Critical layer thickness in In/sub 0. 2/Ga/sub 0. 8/As/GaAs single strained quantum well structures

Journal Article · Mon Sep 28 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.98984· OSTI ID:6254266

Fritz, I J; Gourley, P L; Dawson, L R

We report accurate determination of the critical layer thickness (CLT) for single strained-layer epitaxy in the InGaAs/GaAs system. Our samples were molecular beam epitaxially grown, selectively doped, single quantum well structures comprising a strained In/sub 0.2/Ga/sub 0.8/As layer imbedded in GaAs. We determined the CLT by two sensitive techniques: Hall-effect measurements at 77 K and photoluminescence microscopy. Both techniques indicate a CLT of about 20 nm. This value is close to that determined previously (--15 nm) for comparable strained-layer superlattices, but considerably less than the value of --45 nm suggested by recent x-ray rocking-curve measurements. We show by a simple calculation that photoluminescence microscopy is more than two orders of magnitude more sensitive to dislocations than x-ray diffraction. Our results re-emphasize the necessity of using high-sensitivity techniques for accurate determination of critical layer thicknesses.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6254266
• Journal Information: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 51:13
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
HALL EFFECT
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
THICKNESS
VAPOR DEPOSITED COATINGS
INDIUM ARSENIDES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HETEROJUNCTIONS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
COATINGS
DATA
DIMENSIONS
EPITAXY
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
JUNCTIONS
LUMINESCENCE
NUMERICAL DATA
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
360602* - Other Materials- Structure & Phase Studies
360603 - Materials- Properties