Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR)

This facility was realized through a Hercules-1 project: FT-IMAGER, a wide-range multi-purpose Fourier-Transform Infrared facility for Materials, Archaeological and GEological Research. Information on the consortium behind this project and recent research results can be found on this site.

Basic instruments

• BRUKER Vertex 80v vacuum wide-range multi-purpose FT-IR spectrometer, with spectral range between 15000 and 10 cm^-1 (near- to far-IR)
• Hyperion 2000 microscope in the near, mid and far IR

Peripheral equipment

• Liquid helium cryostats for mid and far IR region: contact gas and cold finger
• Home-built vacuum sample compartment for photoluminescence extension

Measurement modes

• Transmission – Specular Reflection - Attenuated total reflection (ATR)
• Photothermal ionization spectroscopy (PTIS)
• Photoluminescence

Recent publications

• Do different habits affect microplastics contents in organisms? A trait-based analysis on salt marsh species
  Stefania Piarullia, Brecht Vanhove (UGent), Paolo Comandini, Sara Scapinello, Tom Moens (UGent), Henk Vrielinck (UGent),Giorgia Sciutto, Silvia Prati, Rocco Mazzeo, Andy M. Booth, Carl Van Colen (UGent), Laura Airoldi
  (2020) Marine Pollution Bulletin. 153. 110983

• Sputter deposition of copper oxide films
  Dulmaa Altangerel (UGent) , Henk Vrielinck (UGent) , Samira Khelifi (UGent) and Diederik Depla (UGent)
  (2019) APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE. 492. p.711-717

• Lanthanide-centered luminescence evolution and potential anti-counterfeiting application of Tb3+/Eu3+ grafted melamine cyanurate hydrogen-bonded triazine frameworks
  Chaoqing Yang (UGent) , Anna Kaczmarek (UGent) , Karel Folens (UGent) , Gijs Du Laing (UGent) , Henk Vrielinck (UGent) , Samira Khelifi (UGent) , Kai Li (UGent) and Rik Van Deun (UGent)
  (2019) MATERIALS CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS. 3(4). p.579-586

• The affiliation of Hexasterias problematica and Halodinium verrucatum sp. nov. to ciliate cysts based on molecular phylogeny and cyst wall composition
  Pieter Gurdebeke (UGent) , Kenneth Neil Mertens, Yoshihito Takano, Aika Yamaguchi, Kara Bogus, Micah Dunthorn, Kazumi Matsuoka, Henk Vrielinck (UGent) and Stephen Louwye (UGent)
  (2018) EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PROTISTOLOGY. 66. p.115-135

• Elucidating the vibrational fingerprint of the flexible metal-organic framework MIL-53(Al) using a combined experimental/computational approach
  Alexander Hoffman (UGent) , Louis Vanduyfhuys (UGent) , Irena Nevjestic (UGent) , Jelle Wieme (UGent) , Sven Rogge (UGent) , Hannes Depauw (UGent) , Pascal Van Der Voort (UGent) , Henk Vrielinck (UGent) and Veronique Van Speybroeck (UGent)
  (2018) JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C. 122(5). p.2734-2746

Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS)

The following services with different measurement modes are possible for deep level transient spectroscopy.

Basic instruments

• PhysTech Fourier Transform DLTS equipped with liquid He/liquid N2 crystats (4-600K) and Leybold temperature controller
• Agilent fast pulse generator (pulse length >1 ns) for fast electrical filling pulses
• Laser diodes (900 nm and 1500 nm) for optical filling pulses

Measurement modes

• DLTS: classical capacitance DLTS using electrical pulse
• CC-DLTS: constant capacitance DLTS
• ODLTS: capacitance DLTS using optical pulse
• CDLTS: current DLTS using optical or electrical pulse
• QDLTS: charge DLTS

Current/recent research topics with selected papers

Semiconductor/insulator interface defects

• Deep Level Assessment of n-Type Si/SiO2 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Capacitors with Embedded Ge Quantum Dots
  M. Aouassa, H. Vrielinck, E. Simoen
  ECS JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 7 (2) P24-P28 (2018)

• Density and Capture Cross-Section of Interface Traps in GeSnO2 and GeO2 Grown on Heteroepitaxial GeSn
  S. Gupta, E. Simoen, R. Loo, O. Madia, D. Lin, C. Merckling, Y. Shimura, T. Conard, J. Lauwaert, H. Vrielinck, M. Heyns
  ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 8 (21), p. 13181-13186 (2016)

Defects in thin-film solar cell materials

• Modeling of capacitance transients of thin-film solar cells: a valuable tool to gain information on perturbing layers or interfaces
  J. Lauwaert, J. Lauwaert, L. Van Puyvelde, J. Thybaut, H. Vrielinck
  Applied Physics Letters. 104(5), article no. 053502 (2014)

Extended defects related with epitaxial growth

• Impact of band to band tunneling in In0.53Ga0.47As tunnel diodes on the deep level transient spectra
  S. Gupta, E. Simoen, R. Loo, Q. Smets, A. S. Verhulst, J. Lauwaert, H. Vrielinck, M. Heyns
  APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 113 (23), art. no. 232101 (2018)

• Electrical properties of extended defects in strain relaxed GeSn
  S. Gupta, E. Simoen, R. Loo, Y. Shimura, C. Porret, F. Gencarelli, K. Paredis, H. Bender, J. Lauwaert, H. Vrielinck, M. Heyns
  APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 113 (2), art. no. 022102 (2018)

Transition metal impurities in group IV semiconductors

• Determination of Majority Carrier Capture Rates via Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy
  J. Lauwaert, S. Khelifi, H. Vrielinck
  ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology. 5 P3041-P3047 (2016)

• Deep Levels in W-Doped Czochralski Silicon
  E. Simoen, K. Saga, H. Vrielinck, J. Lauwaert
  ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology. 5 P3001-P3007 (2016)

• Electronic properties of manganese impurities in germanium
  J. Lauwaert, S. Segers, F. Moens, K. Opsomer, P. Clauws, F. Callens, E. Simoen, H. Vrielinck
  Journal of Physics D-Applied Physics 48. Article no. 175101 (2015)

Hall - Van der Pauw measurements

The Van der Pauw method makes it possible to precisely determine the electrical resistivity of a material by means of 4 contact points. Two contact points apply a well known current to the material, the other two measure the voltage across the material. This technique has the advantage to cancel out contact resistance on the measurement result. The same setup could also be used to measure Hall voltage.

Minority carrier lifetime measurements

The lifetime of minority charge carriers can be measured using contact methods (photoconductivity decay via electric resistance measurements).

Sample Preparation

Thermal annealing is possible with the Carbolite programmable oven

All requests for DLTS and FTIR measurements may be addressed directly to Henk.Vrielinck@UGent.be and will be evaluated on an individual basis.