The effects of laser irradiation on InGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum wells grown by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy

We studied the effects of Ar ion laser irradiation during the growth of InGaAs/ GaAs multiple quantum wells (MQW) structures by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy. Structural and optical properties were characterized by Nomarski microscopy, Dektak stylus profiler, and low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements. For MQW structures grown at a relatively low substrate temperature (500°C), the laser irradiation influences greatly the growth process of the In^Ga^^As well and results in a large blue shift of about 2000à in the PL peak. Such a large blue shift suggests that laser modification during growth could have some novel applications in optoelectronics. On the other hand, the laser irradiation has relatively small effects on samples grown at a higher substrate temperature (550°C).     

Interdiffusion and relaxation in metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy grown InGaAs/GaAs strained layer quantum wells

Low pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy grown strained InGaAs/GaAs quantum well structures have been characterized by photoluminescence and x-ray diffraction. It is shown that beyond the pseudomorphic limit, these structures show considerable gallium/indium interdiffusion at the interfaces and partial strain relaxation in the quantum well layers.     

Interfaces of InAsP/InP multiple quantum wells grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

We present results of the growth of InAs_xP_1−x/InP strained heterostructures by low pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. A large incorporation of arsenic into the InAsP ternary was observed using tertiarylbutylarsine as precursor. High resolution x-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, and optical absorption measurements for InAsP/InP strained multiple quantum wells reveal that the InAsP/InP interface is very sensitive to growth interruption. A systematic study of a growth in terruption sequence designed to improve the InAs/InP interface was carried out. For nonoptimal growth interruption procedures a large density of interface states is created, probably as a consequence of compositional modifications within the interface region. We find that the absorption spectrum may reveal a significant density of interface states. Thus, photoluminescence on its own is insufficient to characterize the interface roughness even for structures showing narrow low-temperature photoluminescence peaks. We also observe an enhancement of the As content for structures grown on InP (001) relative to those simultaneously grown on InP(001) two degrees off toward [100], which suggests that the composition of As in the ternary is limited by its surface diffusion.     

Optical properties and recombination mechanisms in GaN and GaN:Mg grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Photoluminescence (PL) and reflection spectra of undoped and Mg-doped GaN single layers grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) were investigated in a wide range of temperatures, excitation intensities, and doping levels. The undoped layers show n-type conductivity (μ=400 cm²/Vs, n=3×10¹⁷ cm⁻³). After annealing at T=600–700°C, the Mg-doped layers showed p-type conductivity determined by the potential-profiling technique. A small value of the full width at half maximum (FWHM=2.8 meV) of the excitonic emission and a high ratio between excitonic and deep level emission (≈5300) are evidences of the high layer quality. Two donor centers with activation energies of 35 and 22 meV were observed in undoped layers. A fine structure of the PL band with two narrow lines in the spectral range of the donor-acceptor pair (DAP) recombination was found in undoped layers. An anomaly was established in the temperature behavior of two groups of PL lines in the acceptor-bound exciton and in donor-acceptor pair regions in Mg doped layers. The lower energy line quenched with increasing temperature appreciably faster than the high energy ones. Our data does not agree with the DAP recombination model. It suggests that new approaches are required to explain the recombination mechanisms in undoped and Mg-doped GaN epitaxial layers.     

Photoluminescence characteristics and pit formation of InGaN/GaN quantum-well structures grown on sapphire substrates by low-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

We have examined how a growth interruption, caused by closing group-III sources, affects the crystalline quality of InGaN/GaN quantum-well (QW) structures grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. The QW samples were characterized by their photoluminescence (PL), and by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) microanalysis. The PL peak wavelength was strongly dependent on the duration of the growth interruption and on the number of QW layers. AFM measurements revealed that the size of the open hexagonally shaped pits in the QW structures increased dramatically as the interruption duration was lengthened. Through TEM and EDX microanalysis, we found that the formation of these hexahedronal pits, formed due to the growth interruption, causes a large fluctuation in the In composition, especially around the pits, and the presence of such pits in an underlying QW layer strongly affects the In incorporation into the upper QW layers, leading to significant growth-rate variation in an InGaN QW layer and red-shifting of the PL spectra when a multiple-QW structure is grown.     

ZnMgSSe/ZnSSe/ZnSe-heterostructures grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

ZnMgSSe heterostructures have been grown in a low-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy system with the precursors dimethylzinc triethylamine, ditertiarybutylselenide, tertiarybutylthiol, and biscyclopentadienylmagnesium at 330°C and a total pressure of 400 hPa. The optimization of the single layers was carried out by means of low temperature photoluminescence. Only the near band edge emission was observable with negligible deep levels. The heterostructures consisting of a triple ZnSe quantum well showed intense luminescence which hints at an effective carrier confinement. Scanning transmission electron microscopy investigations of the heterostructures still showed structural detects since the layers were not lattice matched to the GaAs substrate yet.     

The effect of built-in electric field in GaN/AlGaN quantum wells with high AIN mole fraction

Spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization in hexagonal GaN/AlGaN heterostructures give rise to large built-in electric fields. The effect of the builtin electric field in GaN/Al_xGa_1−xN quantum wells was investigated for x=0.2 to 0.8 by photoluminescence studies. The quantum well structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (0001) sapphire substrates. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy performed on the samples revealed abrupt interfaces and uniform layer thicknesses. The low temperature (4 K) photoluminescence peaks were progressively red-shifted due to the quantum confined Stark effect depending on the AlN mole fraction in the barriers and the thickness of the GaN quantum well. Our results verify the existence of very large built-in electric fields of up to 5 MV/cm in GaN/Al_0.8Ga_0.2N quantum wells.     

Lateral epitaxial overgrowth of GaN films on SiO2 areas via metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Lateral epitaxial growth and coalescence of GaN regions over SiO₂ masks previously deposited on GaN/AlN/6H-SiC(0001) substrates and containing 3 μm wide rectangular windows spaced 7 μm apart have been achieved. The extent and microstructural characteristics of these regions of lateral overgrowth were a complex function of stripe orientation, growth temperature, and triethylgallium (TEG) flow rate. The most successful growths were obtained from stripes oriented along 〈1 00〉 at 1100°C and a TEG flow rate of 26 μmol/min. A density of ∼10⁹ cm⁻² threading dislocations, originating from the underlying GaN/AlN interface, were contained in the GaN grown in the window regions. The overgrowth regions, by contrast, contained a very low density of dislocations. The surfaces of the coalesced layers had a terrace structure and an average root mean square roughness of 0.26 nm.     

Structural study of GaN grown on (001) GaAs by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy

Detailed transmission electron microscope (TEM) and transmission electron diffraction (TED) examination has been performed on organometallic vapor phase epitaxial GaN layers grown on (001) GaAs substrate to investigate microstructures and phase stability. TED and TEM results exhibit the occurrence of a mixed phase of GaN. The wurtzite (α) phase grains are embedded in the zinc-blende (β) phase matrix. It is shown that there are two types of the wurtzite GaN phase, namely, the epitaxial wurtzite and the tilted wurtzite. The tilted wurtzite grains are rotated some degrees ranging from ∼5° to ∼35° regarding the GaAs substrate. A simple model is presented to describe the occurrence of the mixed phases and the two types of the wurtzite phase.     

Analysis of reactor geometry and diluent gas flow effects on the metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy of AIN and GaN thin films on α(6H)-SiC substrates

The influence of diluent gas on the metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy of AlN and GaN thin films has been investigated. A computational fluid dynamics model using the finite element method was employed to improve film uniformity and to analyze transport phenomena. The properties of AlN and GaN thin films grown on α(6H)-SiC(0001) substrates in H₂ and N₂ diluent gas environments were evaluated. Thin films of AlN grown in H₂ and N₂ had root mean square (rms) roughness values of 1.5 and 1.8 nm, respectively. The surface and defect microstructures of the GaN thin films, observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, respectively, were very similar for both diluents. Low temperature (12K) photoluminescence measurements of GaN films grown in N₂ had peak intensities and full widths at half maximum equal to or better than those films grown in H₂. A room temperature Hall mobility of 275 cm²/V·s was measured on 1 μm thick, Si-doped, n-type (1×10¹⁷ cm⁻³) GaN films grown in N₂. Acceptor-type behavior of Mg-doped GaN films deposited in N₂ was repeatably obtained without post-growth annealing, in contrast to similar films grown in H₂. The GaN growth rates were ∼30% higher when H₂ was used as the diluent. The measured differences in the growth rates of AlN and GaN films in H₂ and N₂ was attributed to the different transport properties of these mixtures, and agreed well with the computer model predictions. Nitrogen is shown to be a feasible alternative diluent to hydrogen for the growth of AlN and GaN thin films.     

Deep level transient spectroscopy assessment of silicon contamination in AlGaAs layers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

A systematic silicon contamination has been detected by deep level transient spectroscopy in undoped and n-type doped (Te, Se, Sn) AlGaAs layers, grown in two different metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy reactors. DX center generation by substitutional donors, with very specific capture and emission thermal barriers (fingerprints), is the key to unambiguously identifying their presence, with detection limits well below the standard secondary ion mass spectroscopy capability. We comment on the potential sources of Si contamination (most common in this epitaxial technique), and on the relevance of such contamination to interpreting correctly experimental data related to the microscopic structure of DX centers.     

Structural properties of ZnSy Se1−yZnSe/GaAs (001) heterostructures grown by photoassisted metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

ZnS_ySe_1−yZnSe/GaAs (001) heterostructures have been grown by photoassisted metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy, using the sources dimethylzinc, dimethylselenium, diethylsulfur, and irradiation by a Hg arc lamp. The solid phase composition vs gas phase composition characteristics have been determined for ZnSy_ySe_1−y grown with different mole fractions of dimethylselenium and different temperatures. Although the growth is not mass-transport controlled with respect to the column VI precursors, the solid phase composition vs gas phase composition characteristics are sufficiently gradual so that good compositional control and lattice matching to GaAs substrates can be readily achieved by photoassisted growth in the temperature range 360°C ≤ T ≤ 400°C. ZnSe/GaAs (001) single heterostructures were grown by a two-step process with ZnSe thicknesses in the range from 54 nm to 776 nm. Based on 004 x-ray rocking curve full width at half maximums (FWHMs), we have determined that the critical layer thickness is h_c ≤200 nm. Using the classical method involving strain, lattice relaxation is undetectable in layers thinner than 270 nm for the growth conditions used here. Therefore, the rocking curve FWHM is a more sensitive indicator of lattice relaxation than the residual strain. For ZnS_ySe_1−y layers grown on ZnSe buffers at 400°C, the measured dislocation density-thickness product Dh increases monotonically with the room temperature mismatch. Lower values of the Dh product are obtained for epitaxy on 135 nm buffers compared to the case of 270 nm buffers. This difference is due to the fact that the 135 nm ZnSe buffers are pseudomorphic as deposited. For ZnS_ySe_1−y layers grown on 135 nm ZnSe buffers at 360°C, the minimum dislocation density corresponds approximately to room-temperature lattice matching (y ∼ 5.9%), rather than growth temperature lattice matching (y ∼ 7.6%). Epitaxial layers with lower dislocation densities demonstrated superior optical quality, as judged by the near-band edge/deep level emission peak intensity ratio and the near band edge absolute peak intensity from 300K photoluminescence measurements.     

Residual impurities in GaN/Al2O3 grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Residual impurities in GaN films on sapphire (A1₂O₃) substrates grown by two-step metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) have been investigated. We have mainly investigated the incorporation of carbon into the GaN films with GaN buffer layers on A1₂O₃ during MOVPE growth, comparing trimethygallium (TMGa) and triethygallium (TEGa) as the typical gallium precursors. The films were characterized by secondary ion mass spectroscopy analysis, photolu-minescence, and Hall measurements. The carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen concentrations increase with decreasing growth temperature in using TMGa. Especially the carbon concentration increases with decreasing a V/III ratio, for both TMGa and TEGa. There is about two times more carbon in the GaN films grown using TEGa than those using TMGa. The carbon from TMGa mainly enhances the D-A pair emission (∼378 nm), which shows the carbon makes an acceptor level at nitrogen sites in GaN. On the other hand, the carbon from TEGa enhances a deep emission (∼550 nm), which shows the carbon makes not only an acceptor level but deep levels at interstitial sites in GaN. The carbon impurities originate from methyl radicals for TMGa, or ethyl radicals for TEGa. It is supposed that, in the case of TEGa, the carbon impurities are not always located at nitrogen sites, but are also located at interstitial sites because of the C-C bonding in ethyl radicals.     

Self-organization phenomenon of strained InGaAs on InP (311) substrates grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

We have demonstrated that a self-organization phenomenon occurs in strained InGaAs system on InP (311) substrates grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. This suggests that a similar formation process of nanocrystals exists not only on the GaAs (311)B substrate but also on the InP (311)B substrate. However, the ordering and the size homogeneity of the self-organized nanocrystals are slightly worse than those of the InGaAs/AlGaAs system on the GaAs (311)B substrate. The tensilely strained condition of a InGaAs/InP system with growth interruption in a PH₃ atmosphere reveals a surface morphology with nanocrystals even on the InP (100) substrate. It was found that strain energy and high growth temperature are important factors for self-organization on III-V compound semiconductors. Preliminary results indicate that the self-organized nanostructures in strained InGaAs/InP systems on InP substrates exhibit room temperature photoluminescent emissions at a wavelength of around 1.3 p.m.     

Electrical and optical properties of lodine doped CdZnTe layers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Electrical and photoluminescence properties of iodine doped CdZnTe (CZT) layers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy have been studied. Doped layers showed an n-type conductivity from the Zn composition x=0 (CdTe) to 0.07. Above x=0.07, resistivities of doped layers increased steeply up to 10⁶ Ω-cm. Resistivities of doped CZT layers were higher than those of undoped layers above x=0.6. Photoluminescence intensity of doped layers increased compared to undoped layers. Doped CdTe and ZnTe layers showed neutral donor bound exciton emission lines at the exciton related region. Also, these layers showed an increase in emission intensity at the donor acceptor pair recombination bands. Sharp emission lines were observed in doped CZT layers at around 1.49 eV. These emission lines were considered to be originated from GaAs substrates which were optically excited by the intense emission from doped CZT layers.     

Morphology and defect structures of GaSb islands on GaAs grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

The initial nucleation of GaSb on (001) GaAs substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution electron microscopy (HREM). TEM results showed that the GaSb islands experience a morphological transition as the growth temperature increases. For growth at 520°C, the islands are longer along the [110] direction; at 540°C, they are nearly square, and at 560°C, they are longer along the direction. Possible mechanisms are proposed to describe such a transition. TEM and HREM examination showed that lattice misfit relaxation mechanisms depend on the growth temperature. For the sample grown at 520°C, the lattice mismatch strain was accommodated mainly by 90° dislocations; for the sample grown at 540°C, the misfit strain was relieved mostly by 90° dislocations with some of 60° dislocations, and for the sample grown at 560°C, the strain was accommodated mainly by 60° dislocations which caused a local tilt of the GaSb islands with respect to the GaAs substrate. The density of threading dislocations was also found to be dependent on the growth temperature. Mechanisms are proposed to explain these phenomena.     

Investigation of strain-compensated lnGaAs(P)/lnGaAs(P)/lnP multiple quantum well structures grown by LP-MOVPE

A controversy exists regarding the effectiveness, in the high strain case, of the strain-compensated InGaAs(P)/InGaAs(P)/InP multiple quantum well (MQW) structures. In this paper, the mechanism of the crystal quality degradation in the high strain case is analyzed. Based on our experiments and analysis, we suggest that the crystal quality degradation is predominately affected by the growth temperature and V/III ratios in the gas phase. We demonstrate that, in the case of high strain in the wells, high quality and stable strain-compensated MQW structures can be grown at relatively low growth temperature and relatively high V/III ratios in the gas phase through decreasing the strain in barriers and increasing the thicknesses of barriers simultaneously to achieve zero net strain.     

Growth,characterization, and modeling of ternary InGaAs-GaAs quantum wells by selective-area metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

A computational diffusion model is used to predict thickness and composition profiles of ternary In_xGa_1-xAs quantum wells grown by selective-area, atmospheric pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and its accuracy is investigated. The model utilizes diffusion equations and boundary conditions derived from basic MOCVD theory, with reaction parameters derived from experimental results, to predict the concentration of each column III constituent throughout the concentration boundary layer. Solutions to these equations are found using the two-dimensional, finite element method. The growth thickness profiles of GaAs, InP, and In_xGa_1-xAs deposited by selective-area MOCVD are observed by conventional profilometry, and compositions are measured indirectly by laser emission wavelengths. The data presented show that the model accurately predicts growth thickness and composition profiles of ternary III-V materials grown by selective-area MOCVD.     

Metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy growth and characterization of thick (100) CdTe layers on (100) GaAs and (100) GaAs/Si substrates

The growth characteristics and crystalline quality of thick (100) CdTe-epitaxial layers grown on (100) GaAs and (100) GaAs/Si substrates in a metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) system for possible applications in x-ray imaging detectors were investigated. High-crystalline-quality epitaxial layers of thickness greater than 100 μm could be readily obtained on both types of substrates. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) values of the x-ray double-crystal rocking curve (DCRC) decreased rapidly with increasing layer thickness, and remained around 50–70 arcsec for layers thicker than 30 μm on both types of substrates. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement showed high-intensity excitonic emission with very small defect-related peaks from both types of epilayers. Stress analysis carried out by performing PL as a function of layer thickness showed the layers were strained and a small amount of residual stress, compressive in CdTe/GaAs and tensile in CdTe/GaAs/Si, remained even in the thick layers. Furthermore, the resistivity of the layers on the GaAs substrate was found to be lower than that of layers on GaAs/Si possibly because of the difference of the activation of incorporated impurity from the substrates because of the different kinds of stress existing on them. A heterojunction diode was then fabricated by growing a CdTe epilayer on an n⁺-GaAs substrate, which exhibited a good rectification property with a low value of reverse-bias leakage current even at high applied biases.     

Excitonic properties of Zn1−xCdxSe/ZnSe quantum well structures grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

This paper presents optical characteristics of Zn_0.82Cd_0.18Se/ZnSe single quantum well (SQW) structures grown by a low-pressure metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy. The excitonic optical absorption and emission properties are studied by electroreflectance, photocurrent, and photoluminescence (PL) spectrum measurements under controlled high electric fields. The PL spectrum shows a considerable red shift (up to 20 meV) against the ground state of the heavy-hole exciton in the SQW, and is quite iN_Sensitive to the applied high electric field (>10⁴V/cm). The results have indicated that the exciton responsible for the photon emission process (spontaneous/stimulated) is different from the ground state of the heavy-hole exciton, which is responsible for the photon absorption process.