Growth of GaSb layers on GaAs (001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy

GaSb 1 mu m-thick layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs (001). The effects of the growth conditions on the crystalline quality, surface morphology, electrical properties and optical properties were studied by double crystalline x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Hall measurement and photoluminescence spectroscopy, respectively. It was found that the surface roughness and hole mobility are highly dependent on the antimony-to-gallium flux ratios and growth temperatures. The crystalline quality, electrical properties and optical properties of GaSb layers were also studied as functions of growth rate, and it was found that a suitably low growth rate is beneficial for the crystalline quality and electrical and optical properties. Better crystal quality GaSb layers with a minimum root mean square surface roughness of 0.1 nm and good optical properties were obtained at a growth rate of 0.25 mu m h(-1).

The effects of LT AlN buffer thickness on the optical properties of AlGaN grown by MOCVD and Al composition inhomogeneity analysis

We have investigated the growth of AlGaN epilayers on a sapphire substrate by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition using various low-temperature ( LT) AlN buffer thicknesses. Combined scanning electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence investigations reveal the correlation between the surface morphology and optical properties of AlGaN films in a microscopic scale. It is found that the suitable thickness of the LT AlN buffer for high quality AlGaN growth is around 20 nm. The Al compositional inhomogeneity of the AlGaN epilayer is attributed to the low lateral mobility of Al adatoms on the growing surface.

Comparison of two kinds of active layers for high-power narrow-stripe distributed feedback laser diodes

Usually GaAs/AlGaAs is utilized as an active layer material in laser diodes operating in the spectral range of 800 850 nm. In this work, in addition to a traditional unstrained GaAs/AlGaAs distributed feedback (DFB) laser diode, a compressively strained InGaAlAs/AlGaAs DFB laser diode is numerically investigated in characteristic. The simulation results show that the compressively strained DFB laser diode has a lower transparency carrier density, higher gain, lower Auger recombination rate, and higher stimulated recombination rate, which lead to better a device performance, than the traditional unstrained GaAs/AlGaAs DFB laser diode.

Exciton spin splitting in ultrathin InAs layers

Unique spin splitting behaviors in ultrathin InAs layers, which show very different spin splitting characteristics between the InAs monolayer (ML) and submonolayer (SML) have been observed. While distinct spin splitting is observed in an InAs ML, no visible spin splitting is found in a 1/3 ML InAs SML. In addition, the spin relaxation time in the 1/3 ML InAs is found to be much longer than that in the 1 ML sample. These results are in good agreement with the theoretical prediction that the interexcitonic exchange interaction plays a dominant role in energy splitting, while the intraexciton exchange interaction controls the spin relaxation. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

Correlation between optical and structural properties of (Al,Ga)N layers grown by MOCVD

For both, (Al,Ga)N with low Al content grown on a GaN nucleation layer and (AI,Ga)N with high Al content gown on an AlN nucleation layer, the inhomogeneous distribution of the luminescence is linked to the distribution of defects, which may be due to inversion domains. In the former system, defect regions exhibit a much lower Al content than the nominal one leading to a splitting of the respective luminescence spectra. In the latter system, a domain-like growth is observed with a pyramidal surface morphology and non-radiative recombination within the domain boundaries. (c) 2007 WILEYNCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Strain-induced anodization of SiGe/Si multiple layers to form high density SiGe/Si heterogeneous nanorods

Nation Natural Science Foundation of China 50672079 60676027 60837001 60776007; National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) 2007CB613404; China-MOST International Sci & Tech Cooperation and Exchange 2008DFA51230

The effects of LT AlN buffer thickness on the properties of high Al composition AlGaN epilayers

To fabricate nitride-based ultraviolet optoelectronic devices, a deposition process for high-Al-composition AlGaN (Al content > 50%) films with reduced dislocation densities must be developed. This paper describes the growth of high-Al-composition AlGaN film on (0001) sapphire via a LT AIN nucleation layer by low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (LPMOCVD). The influence of the low temperature AIN buffer layer thickness on the high-Al-content AlGaN epilayer is investigated by triple-axis X-ray diffraction (TAXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical transmittance. The results show that the buffer thickness is a key parameter that affects the quality of the AlGaN epilayer. An appropriate thickness results in the best structural properties and surface morphology. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoluminescence from C+ ion-implanted and electrochemical etched Si layers

The microstructural and optical analysis of Si layers emitting blue luminescence at about 431 nm is reported. These structures have been synthesized by C+ ion implantation and high-temperature annealing in hydrogen atmosphere and electrochemical etching sequentially. With the increasing etching time, the intensity of the blue peak increases at first, decreases then and is substituted by a new red peak at 716 nm at last, which shows characteristics of the emission of porous silicon. C=O compounds are induced during C+ implantation and nanometer silicon with embedded structure is formed during annealing, which contributes to the blue emission. The possible mechanism of photoluminescence is presented. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two opposite gradients of hole density in as-grown and annealed (Ga,Mn)As layers

The depth distribution of the hole density p in 500 nm-thick (Ga,Mn)As layers is investigated. From Raman scattering spectra, it is found that the gradients of p are opposite in the as-grown and annealed layers. At the region around the free surface, with increasing etching depth, p significantly increases in the as-grown layer; however, p decreases distinctly in the annealed layer. Then, in the bulk, p becomes almost homogeneous for both cases. The etching-depth dependence of Curie temperature obtained from magnetic measurements is in agreement with the distribution characterization of p. These results suggest that annealing induces outdiffusion of Mn interstitials towards the free surface, and incomplete outdiffusion during the growth leads to an accumulation of Mn interstitials around the free surface of the as-grown (Ga,Mn)As. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MBE InAs quantum dots grown on metamorphic InGaAs for long wavelength emitting

GaAs-based InAs quantum dots using InGaAs composition-graded metamorphic layers have been investigated by molecular beam epitaxy. Emission with the wavelength similar to 1.5 mu m from the dots was obtained at room temperature with the relatively large full width at half maximum. The emission wavelength is relatively stable when subjected to fast annealing. The number density of dots reached similar to 6 x 10(10) cm(-2). Undulated morphology was observed on the surface of the sample, which has some influence on the dot size and distribution. In epilayers, misfit dislocations were confined within the step-graded InGaAs metamorphic buffer layer. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strain evolution in GaN layers grown on high-temperature AlN interlayers

The strain evolution of the GaN layer grown on a high-temperature AlN interlayer with GaN template by metal organic chemical vapor deposition is investigated. It is found that the layer is initially under compressive strain and then gradually relaxes and transforms to under tensile strain with increasing film thickness. The result of the in situ stress analysis is confirmed by x-ray diffraction measurements. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that the inclination of edge and mixed threading dislocations rather than the reduction of dislocation density mainly accounts for such a strain evolution. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Influence of GaAsP insertion layers on performance of InGaAsP/InGaP/AlGaAs quantum-well laser

We report on the use of very thin GaAsP insertion layers to improve the performance of an InGaAsP/InGaP/AlGaAs single quantum-well laser structure grown by metal organic chemical vapour deposition. Compared to the non-insertion structure, the full width at half maximum of photoluminescence spectrum of the insertion structure measured at room temperature is decreased from 47 to 38 nm indicating sharper interfaces. X-ray diffraction shows that the GaAsP insertion layers between AlGaAs and InGaP compensates for the compressive strain to improve the total interface. The laser performance of the insertion structure is significantly improved as compared with the counterpart without the insertion layers. The threshold current is decreased from 560 to 450mA while the slope efficiency is increased from 0.61 to 0.7W/A and the output power is increased from 370 to 940mW. The slope efficiency improved is very high for the devices without coated facets. The improved laser performance is attributed to the suppression of indium carry-over due to the use of the GaAsP insertion layers.

Reduction of dislocations in GaN epilayer grown on Si (111) substrates using a GaN intermedial layer

GaN intermedial layers grown under different pressures are inserted between GaN epilayers and AlN/Si(111) substrates. In situ optical reflectivity measurements show that a transition from the three-dimensional (3D) mode to the 2D one occurs during the GaN epilayer growth when a higher growth pressure is used during the preceding GaN intermedial layer growth, and an improvement of the crystalline quality of GaN epilayer will be made. Combining the in situ reflectivity and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements, it is suggested that the lateral growth at the transition of growth mode is favourable for bending of dislocation lines, thus reducing the density of threading dislocations in the epilayer.

Evolution of mosaic structure in InN grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Mosaic structure in InN layers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition at various temperatures has been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). With a combination of Williamson-Hall measurement and fitting of twist angles, it was found that variation of growth temperature from 450 to 550 degrees C leads to the variation of the lateral coherence length, vertical coherence length, tilt and twist of mosaic blocks in InN films in a, respectively, monotonic way. In particular, mosaic tilt increases whereas mosaic twist decreases with elevating temperature. Atomic force microscopy shows the morphological difference of the InN nucleation layers grown at 450 and 550 degrees C. Different coalescence thickness and temperature-dependent in-plane rotation of InN nuclei are considered to account for the XRD results. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morphological defects and uniformity issues of 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers grown on off-oriented (0001)Si faces

The morphological defects and uniformity of 4H-SiC epilayers grown by hot wall CVD at 1500 degrees C on off-oriented (0001) Si faces are characterized by atomic force microscope, Nomarski optical microscopy, and Micro-Raman spectroscopy. Typical morphological defects including triangular defects, wavy steps, round pits, and groove defects are observed in mirror-like SiC epilayers. The preparation of the substrate surface is necessary for the growth of high-quality 4H-SiC epitaxial layers with low-surface defect density under optimized growth conditions. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.