Determination of the optical bandgap (Eg) in semiconductor nanostructures is a key issue in understanding the extent of quantum confinement effects (QCE) on electronic properties and it usually involves some analytical approximation in experimental data reduction and modeling of the light absorption processes. Here, we compare some of the analytical procedures frequently used to evaluate the optical bandgap from reflectance (R) and transmittance (T) spectra. Ge quantum wells and quantum dots embedded in SiO2 were produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and light absorption was characterized by UV-Vis/NIR spectrophotometry. R&T elaboration to extract the absorption spectra was conducted by two approximated methods (single or double pass approximation, single pass analysis, and double pass analysis, respectively) followed by Eg evaluation through linear fit of Tauc or Cody plots. Direct fitting of R&T spectra through a Tauc-Lorentz oscillator model is used as comparison. Methods and data are discussed also in terms of the light absorption process in the presence of QCE. The reported data show that, despite the approximation, the DPA approach joined with Tauc plot gives reliable results, with clear advantages in terms of computational efforts and understanding of QCE.
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21 June 2017
Research Article|
June 20 2017
Optical bandgap of semiconductor nanostructures: Methods for experimental data analysis
R. Raciti;
R. Raciti
1
MATIS CNR-IMM and Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Catania
, via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
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R. Bahariqushchi;
R. Bahariqushchi
2
Department of Physics, Bilkent University
, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
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C. Summonte;
C. Summonte
3
IMM-CNR, via Gobetti
, 101-40129 Bologna, Italy
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A. Aydinli;
A. Aydinli
2
Department of Physics, Bilkent University
, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
4
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Uludag University
, 16059 Bursa, Turkey
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A. Terrasi
;
A. Terrasi
1
MATIS CNR-IMM and Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Catania
, via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
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S. Mirabella
S. Mirabella
1
MATIS CNR-IMM and Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Catania
, via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
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J. Appl. Phys. 121, 234304 (2017)
Article history
Received:
February 10 2017
Accepted:
June 03 2017
Citation
R. Raciti, R. Bahariqushchi, C. Summonte, A. Aydinli, A. Terrasi, S. Mirabella; Optical bandgap of semiconductor nanostructures: Methods for experimental data analysis. J. Appl. Phys. 21 June 2017; 121 (23): 234304. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4986436
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