Characterization survey of GaxIn1-xAs/InAsyP1-y double heterostructures and InAsyP1-y multilayers grown on InP

• Published in: Journal of electronic materials Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 185 - 193
• Main Authors: AHRENKIEL, S. P, WANLASS, M. W, CARAPELLA, J. J, GEDVILAS, L. M, KEYES, B. M, AHRENKIEL, R. K, MOUTINHO, H. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 01-03-2004
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Vapor phase epitaxy; growth from vapor phase; Atomic force microscopy; Gallium arsenides; Inorganic compounds; Photoluminescence; VPE; Crystal growth from vapors; XRD; Multilayers; Stress relaxation; Buffer layer; transmission electron microscopy (TEM); lattice mismatch; Charge carriers; Ternary compounds; Active layer; InP; Experimental study; Indium arsenides; Dislocations; Transmission electron microscopy; Indium phosphides; MOVPE method; x-ray diffraction (XRD); Heteroepitaxy; Heterostructures; III-V semiconductors
• ISSN: 0361-5235; 1543-186X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11664-004-0178-7

Low-bandgap, lattice-mismatched GaxIn1-xAs (GaInAs) grown using InAsyP1-y (InAsP) compositional-step grades on InP is a primary choice for light-absorbing, active layers in high-efficiency thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices. The GaInAs/InAsP double heterostructures (DHs) show exceptional minority carrier lifetimes of up to several microseconds. Authors have performed a characterization survey of 0.4-0.6-eV GaInAs/InAsP DHs using a variety of techniques, including TEM. Dislocations are rarely observed to thread into the GaInAs active layers from the InAsP buffer layers that terminate the graded regions. Nearly complete strain relaxation occurs in buried regions of the InAsP grades. The buffer-layer strain prior to deposition of the active layer is virtually independent of the net misfit. Foreknowledge of this buffer-layer strain is essential to correctly lattice match the buffer to the GaInAsactive layer. 41 refs.