Heavily carbon-doped p-type InGaAs by MOMBE

Carbon-doped In_xGa_1−xAs layers (x=0−0.96) were grown by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE) using trimethylgallium (TMG), solid arsenic (As₄) and solid indium (In) as sources of Ga, As and In, respectively. The carrier concentration is strongly affected by growth temperature and indium beam flux. Heavy p-type doping is obtained for smaller In compositions. The hole concentration decreases with the indium composition from 0 to 0.8, and then the conductivity type changes from p to n at x=0.8. Hole concentrations of 1.0×10¹⁹ and 1.2×10¹⁸ cm^-3 are obtained for x=0.3 and 0.54, respectively. These values are significantly higher than those reported on carbon-doped In_xGa_1−xAs by MBE. Preliminary results on carbon-doped GaAs/In_xGa_1−xAs strained layer superlattices are also discussed.     

Chemical beam epitaxy of AlGaAs and AlInAs using trimethylamine alane precursor

Al_xGa_1−xAs and Al_xIn_1−xAs alloys were grown on GaAs and InP, respectively, by chemical beam epitaxy, using trimethylamine alane (TMAA) as the source of aluminium. TMAA could be used properly only after some problems had been solved. Low carbon and oxygen concentrations were obtained in both alloys, leading to residual hole concentrations of 2 × 10¹⁶ cm^-3 in Al_0.3Ga_0.7As. The abruptness of the AlGaAs/GaAs interface proved the absence of TMAA memory effect. The control of Al_xIn_1−xAs solid composition was more difficult than for Ga_xIn_1−xAs, but was less sensitive to growth temperature. Photoluminescence intensities of Al_0.3Ga_0.7As and Al_0.48In_0.52As grown at 510°C were similar to those of MBE grown materials.     

Effects of alloy composition on the As desorption from and adsorption on strained InxGa1−xAs surfaces

The specular reflectivity of strained In_xGa_1−xAs surfaces grown by molecular beam epitaxy on InAs (100) substrates is measured with reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). A discontinuous change in the surface reflectivity is observed as the substrate temperature is increased above the transition point where As desorbs from the surface. A clear hysteresis loop is revealed as the substrate temperature is decreased. The substrate temperature required for desorption of surface As increases with Ga composition. A comparison between experimental results and theoretical calculations based on a Monte Carlo simulation shows that the average vertical interaction is increasing with Ga fraction. Fluctuations in alloy composition across the surface result in In-rich domains from which As is preferentially desorbed. The sudden loss of As, corresponding to a first order phase transition, occurs when the As desorbed domains attain a critical size. The metastability of the phase transition is shown to be a minimum for In_0.5Ga_0.5As layers.     

Growth of InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures with abrupt interfaces on the monolayer scale

Segregation processes entail severe deviations from the nominal composition profiles of heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy for most semiconductor systems. It is, however, possible to compensate exactly these effects, as shown here for InGaAs/GaAs. The deposition of a one-monolayer-thick indium-rich prelayer of InGaAs (or of a sub-monolayer amount of InAs) prior to growth of In_xGa_1−xAs allows forming a perfectly abrupt In_xGa_1−xAs-on-GaAs interface. Thermal annealing can furthermore be performed at the GaAs-on-InGaAs inter face, so as to desorb surface indium atoms and suppress In incorporation in the GaAs overlayer. This powerful approach has been validated from a detailed study of the surface composition at various stages of the growth of InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells, as well as from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence investigations.     

Experimental evidence of difference in surface and bulk compositions of AlxGa1-xAs, AlxIn1-x As and GaxIn1-x As epitaxial layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The surface composition of Al_xGa_1-xAs, Al_xIn_1-xAs and Ga_xIn_1-x As epitaxial layers grown by moleculer beam epitaxy (MBE) has been determined in situ by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The comparison of the values deduced from XPS with bulk compositions resulting from X-ray diffraction and RHEED oscillations leads to the conclusion that the most weakly bound group III element (i.e. Ga in Al_xGa_1-xAs, In in Al_xIn_1-xAs and Ga_xIn_1-xAs) segregates at the alloy surface. The key rôle of of the surface temperature is illustrated in the case of Al_xGa_1-xAs alloys for which a large range of growth temperatures are possible: a significant difference between surface and bulk compositions is observed between 620 and 680°C reaching a maximum near 650°C. This influence of the growth temperature is discussed in the framework of the previously suggested correlation between Ga segregation and the so-called forbidden temperature zone in MBE growth of Al_xGa_1-xAs.     

Effect of Asi on the optical properties of Ga1−xInxAs/InP grown by molecular beam epitaxy

This report focuses on the effect of the As species and the V/III ratio on the optical properties of Ga_1−xIn_xAs/InP grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The band gap energies of the layers were measured by low temperature photoluminescence (PL) while the indium contents x were determined by X-ray for samples in the investigated range of 0.50<x<0.56. For the analysis of these data we considered the model of Kuo et al. which we confined with a correction for the different measurement temperatures in PL (4.2 K) and X-ray (300 K). Using As₄ with an effective V/III ratio higher than 1.3, we find the best agreement of the band gap energies and predictions of the theory. A lower V/III ratio always implies a reduction of the band gap energy to values 5-15 meV lower than expected. In contrast, using As₂ the PL data fit quite well independent of the effective V/III ratio above unity.     

Strain-compensated quantum cascade lasers operating at room temperature

Quantum cascade (QC) lasers based on strain-compensated In_xGa_(1−x)As/In_yAl_(1−y)As grown on InP substrate using molecular beam epitaxy is reported. The epitaxial quality is demonstrated by the abundant narrow satellite peaks of double-crystal X-ray diffraction and cross-section transmission electron microscopy of the QC laser wafer. Laser action in quasi-continuous wave operation is achieved at λ≈3.6–3.7μm at room temperature (34°C) for 20 μm×1.6 mm devices, with peak output powers of 10.6 mW and threshold current density of 2.7 kA/cm² at this temperature.     

Structural analysis of AlGaAs quantum wires on vicinal (110)GaAs by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

Giant step structures consisting of coherently aligned multi-atomic steps were naturally formed during the molecular beam epitaxy growth of Al_0.5Ga_0.5As/GaAs superlattices (SLs) on vicinal (110)GaAs surfaces misoriented 6° toward (111)A. The growth of AlAs/Al_xGa_1−xAs/AlAs quantum wells (QWs) on the giant step structures realized Al_x0Ga_1−x0As (x₀<x) quantum wires (QWRs). We studied the giant step structures and the QWRs by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). TEM observations revealed that the QWRs were formed at the step edges. The cross sections of the QWRs were as small as 10 nm×20 nm and the lateral distances between them were about 0.15 μm. We clarified the roles of the SLs to form the coherent giant step structures. From EDX analysis, it was estimated that the AlAs composition in the Al_0.5Ga_0.5As layers varied from 0.5 (terrace) to 0.41 (step edge). In the AlAs/Al_xGa_1−xAs/AlAs QWs, the AlAs compositional modulation and the confinement by the AlAs barriers led to the embedded Al_x0Ga_1−x0As regions. These results supported the existence of the Al_x0Ga_1−x0As QWRs on the giant step structures.     

Design and optimisation of AlxGa1−xAs/AlyGa1−yAs multilayer structures for visible wavelength applications

Quantum wells with excitonic features in the visible wavelength range were designed using the Al_xGa_1−xAs/Al_yGa_1−yAs material system, and grown using low pressure metal organic vapour phase epitaxy. Characterisation of these quantum well samples was carried out by using photovoltaic spectroscopy, photoluminescence, differential reflectance or photoreflectance techniques. These measurements showed that excitonic absorption in the 520–630 nm range could be achieved using these AlGaAs quantum wells.     

Low dark current In0.53Ga0.47As/InP SAM avalanche photodiodes grown by gas-source MBE

In_0.53Ga_0.47As/InP avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with separate absorption and multiplication (SAM) regions have been grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (GSMBE). These mesa-structure diodes, with a mesa diameter of 150 μm, exhibit a very low dark current of 17 nA, and primary unmultiplied dark current of less than 1.0 nA at 90% of the breakdown voltage. A gain as high as 100 is observed near the breakdown. Good uniformities of punch-through voltage and breakdown voltage were obtained on a 16 mm×16 mm wafer. Also, a premature breakdown was observed in the In_0.53Ga_0.47As/InP SAM-APDs with a V-shaped defect density of 25,000 cm^-2.     

Surfactant-mediated molecular-beam epitaxy of III-V strained-layer heterostructures

In this review we first present the two classes of non-reactive and reactive surfactants effective during homoepitaxy and heteroepitaxy, respectively. We then describe and analyse the results obtained by "true" surfactant-mediated molecular-beam epitaxy (SM-MBE) of Ga_1−xIn_xAs layers on GaAs substrates. Then, the data obtained by using In as a "virtual" surfactant during SM-MBE of InAs layers on Al_xGa_0.48−xIn_0.52As/InP and GaAs substrates are presented. We finally provide evidence that the growth mode influences the resulting defect microstructure in (partially) relaxed layers.     

Phonon behavior and interfacial stress in the strained (InAs)m/(GaAs)n ultrathin superlattices

Phonon behavior in the strained (InAs)_m/(GaAs)_n ultrathin superlattices grown by molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated by means of Raman scattering spectroscopy. The phonon frequency in the GaAs layers shifts toward lower energy with increasing InAs layer thickness under fixed thickness of GaAs layers. The frequency in the InAs layers does not change significantly, as deduced from the behavior of the InAs-like mode in In_xGa_1−xAs alloys. These observed results are phenomenologically discussed on the basis of the combined effect of phonon confinement in the respective layer and stress at the alternating interfaces. Furthermore, a large softening of the phonon confined in the GaAs layers decreases the frequency gap, resulting in traveling of the optical phonons confined in both layers. The strain at the interfaces is estimated by an empirical method, i.e., by comparing the frequency in the superlattice and in the alloy of equivalent composition. In the In_xGa_1−xAs alloys, the composition dependence of the mode frequency is considered as being due to the local strain. The group III elements are considered to be in the local strain state from an extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis.     

Directional solidification of InxGa1−xAs

We have investigated a constitutional supercooling and segregation phenomena in In_xGa_1−xAs crystals unidirectionally solidified in a vertical system. The constitutional supercooling generates characteristic fluctuations of composition along the growth direction and this can be explained by a free nucleation ahead from the growth interface. The macroscopic compositional profiles of the grown crystals suggest that a transport of solute is mainly dominated by the diffusion. Such a growth mode is partly attributed to the difference in density between InAs and GaAs.     

High carbon doping of Ga1−xInxAs (x≈0.01) grown by molecular beam epitaxy

We have grown layers of Ga_1−xIn_xAs:C (x ≈ 0.01) on (100) GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy. As C source a graphite filament was used. Structures coherent with the substrate were obtained by adjusting properly the In and C concentrations. With simultaneous incorporation of In and C the strain is compensated and, consequently, the defect density is reduced. A maximum hole concentration value of p = 6×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ was achieved, which is twice higher than the saturation value of C doping of GaAs produced under the same conditions. There is evidence that this value is not in the saturation limit. The product of the hole density times the mobility increases, so the resistance decreases with higher C doping. Raman spectra show that the C_As peak broadens and shifts to lower frequencies for increasing concentration of indium. In H-passivated samples, Raman spectroscopy shows that C_As is surrounded by Ga atoms only. Indium atoms are thus present only in the second group III shell.     

Extremely flat interfaces in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells with high Al content(0.7) grown on GaAs (411)A substrates by molecular beam epitaxy

Effectively atomically flat interfaces over a macroscopic area (200 μm diameter) have been achieved in GaAs/Al_0.7Ga_0.3As quantum wells (QWs) with well widths of 3.6-12 nm grown on (411)A GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for the first time. A single and very narrow photoluminescence peak (FWHM, full width at half maximum, is 6.1 meV) was observed at 717.4 nm for the QW with a well width of 3.6 nm at 4.2 K. The linewidth is comparable to that of growth-interrupted QWs grown on (100)-oriented GaAs substrates by MBE. A 1.5 μm thick Al_0.7Ga_0.3As layer with good surface morphology also could be grown on (411)A GaAs substrates in the entire growth temperature region of 580-700°C, while rough surfaces were observed in Al_0.7Ga_0.3As layers simultaneously grown on (100) GaAs substrates at 640-700°C. These results indicate that the surface of GaAs and Al_0.7Ga_0.3As grown on the (411)A GaAs substrates are extremely flat and stable on the (411)A plane.     

Photoluminescence characterization of GaxIn1−xAs (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.32) strained quantum wells grown on InP by chemical beam epitaxy

We have investigated some characteristics of Ga_xIn_1−xAs/InP (x = 0, 0.2, 0.32) strained materials by growing multi-quantum wells with various well widths from 3 to 60 Å by chemical beam epitaxy. Growth conditions such as valve sequences and growth interruptions were optimised to have single-peaked photoluminescence spectra for all strained samples. Measured room temperature emission wavelengths were compared with theoretically estimated values. Photoluminescence linewidths were around 16 meV for most samples at 77 K, but broadened for well widths of less than 20 Å. Photoluminescence intensity also peaked at well width of 20 Å for all compositions. Performances of optical devices may be closely related to this “critical thickness” determined probably by the growth system limitation.     

Gettering properties of PrO2 in In0.53Ga0.47As LPE growth

Praseodymium oxide was used for the gettering of background impurities from the melt, during In_0.53Ga_0.47As/InP LPE growth. The low amount of PrO₂ in the growth solution enables one to prepare n-type In_0.53Ga_0.47As epitaxial layers with electron concentration in the range of 2 × 10¹⁴ to 2 × 10¹⁶ cm^-3 and electron mobilities of 11,000 and 8400 cm²/V·s, respectively. These results were achieved without long time baking of the melt; homogenization lasted only 1 h. The electrical parameters and photoluminescence spectra of the grown layers are presented.     

Role of the substrate deoxidation process in the growth of strained InAs/InP heterostructures

We have investigated the role of the arsenic flux used during the substrate deoxidation process in the MBE (molecular beam epitaxy) growth of strained InAs/InP heterostructures. Two different experiments were performed: (i) thermal cleaning of the InP wafer under an As flux at different exposure times and (ii) the growth of very thin InAs layers (3-9 ML). The samples grown were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and selected area X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results obtained demonstrated the formation of an InAs_xP_1−x sublayer at the interface of the InAs/InP system. The annealing of InP under an As flux promotes not only As → P substitution on the surface, but also the subsequent diffusion of As atoms into the deeper subsurface region of InP.     

Molecular beam epitaxy of GaSb/AlxGa1 − xSb quantum well structures

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is used to grow GaSb/Al_xGa_{1 − x}Sb quantum well (QW) structures on GaSb(001) substrates using both Sb₂ and Sb₄ molecules. While the optoelectronic properties of thick GaSb epitaxial layers are significantly affected by the type of molecule used, no influence is noted on the QW photoluminescence properties. It is shown that MBE allows a very precise and reproducible control of the QW structure parameters such as QW widths for which monolayer precision is obtained. Through the variation of the QW associated PL energy as a function of the growth temperature, the occurrence of a surface segregation-like phenomenon is evidenced. However, this effect is rather weak so that a good estimation of the valence band offset through the PL energy variation with the QW width can be made. Moreover, the QW width for which the Γ-L crossover occurs is very precisely determined.     

Quantum transport measurements on Si δ- and slab-doped In0.53Ga0.47As grown by molecular beam epitaxy

A series of high quality δ-doped In_0.53Ga_0.47As samples have been grown lattice matched to InP with design doping densities in the range 2×10¹² to 5×10¹² cm⁻². Analysis of the individual sub-band densities deduced from the Shubnikov-De Haas effect shows that both spreading and amphoteric behaviour increase with doping density.