconductors play much more important roles in the areas of modern photoelectric applications, whereas strong polarization in their heterostructures is always a challenge to restrict the efficiency and performance of photoelectric devices. In this study, piezo-phototronic effect on near-infrared intersubband absorption is explored based on polar GaN/AlN quantum wells. The results show that externally applied pressure leads to the redshift of absorption wavelength by reducing polarization field of the quantum well. The sensitivity to estimate pressure-dependent intersubband absorption wavelength is almost two orders of magnitude higher than interband photoelectric devices. Additionally, such sensitivity is further enhanced by 2.6 times at 20 GPa as a result of piezo-phototronic effect. This study paves avenue for designing high-performance near-infrared piezo-phototronic devices based on intersubband transition.

Keywords: GaN/AlN quantum well; intersubband transition; near-infrared absorption; piezo-phototronic effect.

Publication types

  • Review