Insight into the epitaxial growth of high optical quality GaAs{sub 1–x}Bi{sub x}

Journal Article · Mon Dec 21 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4937574· OSTI ID:22493077

Mascarenhas, A.; Alberi, K. ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, Colorado 80401 (United States)

The ternary alloy GaAs{sub 1–x}Bi{sub x} is a potentially important material for infrared light emitting devices, but its use has been limited by poor optical quality. We report on the synthesis of GaAs{sub 1–x}Bi{sub x} epi-layers that exhibit narrow, band edge photoluminescence similar to other ternary GaAs based alloys, e.g., In{sub y}Ga{sub 1–y}As. The measured spectral linewidths are as low as 14 meV and 37 meV at low temperature (6 K) and room temperature, respectively, and are less than half of previously reported values. The improved optical quality is attributed to the use of incident UV irradiation of the epitaxial surface and the presence of a partial surface coverage of bismuth in a surfactant layer during epitaxy. Comparisons of samples grown under illuminated and dark conditions provide insight into possible surface processes that may be altered by the incident UV light. The improved optical quality now opens up possibilities for the practical use of GaAs{sub 1–x}Bi{sub x} in optoelectronic devices.

• OSTI ID: 22493077
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 118, Issue 23; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALLOYS
BISMUTH
EPITAXY
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
INFRARED RADIATION
LINE WIDTHS
MEV RANGE
OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
SURFACES
SURFACTANTS
SYNTHESIS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
TERNARY ALLOY SYSTEMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION