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Plasmon Spectra at Wurtzite Aluminum Gallium Nitride / Silicon Carbide Heterojunctions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 March 2011

Choudhury Jayant Praharaj*
Affiliation:
previously with University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 84112 USA
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Abstract

We present theoretical calculations for electron plasmon spectra at wurtzite Aluminum Gallium Nitride/ Silicon Carbide heterojunctions. Spontaneous and piezoelectric polarizations in wurtzite semiconductors give rise to polarization discontinuities at interfaces and to bound interface sheet charges. These charges are of the order of 1013 electrons per cm2 and give rise to two dimensional electron or hole gases near heterojunctions. Electron-electron interactions in the two-dimensional electron gases give rise to collective plasmon excitations. We calculate the dielectric function in these electron gases under the well-known and widely studied random phase approximation. Our calculations are relevant to the determination of the plasmon spectra at wurtzite Aluminum Gallium Nitride / Silicon Carbide heterojunctions and are of potential interest for determining the limits of mobility in two-dimensional electron gases. They are also of interest for terahertz electronics applications.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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