25.5% efficient Ga0.35In0.65P/Ga0.83In0.17As tandem solar cells grown on GaAs substrates

Theoretical calculations predict a higher power conversion efficiency for the combination of Ga_0.35In_0.65P and Ga_0.83In_0.17As in a tandem solar cell, compared to the more commonly used Ga_0.51In_0.49P/GaAs approach. A record conversion efficiency of 21.6% (AM1.5 g) was recently achieved for a 1.18 eV Ga_0.83In_0.17As solar cell, grown lattice-mismatched to the GaAs substrate material. This paper reports on the device characteristics of first Ga_0.35In_0.65P/Ga_0.83In_0.17As tandem solar cells based on this very promising GaInAs material. A high quantum efficiency, comparable to the lattice-matched Ga_0.51In_0.49P on GaAs approach was achieved. A power conversion efficiency of 25.5% was measured under AM1.5d spectral conditions     

Avalanche multiplication characteristics ofAl0.8Ga0.2As diodes

The avalanche multiplication characteristics of Al_0.8Ga _0.2As have been investigated in a series of p-i-n and n-i-p diodes with i-region widths, w, varying from 1 μm to 0.025 μm. The electron ionization coefficient, α, is found to be consistently higher than the hole ionization coefficient, β, over the entire range of electric fields investigated. By contrast with Al_xGa _1-xAs (x⩽0.6) a significant difference between the electron and hole initiated multiplication characteristics of very thin Al_0.8Ga_0.2As diodes (w=0.025 μm) was observed. Dead space effects in the diodes with w⩽0.1 μm were found to reduce the multiplication at low bias below the values predicted from bulk ionization coefficients. Effective α and β that are independent of w have been deduced from measurements and are able to reproduce accurately the multiplication characteristics of diodes with w⩾0.1 μm and breakdown voltages of all diodes with good accuracy. By performing a simple correction for the dead space, the multiplication characteristics of even thinner diodes were also predicted with reasonable accuracy     

Ga0.51In0.49P/In0.15Ga0.85As/GaAs pseudomorphic doped-channel FET with high-current densityand high-breakdown voltage

Ga_0.51In_0.49P/In_0.15Ga_0.85 As/GaAs pseudomorphic doped-channel FETs exhibiting excellent DC and microwave characteristics were successfully fabricated. A high peak transconductance of 350 mS/mm, a high gate-drain breakdown voltage of 31 V and a high maximum current density (575 mA/mm) were achieved. These results demonstrate that high transconductance and high breakdown voltage could be attained by using In_0.15Ga_0.85As and Ga_0.51In_0.49P as the channel and insulator materials, respectively. We also measured a high-current gain cut-off frequency f_t of 23.3 GHz and a high maximum oscillation frequency f_max of 50.8 GHz for a 1-μm gate length device at 300 K. RF values where higher than those of other works of InGaAs channel pseudomorphic doped-channel FETs (DCFETs), high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), and heterostructure FETs (HFETs) with the same gate length and were mainly attributed to higher transconductance due to higher mobility, while the DC values were comparable with the other works. The above results suggested that Ga_0.51In_0.49P/In_0.15Ga_0.85 As/GaAs doped channel FET's were were very suitable for microwave high power device application     

High-current-gain Ga0.51In0.49P/GaAsheterojunction bipolar transistor grown by gas-source molecular beamepitaxy

A Ga_0.51In_0.49P/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) grown on a (100) substrate by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (GSMBE) was fabricated. A common-emitter DC current gain exceeding 1580 (differential gain >2100) and an offset voltage as small as 120 mV were achieved. The results demonstrate that high current gain and small offset voltage can be maintained without the need of grading the emitter/base junction in the Ga_0.51In_0.49 P/GaAs system because its valence-band discontinuity is larger than its conduction-band discontinuity     

High-performance Ga0.51In0.49P/GaAs airbridgegate MISFET's grown by gas-source MBE

Ga_0.51In_0.49P/GaAs MISFET's, in which Ga_0.51In_0.49P insulating layer was inserted between the gate metal and the channel layer, were compared with MESFET's experimentally and theoretically in terms of DC and microwave performance. Devices performance were evaluated by varying the thickness of the insulating layer. Wide and flat characteristics of g_m, g_t, and f_max versus drain current (or gate voltage) together with a high maximum current density (above 610 mA/mm) were achieved for devices with insulating layer thickness of 50 mn and 100 mm. Moreover, the maximum values of J_t's and f_max 's for a 1-μm gate length device both occurred when t was between 50 and 100 mn. We also observed that parasitic capacitances and gate leakage currents were minimized by using the airbridge gate structure, and thus high-frequency and breakdown characteristics were greatly improved, These results demonstrate that Ga_0.51In_0.49P/GaAs airbridge gate MISFET's with insulating layer thickness between 50 and 100 mn were very suitable for microwave high-power device applications     

Hg0.56 Cd0.44 Te 1.6- to 2.5-μm avalanchephotodiode and noise study far from resonant impact ionization

An investigation was made on the avalanche multiplication and impact ionization processes in p-n^--n⁺ junctions formed in Hg_0.56Cd_0.44Te solid solutions. Photocurrent multiplication was determined at 300 K in planar p-n^- -n⁺ structures characterized by a breakdown voltage of 30 V. The experimental results were used to calculate the electron, α, and hole, β, ionization coefficients. It was found that α is greater than β because Δ, the spin-orbit splitting energy, is higher than the bandgap energy. These experimental results were in satisfactory agreement with multiplication noise measurements using separate electron and hole injection     

Low avalanche noise characteristics in thin InP p+-i-n+ diodes with electron initiated multiplication

We have performed electron initiated avalanche noise measurements on a range of homojunction InP p⁺-i-n⁺ diodes with “i” region widths, w ranging from 2.40 to 0.24 μm. In contrast to McIntyre's noise model a significant reduction in the excess noise factor is observed with decreasing w at a constant multiplication in spite of α, the electron ionization coefficient being less than β, the hole ionization coefficient. In the w=0.24 μm structure an effective β/α ratio of approximately 0.4 is deduced from the excess noise factor even when electrons initiate multiplication, suggesting that hole initiated multiplication is not always necessary for the lowest avalanche noise in InP-based avalanche photodiodes     

High-linearity high-current-drivabilityGa0.51In0.49P/GaAs MISFET usingGa0.51In0.49P airbridge gate structure grown byGSMBE

A novel structure Ga_0.51In_0.49P/GaAs MISFET with an undoped Ga_0.51In_0.49P layer serving as the airbridge between active region and gate pad was first designed and fabricated. Wide and flat characteristics of g_m and f_max versus drain current or gate voltage were achieved. The device also showed a very high maximum current density (610 mA/mm) and a very high gate-to-drain breakdown voltage (25 V). Parasitic capacitances and leakage currents were minimized by the airbridge gate structure and thus high f_T of 22 GHz and high f_max of 40 GHz for 1 μm gate length devices were attained. To our knowledge, both were the best reported values for 1 μm gate GaAs channel FET's     

Al0.25In0.75P/Al0.48In0.52As/Ga0.35In 0.65As graded channelpseudomorphic HEMT's with high channel-breakdown voltage

A new Al_0.25In_0.75P/Al_0.48In_0.52 As/Ga_0.35In 0_.65As pseudomorphic HEMT where the InAs mole fraction of the Ga_1-xIn_xAs channel was graded (x=0.53→0.65→0.53) is described. The modification of the quantum well channel significantly improved breakdown characteristics. In addition, use of an Al_0.25In_0.75P Schottky layer increased the Schottky barrier height. Devices having 0.5 μm gate-length showed g_m of 520 mS/mm and I_max of 700 mA/mm. The gate-drain (BV_g-d) and source-drain (BV_d-s ) breakdown voltages were as high as -14 and 13 V, respectively. An f_T of 70 GHz and f_max of 90 GHz were obtained     

GaAs bipolar transistors with a Ga0.5In0.5Phole barrier layer and carbon-doped base grown by MOVPE

GaAs bipolar transistors with a 50-Å-thick lattice matched Ga_0.5In_0.5P layer between the emitter and base acting as a hole repelling potential barrier in the valence band were fabricated from films grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). The 1000-Å-thick base was doped with carbon to 2×10¹⁹ cm^-3, resulting in a base sheet resistance of 250 Ω/□. Carbon has been chosen because of its low diffusivity. Using the barrier layer as an etch stop the authors fabricated mesa-type broad-area devices. The output characteristics of the devices are ideal with very small offset voltages and infinite Early voltages. Common emitter current gains of up to 70 at 10⁴ A/cm² collector current density were obtained. The current gain is clearly higher than the one calculated for a bipolar junction transistor with the same doping profile because the base-emitter hole current is suppressed by the Ga_0.5In_0.5P potential barrier in the valence band     

High-breakdown-voltage Ga0.51In0.49P channelMESFET's grown by GSMBE

The first Ga_0.51In_0.49P channel MESFETs grown on a (100) GaAs substrate by GSMBE have been fabricated. A high gate-to-drain breakdown voltage of 42 V with a high maximum current density (320 mA/mm) was achieved. This result demonstrates that high-breakdown voltage could be attained by using Ga_0.51In _0.49P as the channel material. We also measured a high-maximum oscillation frequency (f_max) of 30 GHz for a 1.5 μm gate-length device. This value is quite high compared with other high-breakdown-voltage GaAs MESFET's or MISFET's with the same gate length     

Characteristics of short-wavelength (617<λ<640 nm) Ga0.4In0.6P/(AlxGa1-x)0.5In0.5P strained, thin multiple-quantum-well lasers

The authors examine the operating characteristics of short wavelength (617<λ<640 nm) AlGaInP lasers containing three thin (~20 Å) compressively strained Ga_0.4In_0.6 P/(Al_0.6Ga_0.4)_0.5In_0.5 P quantum wells and Al_0.5In_0.5P cladding layers, grown by low pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. At room temperature, wavelengths as short as 617 nm have been achieved, with pulsed threshold current density of 2.5 kA/cm². As a result of greater electron confinement at longer wavelengths, the threshold, and its temperature sensitivity, are improved     

Investigation of impact ionization in thin GaAs diodes

The electron and hole multiplication coefficients, M_e and M_h, respectively, have been measured in thin GaAs homojunction PIN and NIP diodes and from conventional ionization analysis the effective electron and hole ionization coefficients, α and β, respectively, have been determined. The nominal intrinsic region thickness w of these structures ranges from 1.0 μm down to 25 nm. In the thicker structures, bulk-like behavior is observed; however, in the thinner structures, significant differences are found. As the i-regions become thinner and the electric fields increase, the M_e/M_h ratio is seen to approach unity. The experimental results are modeled and interpreted using a semianalytical solution of the Boltzmann equation. In thin (w⩽0.1 μm) devices the dead space effect reduces effective ionization coefficients below their bulk values at low values of carrier multiplication. However, overshoot effects compensate for this at extremely high fields (⩾1×10³ kV/cm)     

Low electric field hole impact ionization coefficients in GaInAsand GaInAsP

The electric field dependence of the hole impact ionization coefficients in Ga_0.47In_0.53As and Ga_0.28 In_0.72As_0.61P_0.39 was obtained from the electrical characteristics of p-n-p heterojunction bipolar transistors. The anomalous low field behavior of the electron impact ionization coefficients in these materials was not observed for the case of holes. Within the accuracy of our measurements me observed no change in the hole ionization rates in the temperature range of 20 to 120°C     

The electron impact ionization rate and breakdown voltage inGaAs/Ga0.7Al0.3As MQW structures

The electron impact ionization rate (α) and breakdown voltage (V_BD) experimentally measured in a p⁺ -i-n⁺ diode structure with a GaAs/Ga_0.7Al _0.3As multiple quantum-well (MQW) i region are discussed. For structures with GaAs wells of 100 Å and barriers that vary from 7 to 60 Å in thickness, it is found that α is always less than α in bulk GaAs and that it decreases with increasing barrier thickness. The normalized V_BD also increases with increasing barrier thickness, confirming a decreasing ionization rate     

Ga0.51In0.49P/GaAs HEMT's exhibiting goodelectrical performance at cryogenic temperatures

The DC and microwave characteristics of Ga_0.51In_0.49P/GaAs HEMTs grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) are presented. Devices with 1-μm-long gates show transconductances of 163 and 213 mS/mm at 300 and 77 K, respectively. Their maximum cutoff frequency is 17.8 GHz. Deep traps in the doped layer are evaluated at low temperature by the threshold voltage shift and current collapse phenomena. GaInP/GaAs HEMTs show no current collapse and have almost zero threshold voltage shift compared to AlGaAs/GaAs and InAlAs/InGaAs where the corresponding values are 0.5 and 0.25 V, respectively     

610-nm band AlGaInP single quantum well laser diode

The short-wavelength limits of AlGaInP visible laser diodes with Al_0.5In_0.5P cladding layers, and Ga_xIn _1-xP single quantum well (QW) active regions are investigated. Good performance is maintained throughout the 620 nm band, but the characteristics rapidly degrade in the 610 nm band. Biaxial-compression and -tension were compared, with the case of tension yielding slightly better performance. Using a 25 Å Ga_0.45 In_0.55P QW, a wavelength of 614 nm was obtained, while a 50 Å Ga_0.6In_0.4P QW emitted at 620 nm with a threshold current density of 0.8 kA/cm². These results with thin single QWs indicate the effectiveness of using an Al_0.5In_0.5P cladding layer to reduce electron leakage     

Incorporation behaviour of carbon and silicon on (100) and (111) surfaces during growth of GaAs/GaAs and Ga0.47In0.53As/InP by molecular beam epitaxy

Silicon and carbontetrabromide were used as dopant sources in the growth of GaAs/GaAs and Ga_0.47In_0.53As/InP structures. We studied the incorporation behaviour of these group IV atoms on (100) and {111} surfaces as a function of growth temperature. The free carver concentrations determined by Hall measurements for Si-doped GaAs and Ga_0.47In_0.53As layers are independent of growth temperature on all surface orientations studied. Silicon acts fundamentally as a donor except, as expected, for doped layers on (111)A GaAs substrates, where it acts as an acceptor. Carbon incorporation in GaAs and Ga_0.47In_0.53As always results in a p-type conduction independent of the surface orientations (100)/{111} or the growth temperatures we used. In contrast to the results on GaAs, carbon shows a strong temperature-dependent activation in Ga_0.47In_0.53As grown on (100) and (111)B surfaces. Carbon-doped Ga_0.47In_0.53As on (111)A and carbon-doped GaAs layers on (100)/{111} GaAs surfaces exhibit only a very weak dependence of the carrier concentration on the growth temperature. A significant amphoteric behaviour of carbon was not observed in any of the materials investigated.     

Enhancement mode metamorphicAl0.67In0.33As/Ga0.66In0.34As HEMT on GaAs substrate with high breakdown voltage

This paper presents original and experimental results provided by E-mode Al_0.67In_0.33As/Ga_0.66In_0.34 As metamorphic HEMT. The devices exhibit good dc and rf performances. The 0.4 μm gate length devices have saturation current density of 355 mA/mm at +0.6 V gate-to-source voltage. The Schottky characteristic is a typical reverse gate-to-drain breakdown voltage of -16 V. It is the first time, to our knowledge, that gate current issued from impact ionization have been observed in these devices versus gate to drain extension. These results are the first reported for E-mode Al _0.67In_0.33As/Ga_0.66In_0.34As MM-HEMTs on GaAs substrate     

Avalanche breakdown in (AlxGa1x)0.52In0.48P pin junctions

The avalanche breakdown behaviour of (Al_xGa_1-x )_0.52In_0.48P has been investigated by growing a series of pin diode structures and by measuring the reverse leakage currents until the onset of avalanche breakdown. Comparing the breakdown voltage (V_bd) with that of GaAs, significant increases are obtained, with AlInP having in excess of twice the V_bd of GaAs