| This thesis describes research to develop novel scanning probe methods employing ballistic electron emission to characterize nanoscale carrier transport and luminescence of quantum-confined III-V semiconductor nanostructures. First, spectroscopic and microscopic ballistic electron emission luminescence (BEEL) of an InAs quantum dot heterostructure based on three-terminal hot electron injection using a scanning tunneling microscope and a planar tunnel-junction transistor is described in detail. Second, BEEL device simulation based on one-dimensional Poisson equation and carrier drift-diffusion model is examined. Third, a scheme to integrate a photon detector directly into a BEEL heterostructure to improve the photon collection efficiency is presented. Fourth, experimental results toward development of a dual scanning probe microscopy to study nanoscale metal-semiconductor interfaces without the requirement of an externally-contacted continuous metal thin film are described. Finally, some prospects of ballistic carrier spintronic devices are discussed. |
