Doping during low-temperature growth of materials for n-p-n Si/SiGe/Si heterojuction bipolar transistor by gas source molecular beam epitaxy

In situ doping for growth of n-p-n Si/SiGe/Si heterojuction bipolar transistor (HBT) structural materials in Si gas source molecular beam epitaxy is investigated. We studied high n-type doping kinetics in Si growth using disilane and phosphine, and p-type doping in SiGe growth using disilane, soild-Ge, and diborane with an emphasis on the effect of Ge on B incorporation. Based on these results, in situ growth of n-p-n Si/SiGe/Si HBT device structure is demonstrated with designed structural and carrier profiles, as verified from characterizations by X-ray diffraction, and spreading resistance profiling analysis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth mode and strain relaxation of InAs on InP (111)A grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Growth mode and strain relaxation of molecular-beam-epitaxy grown InAs/InAlAs/InP (111)A system have been investigated using reflection high-energy electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and photoluminescence measurements. In direct contrast to the well-studied InAs/GaAs system, our experimental results show that the InAs grown on InAlAs/InP (111)A follows the Stranski-Krastanov mode. Both self-organized InAs quantum dots and relaxed InAs islands are formed depending on the InAs coverage. Intense luminescence signals from both the InAs quantum dots and wetting layer are observed. The luminescence efficiency of (111)A samples is comparable to that of (001) samples, suggesting the feasibility of fabricating quantum dot optoelectronic devices on InP (111)A surfaces. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)01010-4].

Gas source molecular beam epitaxy and thermal stability of Si1-xGex/Si superlattice materials

Gas source molecular beam epitaxy has been used to grow Si1-xGex alloys and Si1-xGex/Si multi-quantum wells (MQWs) on (100) Si substrates with Si2H6 and GeH4 as sources. Heterostructures and MQWs with mirror-like surface morphology, good crystalline qualify, and abrupt interfaces have been studied by a variety of in situ and ex situ techniques. The structural stability and strain relaxation in Si1-xGex/Si heterostructures have been investigated, and compared to that in the As ion-implanted Si1-xGex epilayers. The results show that the strain relaxation mechanism of the non-implanted Si1-xGex epilayers is different from that of the As ion-implanted Si1-xGex epilayers.

CONVERGENT-BEAM ELECTRON-DIFFRACTION STUDY OF GE0.5SI0.5/SI STRAINED-LAYER SUPERLATTICES GROWN BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY

Side bands due to purely composition and combined composition-strain modulation in plan-view specimens of a nominally Ge0.5Si0.5(5nm)/Si(25nm) superlattice have been obtained by large-angle convergent-beam electron diffraction. The intensities of the side bands have been calculated from a periodic tension-compression model of the superlattice bilayer using the kinematical theory of electron diffraction. Accurate values of elastic strains in the bilayer and of the Ge content can be obtained in this way.

Deep electron states in n-type Al-doped ZnS1-xTex grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Capacitance-voltage, photoluminescence (PL), and deep level transient spectroscopy techniques were used to investigate deep electron states in n-type Al-doped ZnS1-xTex epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The integrated intensity of the PL spectra obtained from Al-doped ZnS0.977Te0.023 is lower than that of undoped ZnS0.977Te0.023, indicating that some of the Al atoms form nonradiative deep traps. Deep level transient Fourier spectroscopy (DLTFS) spectra of the Al-doped ZnS1-xTex (x=0, 0.017, 0.04, and 0.046, respectively) epilayers reveal that Al doping leads to the formation of two electron traps 0.21 and 0.39 eV below the conduction band. DLTFS results suggest that in addition to the roles of Te as a component of the alloy as well as isoelectronic centers, Te is also involved in the formation of an electron trap, whose energy level with respect to the conduction band decreases as Te composition increases. Our results show that only a small fraction of Al atoms forms nonradiative deep defects, indicating clearly that Al is indeed a very good donor impurity for ZnS1-xTex epilayers in the range of Te composition being studied in this work. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(97)08421-1].

Characterization of deep centers in AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs pseudomorphic HEMT structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy and hydrogen treatment

In AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs PM-HEMT structures, the characterization of deep centers, the degradation in electrical and optical properties and their effects on electrical performance of the PM-HEMTs have been investigated by DLTS, SIMS, PL and conventional van der Pauw techniques. The experimental results confirm that the deep level centers correlate strongly with the oxygen content in the AlGaAs layer, the PL response of PM-HEMTs, and the electrical performance of the PM-HEMTs. Hydrogen plasma treatment was used to passivate/annihilate these centers, and the effects of hydrogenation were examined.

Observation of deep electron states in n-type Al-doped ZnS1-xTex grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) technique was used to investigate deep electron states in n-type Al-doped ZnS1-xTex epilayers grown by molecular fiction epitaxy (MBE), Deep level transient Fourier spectroscopy (DLTFS) spectra of the Al-doped ZnS1-xTex (x = 0. 0.017, 0.04 and 0.046. respectively) epilayers reveal that At doping leads to the formation of two electron traps at 0.21 and 0.39 eV below the conduction hand. 1)DLTFS results suggest that in addition to the rules of Te as a component of [lie alloy as well as isoelectronic centers, Te is also involved in the formation of all electron trip, whose energy level relative to the conduction hand decreases a, Te composition increases.

Gas source molecular beam epitaxy and thermal stability of Si1-xGex/Si superlattice materials

Gas source molecular beam epitaxy has been used to grow Si1-xGex alloys and Si1-xGex/Si multi-quantum wells (MQWs) on (100) Si substrates with Si2H6 and GeH4 as sources. Heterostructures and MQWs with mirror-like surface morphology, good crystalline qualify, and abrupt interfaces have been studied by a variety of in situ and ex situ techniques. The structural stability and strain relaxation in Si1-xGex/Si heterostructures have been investigated, and compared to that in the As ion-implanted Si1-xGex epilayers. The results show that the strain relaxation mechanism of the non-implanted Si1-xGex epilayers is different from that of the As ion-implanted Si1-xGex epilayers.

Droplet Epitaxy of InN Quantum Dots on Si(111) by RF Plasma-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy

InN quantum dots (QDs) were fabricated on Si(111) substrate by droplet epitaxy using an RF plasma-assisted MBE system. Variation of the growth parameters, such as growth temperature and deposition time, allowed us to control the characteristic size and density of the QDs. As the growth temperature was increased from 100 C to 300 degrees C, an enlargement of QD size and a drop in dot density were observed, which was led by the limitation of surface diffusion of adatoms with the limited thermal energy. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to assess the QDs size and density. The chemical bonding configurations of InN QDs were examined by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of the deposited InN QDs shows the presence of In-N bond. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements showed that the emission peak energies of the InN QDs are sensitive to temperature and show a strong peak emission at 0.79 eV.

Self-assembled flower-like nanostructures of InN and GaN grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Nanosized hexagonal InN flower-like structures were fabricated by droplet epitaxy on GaN/Si(111) and GaN flower-like nanostructure fabricated directly on Si(111) substrate using radio frequency plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study the crystallinity and morphology of the nanostructures. Moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and photoluminescence (PL) were used to investigate the chemical compositions and optical properties of nano-flowers, respectively. Activation energy of free exciton transitions in GaN nano-flowers was derived to be similar to 28.5 meV from the temperature dependent PL studies. The formation process of nano-flowers is investigated and a qualitative mechanism is proposed.

Structural and optical properties of nonpolar (11-20) a-plane GaN grown on (1-102) r-plane sapphire substrate by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

We report the structural and optical properties of a-plane GaN film grown on r-plane sapphire substrate by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. High resolution X-ray diffraction was used to determine the out-of-plane and in-plane epitaxial relation of a-plane GaN to r-plane sapphire. Low-temperature photoluminescence emission was found to be dominated by basal stacking faults along with near-band emission. Raman spectroscopy shows that the a-GaN film is of reasonably good quality and compressively strained. (C) 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indium Nitride Nanometric-Objects on c-Sapphire Grown by Plasma-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy

The indium nitride (InN)-based nanometric-objects were grown directly on a c-sapphire substrate by using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) at different substrate temperatures. High resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) reveals the InN (0002) reflection and full width at half maximum (FWHM) found to be decreased with increasing the growth temperature. The size, height and density of the grown nanometric-objects studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has remarkable differences, evidencing the decisive role of substrate temperature. Photoluminescence (PL) studies revealed that the emission energy is shifted towards the higher side from the bulk value, i.e., a blue shift in the PL spectra was observed. The temperature dependence of the PL peak position shows an ``S-shaped'' emission energy shift, which can be attributed to the localization of carriers in the nanometric-objects.

Substrate nitridation induced modulations in transport properties of wurtzite GaN/p-Si (100) heterojunctions grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Phase pure wurtzite GaN films were grown on Si (100) substrates by introducing a silicon nitride layer followed by low temperature GaN growth as buffer layers. GaN films grown directly on Si (100) were found to be phase mixtured, containing both cubic (beta) and hexagonal (alpha) modifications. The x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy studies reveal that the significant enhancement in the structural as well as in the optical properties of GaN films grown with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 800 degrees C when compared to the samples grown in the absence of silicon nitride buffer layer and with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 600 degrees C. Core-level photoelectron spectroscopy of Si(x)N(y) layers reveals the sources for superior qualities of GaN epilayers grown with the high temperature substrate nitridation process. The discussion has been carried out on the typical inverted rectification behavior exhibited by n-GaN/p-Si heterojunctions. Considerable modulation in the transport mechanism was observed with the nitridation conditions. The heterojunction fabricated with the sample of substrate nitridation at high temperature exhibited superior rectifying nature with reduced trap concentrations. Lowest ideality factors (similar to 1.5) were observed in the heterojunctions grown with high temperature substrate nitridation which is attributed to the recombination tunneling at the space charge region transport mechanism at lower voltages and at higher voltages space charge limited current conduction is the dominating transport mechanism. Whereas, thermally generated carrier tunneling and recombination tunneling are the dominating transport mechanisms in the heterojunctions grown without substrate nitridation and low temperature substrate nitridation, respectively. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3658867]

Size dependent bandgap of molecular beam epitaxy grown InN quantum dots measured by scanning tunneling spectroscopy

InN quantum dots (QDs) were grown on Si (111) by epitaxial Stranski-Krastanow growth mode using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Single-crystalline wurtzite structure of InN QDs was verified by the x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Scanning tunneling microscopy has been used to probe the structural aspects of QDs. A surface bandgap of InN QDs was estimated from scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) I-V curves and found that it is strongly dependent on the size of QDs. The observed size-dependent STS bandgap energy shifts with diameter and height were theoretical explained based on an effective mass approximation with finite-depth square-well potential model.

Valence band offset at GaN/beta-Si3N4 and beta-Si3N4/Si(111) heterojunctions formed by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Ultra thin films of pure beta-Si3N4 (0001) were grown on Si (111) surface by exposing the surface to radio- frequency nitrogen plasma with a high content of nitrogen atoms. Using beta-Si3N4 layer as a buffer layer, GaN epilayers were grown on Si (111) substrate by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The valence band offset (VBO) of GaN/beta-Si3N4/ Si heterojunctions is determined by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The VBO at the beta-Si3N4 /Si interface was determined by valence-band photoelectron spectra to be 1.84 eV. The valence band of GaN is found to be 0.41 +/- 0.05 eV below that of beta-Si3N4 and a type-II heterojunction. The conduction band offset was deduced to be similar to 2.36 eV, and a change of the interface dipole of 1.29 eV was observed for GaN/ beta-Si3N4 interface formation. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.