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Title: Monolayer-by-monolayer compositional analysis of InAs/InAsSb superlattices with cross-sectional STM

Journal Article · · Journal of Crystal Growth
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

In this paper, we use cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to reconstruct the monolayer-by-monolayer composition profile across a representative subset of MBE-grown InAs/InAsSb superlattice layers and find that antimony segregation frustrates the intended compositional discontinuities across both antimonide-on-arsenide and arsenide-on-antimonide heterojunctions. Graded, rather than abrupt, interfaces are formed in either case. We likewise find that the incorporated antimony per superlattice period varies measurably from beginning to end of the multilayer stack. Finally, although the intended antimony discontinuities predict significant discrepancies with respect to the experimentally observed high-resolution x-ray diffraction spectrum, dynamical simulations based on the STM-derived profiles provide an excellent quantitative match to all important aspects of the x-ray data.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); US Army Research Office (ARO)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000; W911NF-14-1-0645
OSTI ID:
1340250
Report Number(s):
SAND2014-19677J; PII: S0022024815001530
Journal Information:
Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 425; ISSN 0022-0248
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 32 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Time-resolved optical measurements of minority carrier recombination in a mid-wave infrared InAsSb alloy and InAs/InAsSb superlattice journal August 2012
Significantly improved minority carrier lifetime observed in a long-wavelength infrared III-V type-II superlattice comprised of InAs/InAsSb journal December 2011
Direct minority carrier lifetime measurements and recombination mechanisms in long-wave infrared type II superlattices using time-resolved photoluminescence journal December 2010
Carrier lifetime measurements in short-period InAs/GaSb strained-layer superlattice structures journal November 2009
Surface segregation of In atoms during molecular beam epitaxy and its influence on the energy levels in InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells journal August 1992
Origin of Antimony Segregation in GaInSb / InAs Strained-Layer Superlattices journal November 2000
Quantitative analysis of strain distribution in InAs/InAs 1−x Sb x superlattices journal August 2013

Cited By (2)

Ultra-short period Ga-free superlattice growth on GaSb journal July 2018
Visualizing period fluctuations in strained-layer superlattices with scanning tunneling microscopy journal January 2018