High Hole Mobility Polycrystalline GaSb Thin Films

In this paper, we report on the structural and electronic properties of polycrystalline gallium antimonide (poly-GaSb) films (50–250 nm) deposited on p+ Si/SiO2 by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy at 475 °C. GaSb films grown on semi-insulating GaAs substrates are included as comparative samples. In all cases, the unintentionally doped GaSb is p-type, with a hole concentration in the range of 2 × 1016 to 2 × 1017 cm−3. Exceptional hole mobilities are measured for polycrystalline GaSb on SiO2 in the range of 9–66 cm2/Vs, exceeding the reported values for many other semiconductors grown at low temperatures. A mobility of 9.1 cm2/Vs is recorded for an amorphous GaSb layer in a poly-GaAs/amorphous GaSb heterostructure. Mechanisms limiting the mobility in the GaSb thin films are investigated. It is found that for the GaSb grown directly on GaAs, the mobility is phonon-limited, while the GaSb deposited directly on SiO2 has a Coulomb scattering limited mobility, and the poly-GaAs/amorphous GaSb heterostructure on SiO2 displays a mobility which is consistent with variable-range-hopping. GaSb films grown at low temperatures demonstrate a far greater potential for implementation in p-channel devices than for implementation in ICs.

Неохлаждаемые фотодиоды для регистрации импульсного инфракрасного излучения в спектральном диапазоне 0.9-1.8 мкм

Uncooled GaSb/GaAlAsSb photodiodes for detecting pulsed infrared radiation in the spectral range of 0.9-1.8 µm have been developed. Active GaSb layer was grown using lead as a neutral solvent in order to reduce the concentration of natural acceptors. The capacity of the photodiodes with a diameter of photosensitive area of 300 µm was 115−135 pF with no bias and 62−70 pF at U=−1.5 V. The photodiode speed of response measured using an InGaAsP/InP laser with a wavelength of 1.55 µm reached tau=42−60 ns in the photovoltaic mode. It is shown experimentally that the photodiodes can be used without cooling to detect the pulsed radiation of lasers and LEDs in the near-infrared region of the spectrum.

Tunable energy gaps and mid-infrared optical properties in InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices

We investigate on the infrared (IR) optoelectronic properties in short-period InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices (SLs) by a modified eight-band [Formula: see text] model. The electronic mini-band structures for such SLs are evaluated by the modified eight-band [Formula: see text] model, incorporating the microscopic interface effect. We find that with varying the values around 20/25 Å for the InAs/GaSb layer widths, the tunable mid-IR bandgaps can be achieved effectively. The SL bandgap from 275 to 346 meV can be achieved by decreasing the InAs layer thickness from 23 to 17 Å at a fixed GaSb layer thickness of 24 Å, or from 254 to 313 meV by increasing the GaSb layer thickness from 18 to 27 Å at a fixed InAs layer thickness of 21 Å. Correspondingly the optical absorptions in such systems can be tuned evidently. Our theoretical results are in good agreement with experimental data over a series of SL samples. This study confirms further that short-period InAs/GaSb type-II SLs are of great importance for IR applications.

AlSb and InAs-GaSb layer thickness effect on HH-LH splitting and band gap energies in InAs/AlSb/GaSb type-II superlattices

This study is based on the investigation of AlSb layer thickness effect on heavy−hole light−hole (HH−LH) splitting and band gap energies in a recently developed N−structure based on InAs/AlSb/GaSb type II superlattice (T2SL) p−i−n photodetector.eFirst principle calculations were carried out tailoring the band gap and HH−LH splitting energies for two possible interface transition alloys of InSb and AlAs between InAs and AlSb interfaces in the superlattice. Results show that AlSb and InAs−GaSb layer thicknesses enable to control HH−LH splitting energies to desired values for Auger recombination process where AlSb/GaSb total layer thickness is equal to InAs layers for the structures with InSb and AlAs interfaces.