InAlGaAs/InP light-emitting transistors operating near 1.55 {mu}m

Journal Article · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2939243· OSTI ID:21137348

Yong, Huang; Xuebing, Zhang; Ryou, Jae-Hyun; Dupuis, Russell D ^[1]; Dixon, Forest; Holonyak, Nick Jr; Feng, Milton ^[2]

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1. Center for Compound Semiconductors and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 777 Atlantic Dr. NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0250 (United States)
2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

Light-emitting transistors (LETs) operating at around 1.55 {mu}m were investigated using InP/InAlGaAs heterostructures grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. By incorporating InGaAs quantum wells (QWs) in the base region of the N-InP/p-InAlGaAs/N-InAlAs heterojunction bipolar transistors, LET structures were achieved with a current gain of 45 and light emission at a wavelength of 1.65 {mu}m. The light output was found to be dependent on the base current. The larger the number of QWs incorporated in the base of the LETs, the larger the light output, with correspondingly reduced current gain. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy shows that the p-type dopant, zinc (Zn), which is commonly used in the growth of InAlGaAs, diffuses into the emitter and the base active QW region, leading to compromised electrical performance and light output intensity. Increasing the Zn doping level in the barrier layers of the QW structure causes the photoluminescence efficiency to decrease rapidly. Consequently, an alternative low-diffusivity dopant, carbon (C), was studied and a LET with a C-doped base was grown and fabricated. The highest light output was demonstrated for the C-doped LETs owing to the improved quality of the active layer.

• OSTI ID: 21137348
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 103, Issue 11; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2939243; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DOPED MATERIALS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
HETEROJUNCTIONS
INDIUM ARSENIDES
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
ION MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
MASS SPECTRA
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
QUANTUM WELLS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
TRANSISTORS
ZINC