Optical spectroscopy of semiconductors

Our research is mainly devoted to the experimental study of the optical properties of both group IV and group III-V semiconductors and quantum structures of interest for micro- and opto-electronics.

SiGe Heterostructures

SiGe alloys are of fundamental and applicative interest due to their structural, chemical and electronic characteristics, for applications in microelectronics and photonics.

Using Raman and photoluminescence we study the correlations between growth conditions and system properties. We analyse the effects of strain, composition and dimensionality on the vibrational and electronic properties of the heterostructures.
The vibrational properties of SiGe nanostructures, mainly quantum dots, are currently under study by Raman and micro-Raman measurements.
The electronic properties of Ge/SiGe multiple quantum wells are studied by transmission and photoluminescence measurements in a wide temperature range.
Electron spin sensitive measurements on Ge/SiGe structures are performed; the photoluminescence with light polarization control is studied.

Research Team

Prof. Emiliano Bonera
Dott. Fabio Pezzoli

Research Lab

U5 Building, Ground Floor, Room T070A
U5 Building, 1st Floor, Room 1066-1069-1073-1075

Facilities

Spectroscopic apparatuses based on dispersive and FT spectrometers are used for photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation, transmission and Raman measurements in the 0.4 - 5.0 eV spectral range. Raman spectroscopy can be operated down to 5 cm^-1. Working temperatures: 2 K to 450 K. Sources: He-Ne, Ar, doubled-Ar, Ti-Sapphire, DPSS and Diode lasers, incandescent and high pressure lamps. A low temperature (4 K – 300 K) micro-photoluminescence and micro-Raman apparatus working in the 0.75 – 3.4 eV spectral range is available. Time resolved photoluminescence and photoluminescence decay down to 10^-8 s can be measured with DPSS-QS lasers. Molecular-beam epitaxy for III-V semiconductors and AFM characterization.