Material properties of high-quality GaAs epitaxial layers grown on Si substrates

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.337253· OSTI ID:5531811

Fischer, R; Morkoc-cedilla, H; Neumann, D A; Zabel, H; Choi, C; Otsuka, N; Longerbone, M; Erickson, L P

We report an investigation of the materials properties of GaAs on Si epitaxial layers. By using properly oriented substrates, we have found that a substantial reduction in the density of threading dislocations can be achieved. In the presence of steps, dislocations with their Burgers vectors in the (100) substrate plane are preferentially generated, which are more effective in accommodating lattice mismatch and do not thread into the epitaxial layer. We have also found that the density of threading dislocations can be reduced significantly by the use of GaAs/InGaAs pseudomorphic superlattices. Using these techniques, dislocation densities of as low as 10/sup 3/--10/sup 4/ cm/sup -2/ have been achieved in 2-..mu..m-thick GaAs on Si epitaxial layers. In growth on nominal (100) orientations, where it is known that single atomic steps dominate, we have found no evidence of antiphase domains by transmission electron microscopy or chemical etching. This result suggests that it may not be energetically favorable for antiphase domains to form in these samples. Alternatively antiphase domains may propagate along the )111) directions and annihilate one another. For GaAs/(Al,Ga)As double heterojunction (DH) laser structures on Si substrates, the dislocation control techniques have made possible electroluminescence intensity (spontaneous emission) within a factor of 2 of state-of-the-art DH lasers on GaAs (which for reference lased at a current threshold density of 600 A/cm/sup 2/). These results compare to within experimental determination. Electroluminescence intensities were also found to increase with increasing initial growth temperature. Stripe geometry lasers with room-temperature pulsed threshold currents as low as 170 mA for 10 x 240 ..mu..m/sup 2/ stripe have been obtained using these techniques.

• Research Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Coordinated Science Laboratory, 1101 W. Springfield Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801
• OSTI ID: 5531811
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 60:5; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DISLOCATIONS
ELECTROLUMINESCENCE
ELEMENTS
ETCHING
FABRICATION
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HETEROJUNCTIONS
JUNCTIONS
LASERS
LAYERS
LINE DEFECTS
LUMINESCENCE
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SURFACE FINISHING