Suppression of planar defects in the molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs/ErAs/GaAs heterostructures

Journal Article · Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3626035· OSTI ID:22027715

Crook, Adam M; Nair, Hari P; Ferrer, Domingo A; Bank, Seth R ^[1]

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1. Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Microelectronics Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Rd. Bldg. 160, Austin, Texas 78758 (United States)

We present a growth method that overcomes the mismatch in rotational symmetry of ErAs and conventional III-V semiconductors, allowing for epitaxially integrated semimetal/semiconductor heterostructures. Transmission electron microscopy and reflection high-energy electron diffraction reveal defect-free overgrowth of ErAs layers, consisting of >2x the total amount of ErAs that can be embedded with conventional layer-by-layer growth methods. We utilize epitaxial ErAs nanoparticles, overgrown with GaAs, as a seed to grow full films of ErAs. Growth proceeds by diffusion of erbium atoms through the GaAs spacer, which remains registered to the underlying substrate, preventing planar defect formation during subsequent GaAs growth. This growth method is promising for metal/semiconductor heterostructures that serve as embedded Ohmic contacts to epitaxial layers and epitaxially integrated active plasmonic devices.

• OSTI ID: 22027715
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 7; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DIFFUSION
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
ERBIUM
ERBIUM COMPOUNDS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
HETEROJUNCTIONS
LAYERS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
NANOSTRUCTURES
PARTICLES
REFLECTION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY