Quantum well energizing method and apparatus

• US 20030000570A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NeoKismet, LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoKismet, LLC
• Inventors: Gidwani, Jawahar M., Zuppero, Anthony C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,122,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/252
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/155 Comprising only semiconductor materials H01L29/154 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0304 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0352 characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/173 The laser chip comprising special buffer layers, e.g. dislocation prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04 Processes or apparatus for excitation, e.g. pumping, e.g. by electron beamsH01S5/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/291 Applications

Abstract

A method and apparatus that converts energy provided by a chemical reaction into energy for charging a quantum well device. The disclosed apparatus comprises a catalyst layer that catalyzes a chemical reaction and captures hot electrons and hot phonons generated by the chemical reaction, and an interface layer placed between the catalyst layer and a quantum well. The interface layer facilitates the transfer of hot electrons and hot phonons from the catalyst layer into the quantum well layer. The interface layer can also convert hot electrons into hot phonons, and vice versa, depending upon the needs of the particular quantum well device. Because the hot electrons and the hot phonons are unstable and readily degrade into heat energy, the dimensions of the catalyst layer and the interface layer are very small. To improve the efficiency of the transfer of hot electrons and hot phonons to the quantum well, other interface layers, such as a catalyst interlayer and a catalyst interface, may be utilized.

Claims

1. A quantum well energizing device comprising:

a catalyst layer adapted to catalyze a chemical reaction and receive pre-equilibrium emissions from the chemical reaction, the pre-equilibrium emissions including hot electron-hole pairs and hot phonons; and

an interface layer disposed between the catalyst layer and at least one quantum well, the interface layer comprising a semiconductor substance adapted to receive the pre-equilibrium emissions from the catalyst and transfer the pre-equilibrium emissions to the quantum well.

2. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 1, wherein the interface layer comprises a semiconductor substance selected from the group consisting of Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Aluminum Gallium Nitride (Al_xGa_yN).

3. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 1, wherein the interface layer comprises a substance that converts hot electron-hole pairs into longitudinal optical phonons.

4. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a plurality of clumps having dimensions in the range of about 0.3 nanometers to about 20 nanometers.

5. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 4, wherein each of the clumps has a shape selected from the list consisting of islands, corrals, chaotic surface constructs, pyramids, layers, monolayers and monolayered islands

6. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a substance selected from the list consisting of aluminum, platinum, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium.

7. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a transition metal.

8. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a substance selected from the list consisting of ruthenium oxide (RuO₂), alumina (Al₂O₃), titania (TiO_x), and vanadia (V_xO_y).

9. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the catalyst layer and the interface layer is less than about five times the energy diffusion length of the pre-equilibrium energy emission modes.

10. A quantum well energizing device comprising:

a catalyst layer adapted to catalyze a chemical reaction and receive pre-equilibrium emissions from the chemical reaction, the pre-equilibrium emissions including hot electron-hole pairs and hot phonons; and

an interface layer disposed between the catalyst layer and at least one quantum well, the interface layer comprising a semiconductor substance adapted to receive the pre-equilibrium emissions from the catalyst and transfer the pre-equilibrium emissions to the quantum well; and

a catalyst interlayer disposed between the catalyst layer and the interface layer, wherein the catalyst interlayer is adapted to provide an ohmic contact between the catalyst layer and the interface layer.

11. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 10, wherein the catalyst interlayer comprises aluminum.

12. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 10 further comprising a catalyst interface layer disposed between the catalyst layer and the catalyst interlayer, wherein the catalyst interface layer is adapted to match the crystal structure properties of the catalyst layer with the catalyst interlayer.

14. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 13, wherein the interface layer comprises substance selected from the group consisting of Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Aluminum Gallium Nitride (Al_xGa_yN).

15. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 13, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a plurality of clumps having dimensions in the range of about 0.3 nanometers to about 20 nanometers.

16. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 15, wherein each of the clumps has a shape selected from the list consisting of islands, corrals, chaotic surface constructs, pyramids, layers, monolayers and monolayered islands

17. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 13, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a substance selected from the list consisting of aluminum, platinum, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium.

18. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 13, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a transition metal.

19. A quantum well energizing device according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of the catalyst layer, the interface layer, and the catalyst interlayer is less than about five times the energy diffusion length of the pre-equilibrium energy emission modes.

13. A quantum well energizing device comprising:

a catalyst layer comprising a metallic substance, wherein the catalyst layer is adapted to catalyze a chemical reaction and receive pre-equilibrium emissions from the chemical reaction, the pre-equilibrium emissions including hot electron-hole pairs and hot phonons;

an interface layer disposed between the quantum well layer and the catalyst layer, wherein the interface layer comprises a semiconductor substance adapted to receive the pre-equilibrium emissions from the catalyst and transfer the pre-equilibrium emissions to the quantum well layer; and

a catalyst interlayer comprising a metallic substance, wherein the catalyst interlayer is disposed between the catalyst layer and the quantum well interface layer and wherein the catalyst interlayer adapted to form an ohmic contact between the catalyst layer and the quantum well interface layer.

20. A method for energizing a quantum well comprising:

providing a quantum well energizing apparatus comprising a catalyst layer having a plurality of clumps on the upper surface of the catalyst layer, and an interface layer disposed between the catalyst layer and a quantum well;

providing chemical reactants on the upper surface of the catalyst layer so that a chemical reaction is catalyzed on the upper surface of the catalyst layer;

capturing hot electrons and hot phonons generated by the chemical reaction in the catalyst layer;

providing the captured hot electrons and hot phonons to the interface layer;

injecting the captured hot electrons and hot phonons from the interface layer into the adjoining quantum well; and

converting the energy of the hot electrons and hot phonons into charge carriers that energize the quantum well.

21. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, further comprising converting a plurality of the captured hot electrons into longitudinal optical phonons.

22. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 21, wherein converting the plurality of captured hot electrons occurs in the interface layer.

23. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, further comprising removing exhaust products produced by the chemical reaction from the surface of the catalyst layer.

24. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, wherein the chemical reactants comprise a fuel selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbons, complex hydrocarbons, methanol, ethanol, propanol, carbohydrates, partially oxygenated hydrocarbons, diesel fuel, kerosene, volatized products of organic matter, and ammonia, and an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of oxygen, air, hydrogen peroxide and halogens.

25. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, further comprising adsorbing a chemical reactant onto the upper surface of the catalyst layer.

26. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, wherein the interface layer comprises substance selected from the group consisting of Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Aluminum Gallium Nitride (Al_xGa_yN).

27. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of clumps has dimensions in the range of about 0.3 nanometers to about 20 nanometers.

28. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a substance selected from the list consisting of aluminum, platinum, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium.

29. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a transition metal.

30. A method for energizing a quantum well according to claim 20, wherein the thickness of the catalyst and interface layers is less than about five times the energy diffusion length of the pre-equilibrium energy emission modes.