In situ control of Si(100) and Ge(100) surface preparation for the heteroepitaxy of III-V solar cell architectures

Si(100) and Ge(100) substrates essential for subsequent III-V integration were studied in the hydrogen ambient of a metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy reactor. Reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) enabled us to distinguish characteristic configurations of vicinal Si(100) in situ: covered with oxide, cleaned by thermal removing in H2, and terminated with monohydrides when cooling in H2 ambient. RAS measurements during cooling in H2 ambient after the oxide removal process revealed a transition from the clean to the monohydride terminated Si(100) surface dependent on process temperature. For vicinal Ge(100) we observed a characteristic RA spectrum after annealing and cooling in H2 ambient. According to results from X-ray photo electron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy the spectrum corresponds to the monohydride terminated Ge(100) surface.

Nucleation and growth evolution of InP dots on InGaP/GaAs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Near infrared high efficiency InAs/GaAsSb QDLEDs: band alignment and carrier recombination mechanisms

The development of high efficiency laser diodes (LD) and light emitting diodes (LED) covering the 1.0 to 1.55 μm region of the spectra using GaAs heteroepitaxy has been long pursued. Due to the lack of materials that can be grown lattice-macthed to GaAs with bandgaps in the 1.0 to 1.55 μm region, quantum wells (QW) or quantum dots (QD) need be used. The most successful approach with QWs has been to use InGaAs, but one needs to add another element, such as N, to be able to reach 1.3/1.5μm. Even though LDs have been successfully demonstrated with the QW approach, using N leads to problems with compositional homogeneity across the wafer, and limited efficiency due to strong non-radiative recombination. The alternative approach of using InAs QDs is an attractive option, but once again, to reach the longest wavelengths one needs very large QDs and control over the size distribution and band alignment. In this work we demonstrate InAs/GaAsSb QDLEDs with high efficiencies, emitting from 1.1 to 1.52 μm, and we analyze the band alignment and carrier loss mechanisms that result from the presence of Sb in the capping layer.

Influence of PH3 exposure on silicon substrate morphology in the MOVPE growth of III-V on silicon multijunction solar cells

Dual-junction solar cells formed by a GaAsP or GaInP top cell and a silicon bottom cell seem to be attractive candidates to materialize the long sought-for integration of III-V materials on silicon for photovoltaic applications. One of the first issues to be considered in the development of this structure will be the strategy to create the silicon emitter of the bottom subcell. In this study, we explore the possibility of forming the silicon emitter by phosphorus diffusion (i.e. exposing the wafer to PH3 in a MOVPE reactor) and still obtain good surface morphologies to achieve a successful III-V heteroepitaxy as occurs in conventional III-V on germanium solar cell technology. Consequently, we explore the parameter space (PH3 partial pressure, time and temperature) that is needed to create optimized emitter designs and assess the impact of such treatments on surface morphology using atomic force microscopy. Although a strong degradation of surface morphology caused by prolonged exposure of silicon to PH3 is corroborated, it is also shown that subsequent anneals under H-2 can recover silicon surface morphology and minimize its RMS roughness and the presence of pits and spikes.

In situ control of the GE(100)surface domain structure for III-V multijunction solar cells

Vicinal Ge(100) is the common substrate for state of the art multi-junction solar cells grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). While triple junction solar cells based on Ge(100) present efficiencies mayor que 40%, little is known about the microscopic III-V/Ge(100) nucleation and its interface formation. A suitable Ge(100) surface preparation prior to heteroepitaxy is crucial to achieve low defect densities in the III-V epilayers. Formation of single domain surfaces with double layer steps is required to avoid anti-phase domains in the III-V films. The step formation processes in MOVPE environment strongly depends on the major process parameters such as substrate temperature, H2 partial pressure, group V precursors [1], and reactor conditions. Detailed investigation of these processes on the Ge(100) surface by ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) based standard surface science tools are complicated due to the presence of H2 process gas. However, in situ surface characterization by reflection anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) allowed us to study the MOVPE preparation of Ge(100) surfaces directly in dependence on the relevant process parameters [2, 3, 4]. A contamination free MOVPE to UHV transfer system [5] enabled correlation of the RA spectra to results from UHV-based surface science tools. In this paper, we established the characteristic RA spectra of vicinal Ge(100) surfaces terminated with monohydrides, arsenic and phosphorous. RAS enabled in situ control of oxide removal, H2 interaction and domain formation during MOVPE preparation.

Tuning the functional properties of Silicon Carbide Thin Film and Nanowires

The present thesis has been devoted to the synthesis and investigation of functional properties of silicon carbide thin films and nanowires. The work took profit from the experience of the research group in the synthesis of 3C-SiC from vapour phase. 3C-SiC thin films Thin films heteroepitaxy on silicon substrates was carried out in a vapour phase epitaxy reactor. The initial efforts were committed to the process development in order to enhance the crystal quality of the epi-layer. The carbonization process and a buffer layer procedure were optimized in order to obtain good quality monocrystalline 3C-SiC layers. The films characterization was used not only to improve the entire process, but also to assess the crystalline quality and to identify the defects. Methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) was introduced during the synthesis to increase the growth rate and enhance crystalline quality. The effect of synthesis parameters such as MTS flow and process temperature was studied in order to promote defect density reduction and the release of the strain due to lattice mismatch between 3C-SiC and silicon substrate. In-growth n-type doping was implemented using a nitrogen gas line and the effect of different synthesis parameters on doping level was studied. Raman measurements allowed a contactless characterization and evaluation of electrically active dopant. The effect of MTS on nitrogen incorporation was investigated and a promotion of dopant concentration together with a higher growth rate were demonstrated. This result allows to obtain higher doping concentrations without deteriorating crystal quality in 3C-SiC and, to the best of our knowledge, it has never been demonstrated before. 3C-SiC nanowires Core-shell SiC-SiO2 nanowires were synthesized using a chemical vapour deposition technique in an open tube configuration reactor on silicon substrates. Metal catalyst were used to promote a uniaxial growth and a dense bundle of nanowires 100 µm long and 60 nm thick was obtained. Substrate preparation was found to be fundamental in order to obtain a uniform nanowire density. Morphological characterization was carried out using scanning electron microscopy and the analysis of structural, compositional, optical properties is reported.

Seed layer technique for high quality epitaxial manganite films

We introduce an innovative approach to the simultaneous control of growth mode and magnetotransport properties of manganite thin films, based on an easy-to-implement film/substrate interface engineering. The deposition of a manganite seed layer and the optimization of the substrate temperature allows a persistent bi-dimensional epitaxy and robust ferromagnetic properties at the same time. Structural measurements confirm that in such interface-engineered films, the optimal properties are related to improved epitaxy. A new growth scenario is envisaged, compatible with a shift from heteroepitaxy towards pseudo-homoepitaxy. Relevant growth parameters such as formation energy, roughening temperature, strain profile and chemical states are derived.