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Regions of single-layer- and bilayer graphene on the surface of thermally processed 4H-SiC substrates are studied using Kelvin probe force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. We establish experimentally the key parameters of the adopted graphene growth technique which enables the fraction of bilayer graphene to be reduced to a minimum, while samples with a fraction of single-layer graphene as high as 95% are obtained.

The structural and electronic characteristics of epitaxial graphene films grown by thermal decomposition of the Si face of a semi-insulating 4H-SiC substrate in an argon environment have been studied by a large set of analytical techniques. It is shown that the results of a complex study make it possible to optimize the growth parameters and develop a reliable technology for the growth of high-quality single-layer graphene films. The charge-carrier concentration in the graphene layer was within 7 × 1011–1 × 1012 cm–2, and the maximum mobility of electrons at room temperature approached 6000 cm2/(V s).

The electrical properties of GaAs nanowires grown on a 6H-SiC (0001) substrate covered with graphene single layers and bilayers are studied. The nanowires are grown by molecular-beam epitaxy, with gold as a catalyst. The electrical properties are studied by measuring and analyzing the current–voltage characteristics of single nanowires vertically grown on a substrate. Numerical simulation of the experimental current–voltage curves revealed the presence of a ~0.6-V-high Schottky barrier between the nanowires and graphene. The appearance of the barrier is due to the formation of excess arsenic at the nanowire/graphene interface.

—A scanning probe microscopy method that allows one to measure Young’s modulus of thin and flexible nanowires is developed, which consists in measuring the deflection profiles under conditions of precise force control. This method can be applied to any thin and flexible one-dimensional or two-dimensional object. Using this approach, Young’s moduli of thin InP conical nanowires with the wurtzite and zincblende structures are measured. It is found that nanowires with the pure wurtzite structure have a higher value of Young’s modulus than the nanowires containing alternating wurtzite–zincblende phases.

This work was devoted to the study of stable and unstable optical modes in segment shaped resonators. The size of the studied resonators was much larger than the wavelength of the emitted light, that allowed to use the approaches of geometric optics. It was observed, that with an increase in the δ/R deviation parameter (where δ is the deviation from the center of the half-disk) only a small number of stable spatial modes remain. The possibility of the existence of “sealed” (non-radiating modes) and “open” modes (radiating modes) in resonators of this type was also shown.

The structural, chemical, and electronic properties of epitaxial graphene films grown by thermal decomposition of the Si-face of a semi-insulating 6H-SiC substrate in an argon environment are studied by Raman spectroscopy, atomic-force microscopy, the low-energy electron diffraction method, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the carbon K edge. It is shown that the results of a systematic integrated study make it possible to optimize the growth parameters and develop a reliable technology for the growth of high-quality single-layer graphene films with a small fraction of bilayer graphene inclusions.

AbstractThe properties of the hybrid energy sources “piezoelectric nanogenerator-solar cell” based on GaAs nanowires with the wurtzite crystal structure were investigated. Measurements were performed by the bending of the nanowire by the probe of the atomic force microscope with simultaneous recording of short circuit current in dark and illuminated conditions. We show that a piezoelectric current pulse of ~10 pA arises in the “nanowire-probe” circuit during the deformation of nanowire by the AFM probe. Under laser illumination, the value of the pulse increases by two orders of magnitude as a result of the piezophototronic effect. Deformation of the nanowire boosts the photocurrent by 40% up to 0.5 nA.

Research regarding ways to increase solar cell efficiency is in high demand. Mechanical deformation of a nanowire (NW) solar cell can improve its efficiency. Here, the effect of uniaxial compression on GaAs nanowire solar cells was studied via conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) supported by numerical simulation. C-AFM I&ndash, V curves were measured for wurtzite p-GaAs NW grown on p-Si substrate. Numerical simulations were performed considering piezoresistance and piezoelectric effects. Solar cell efficiency reduction of 50% under a &minus, 0.5% strain was observed. The analysis demonstrated the presence of an additional fixed electrical charge at the NW/substrate interface, which was induced due to mismatch between the crystal lattices, thereby affecting the efficiency. Additionally, numerical simulations regarding the p-n GaAs NW solar cell under uniaxial compression were performed, showing that solar efficiency could be controlled by mechanical deformation and configuration of the wurtzite and zinc blende p-n segments in the NW. The relative solar efficiency was shown to be increased by 6.3% under &minus, 0.75% uniaxial compression. These findings demonstrate a way to increase efficiency of GaAs NW-based solar cells via uniaxial mechanical compression.

Usually electromagnetic modes inside a laser resonator are a matter of the theoretical studies. In a sense we manage "to have a look into a whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator" and observe how the resonator modes arrange in reality. The picture occurs to be quite different from the commonly used Bessel modes in a disk resonator. A chance to explore optical modes inside a resonator appears in a WGM laser with a cleaved cavity. The flat laser facet gives an opportunity to study both far and near field patterns formed by different modes. In this research we use a high resolution technique of detection of laser emission based on an atomic force microscope, which allowed us to visualize even high Q modes normally sealed inside the resonator. This information was completed with spatially resolved emission spectra and far-field patterns measured using an infrared camera. The analysis of the obtained results using both wave and geometrical optics approaches and finite elements simulations showed that emission of the studied devices is governed by a few low order optical modes experiencing a small number of reflections from the resonator walls. These modes can be considered as counter propagating Gaussian beams and their interference at the laser facet was also observed in the experiment. This work showed that, contrary to conventional ridge or surface emitting lasers, in such deformed disk resonators outputs of different optical modes are spatially separated and can be studied individually along the cleaved facet of the laser.

We experimentally and theoretically examined the mode structure of half-disk lasers fabricated by cleaving whispering gallery mode (WGM)-disk lasers. The WGM lasers with a radii R of 50–150 μm emitting near 2.2 μm were fabricated using the GaSb-based quantum well structure [1]. The cleavage usually passes not through the centre of the disk with the deviation δ/R up to 20 % (Fig. 1a). Recently we have demonstrated that in the half-disk lasers the output beam is formed by optical modes located at a distance of 5–20 μm from the disk periphery [2], whereas in the full disk the light propagates along the disk wall, much closer to its edges.

The Young’s modulus of thin conical InP nanowires with either wurtzite or mixed “zinc blende/wurtzite” structures was measured. It has been shown that the value of Young’s modulus obtained for wurtzite InP nanowires (E[0001] = 130 ± 30 GPa) was similar to the theoretically predicted value for the wurtzite InP material (E[0001] = 120 ± 10 GPa). The Young’s modulus of mixed “zinc blende/wurtzite” InP nanowires (E[111] = 65 ± 10 GPa) appeared to be 40% less than the theoretically predicted value for the zinc blende InP material (E[111] = 110 GPa). An advanced method for measuring the Young’s modulus of thin and flexible nanostructures is proposed. It consists of measuring the flexibility (the inverse of stiffness) profiles 1/k(x) by the scanning probe microscopy with precise control of loading force in nanonewton range followed by simulations.

Fermi level pinning at the oxidized (110) surfaces of III-As nanowires (GaAs, InAs, InGaAs, AlGaAs) is studied. Using scanning gradient Kelvin probe microscopy, we show that the Fermi level at oxidized cleavage surfaces of ternary Al$_{x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As (0$\le$x$\le$0.45) and Ga$_{x}$In$_{1-x}$As (0$\le$x$\le$1) alloys is pinned at the same position of 4.8$\pm$0.1 eV with regard to the vacuum level. The finding implies a unified mechanism of the Fermi level pinning for such surfaces. Further investigation, performed by Raman scattering and photoluminescence spectroscopy, shows that photooxidation of the Al$_{x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As and Ga$_{x}$In$_{1-x}$As nanowires leads to the accumulation of an excess arsenic on their crystal surfaces which is accompanied by a strong decrease of the band-edge photoluminescence intensity. We conclude that the surface excess arsenic in crystalline or amorphous forms is responsible for the Fermi level pinning at oxidized (110) surfaces of III-As nanowires., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures

In this manuscript, we present the study of elastic properties of InP nanowires with help of scanning probe microscope in advanced PeakForce Tapping® regime. The measuring method was developed in order to investigate the Young's modulus of these cone-shaped structures with significant accuracy. The difference in InP elasticity for wurtzite phase and zinc- blende phase was revealed. It was shown that elastic modulus of InP nanowires significantly increases from 60 GPa to more than 100 GPa when diameter of a nanowire is reduced below 50 nm. The core-shell model for InP nanowire was used for the explanation of this effect.

Using the methods of scanning probe microscopy, I-V characteristics of individual InxGa1-xAs nanowires with different In content (x) were measured. A sharp decrease in the conductivity was observed at x=0.7. It is shown that type of contact between nanowire and probe changes from ohmic at x=1 to Schottky at x=0.85. These changes were explained by the formation of surface conductive channel, induced by surface Fermi level pinning in conduction band for x>0.85.

This work presents the results of an investigation of thin layers of MoSe2 on graphene by Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) methods. Dependences of the surface potential and work function on the number of monolayers of the structure are presented. The dependence of the surface potential on air humidity is shown. The band structure and doping of the MoSe2 monolayer on graphene was determined. These data can be important for detecting of the number of MoSe2 layers and for designing nanodevices, because the surface potential has a strong influence on the operation of such devices.

By means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) the spatial mapping of the laser intensity was performed on the cleavage of the whispering gallery modes (WGM) half-disk laser. The study was carried out in the near- and far-field regime. It showed a strong spatial divergence of different modes in the laser.

We demonstrate the effect of infrared (IR) illumination on mechanical resonance frequency of scanning probe microscope (SPM) probe. The analytical estimations permit to relate the observed effect with the SPM-probe heating by IR-radiation. This effect can be used for the SPM mapping of IR-radiation spatial distribution on the emitting surfaces. The proposed method demonstrates high sensitivity to the infrared radiation and lateral resolution in the sub-micron range. It was applied to visualize complex spatial structure of lasing modes on the mirror of whispering-gallery mode GaSb/GaAlAsSb/GaInAsSb laser.

Optical and electrical properties of MoSe2 monolayer transferred to graphene/SiC substrate are studied by scanning probe microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. By Kelvin probe microscopy it was measured a work function of the MoSe2 monolayer (4.3 eV) and it was revealed the n-type of doping. With the increasing of MoSe2 layers quantity the work function also increases which leads to the reducing of the Schottky barrier height between the SPM probe and the layers. Monolayer graphene quenches photoluminescence of the MoSe2 monolayer while the bilayer graphene does not perturb the photoluminescence.

An operating semiconductor laser has been studied using a scanning probe microscope. A shift of the resonance frequency of probe that is due to its heating by laser radiation has been analyzed. The observed shift is proportional to the absorbed radiation and can be used to measure the laser near field or its output power. A periodical dependence of the measured signal has been observed as a function of distance between the probe and the surface of the laser due to the interference of the outgoing and cantilever-reflected waves. Due to the multiple reflections resulting in the interference, the light absorption by the probe cantilever is greatly enhanced compared with a single pass case. Interaction of infrared emission of a diode laser with different probes has been studied.

The control of nanowire-based device performance requires knowledge about the transport of charge carriers and its limiting factors. We present the experimental and modeled results of a study of electrical properties of GaAs nanowires (NWs), considering their native oxide cover. Measurements of individual vertical NWs were performed by conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM). Experimental C-AFM observations with numerical simulations revealed the complex resistive behavior of NWs. A hysteresis of current-voltage characteristics of the p-doped NWs as-grown on substrates with different types of doping was registered. The emergence of hysteresis was explained by the trapping of majority carriers in the surface oxide layer near the reverse-biased barriers under the source-drain current. It was found that the accumulation of charge increases the current for highly doped p+-NWs on n+-substrates, while for moderately doped p-NWs on p+-substrates, charge accumulation decreases the current due to blocking of the conductive channel of NWs.

We study structural and chemical transformations induced by focused laser beam in GaAs nanowires with axial zinc-blende/wurtzite (ZB/WZ) heterostucture. The experiments are performed using a combination of transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. For the both components of heterostructure, laser irradiation under atmospheric air is found to produce a double surface layer which is composed of crystalline arsenic and of amorphous GaO$_{x}$. The latter compound is responsible for appearance of a peak at 1.76 eV in photoluminescence spectra of GaAs nanowires. Under increased laser power density, due to sample heating, evaporation of the surface crystalline arsenic and formation of $\beta$-Ga$_{2}$O$_{3}$ nanocrystals proceed on surface of the zinc-blende part of nanowire. The formed nanocrystals reveal a photoluminescence band in visible range of 1.7-2.4 eV. At the same power density for wurtzite part of the nanowire, total amorphization with formation of $\beta$-Ga$_{2}$O$_{3}$ nanocrystals occurs. Observed transformation of WZ-GaAs to $\beta$-Ga$_{2}$O$_{3}$ nanocrystals presents an available way for creation of axial and radial heterostuctures ZB-GaAs/$\beta$-Ga$_{2}$O$_{3}$ for optoelectronic and photonic applications., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures

We propose an experimental method of near field optical imaging by scanning probe microscopy in which the probe itself serves as an infrared photodetector. The method providing a submicron spatial resolution is based on detection of a shift of the probe resonance related to its heating by absorbed IR radiation. The method does not require an apertured probe and can be realized with a conventional silicon probe used in atomic force microscopy. The method has been employed for visualization of infrared emission from a half-disk semiconductor whispering gallery mode laser.

Current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of vertical p-GaAs nanowires (NWs) covered by different surface passivation materials were experimentally measured by conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM). The obtained I–V curves for individual NWs with a diameter of 100 nm covered with AlGaAs, GaN, GaP or InP shell layers were compared to analyse the influence of surface passivation on the density of surface states and choose the most beneficial passivating material for technological applications. We have found the absence of a Schottky barrier between the golden catalytic cap on the top of a NW and the nanowire situated below and covered with an ultrathin GaP passivating layer. It was suggested that passivating material can arrange the heterostructure configuration with the GaAs NW near the Au cap. The latter mechanism was proposed to explain a strong energy barrier found in nanowires covered with InP passivation. AlGaAs passivation affected the forward threshold voltage of nanowires for NWs, which was measured simultaneously with the resistivity of each individual vertical structure from an array by means of AFM in the regime of measuring the I–V curves and onefold calculations. We made an attempt to develop the methodology of measurement and characterization of electric properties of passivated NWs.