Beata Ściana

Determination of indium and nitrogen contents of InGaAsN quantum wells by HRXRD study supported by BAC calculation of the measured energy gap

Determination of indium and nitrogen content in InGaAsN quantum wells (QWs) is often based on the analysis of high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) measurements. The comparison of diffraction curves of two similar samples, with and without nitrogen, together with an assumption of constant indium incorporation efficiency during the growth of layers with and without nitrogen, may lead to a large deviation in the determined In and N content. The HRXRD curve simulations supported by bandgap determination and calculations seem to be a solution of this problem. Comparison of the results achieved from simulated HRXRD curves with the calculations of all QWs transitions measured by contactless electro-reflectance (CER) can lead to reduction of deviations in composition determination of InGaAsN quantum wells. The proposed algorithm was applied for investigation of InGaAsN QWs grown by atmospheric pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (APMOVPE).

Fabrication of ohmic contact based on platinum to p-type compositionally graded AlGaAs layers

Novel metallization scheme was proposed for ohmic contact formation to compositionally graded p-type AlGaAs. A metal multilayers of Ti/Pt/Au, Pt/Ti/Pt/Au and Pt/Ti/Ni/Au were deposited by thermal evaporation using electron gun and resistance heater. The contacts were sequentially annealed by rapid thermall annealing system in N2 atmosphere at various temperatures (in the range from 350°C to 550°C). The duration of annealing step was 2 minutes. The as-deposited Pt/Ti/Pt/Au and Pt/Ti/Ni/Au multilayer metallizations had resistivities of 1.4·10-5 Ω·cm2 which have been gradually deteriorated after each subsequent annealing. The current-voltage characteristics of the ohmic contacts to compositionally graded p-type AlGaAs epitaxial layers were studied and discussed.

Technology and characterisation of GaAsN/GaAs heterostructures for photodetector applications

The nitrogen-containing conventional AIIIBV semiconductor alloys, so-called diluted nitrides (AIIIBV-N), have been extensively studied recently. Unusual properties of these materials make them very promising for applications in lasers and very efficient multijunction solar cells. This work presents the technology and properties of undoped GaAs1-xNx/GaAs heterostructures used as active regions in the construction of metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors. The atmospheric pressure metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (APMOVPE) was applied for growing MSM test structures. Their structural and optical properties were examined using high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), photoluminescence (PL), and photoreflectance spectroscopy (PR). Chemical wet etching was applied for forming an active region and a multifinger Schottky metallization was used as MSM contacts. Dark and illuminated current-voltage characteristics were measured. Based on the obtained results, the main detector parameters as responsivity and spectral response were estimated

Influence of the AP MOVPE process parameters on properties of (In, Ga)(As, N)/ GaAs heterostructures for photovoltaic applications

GaAsN and InGaAsN semiconductor alloys with a small amount of nitrogen, so called dilute nitrides, are especially attractive for telecom lasers and very efficient multijunction solar cells applications. The epitaxial growth of these materials using MBE and MOVPE is a big challenge for technologists due to the large miscibility gap between GaAs and GaN. Additionally, elaboration of the growth process of quaternary alloys InGaAsN is more complicated than GaAsN epitaxy because a precise determination of their composition requires applying different examination methods and comparison of the obtained results. This work presents the influence of the growth parameters on the properties and alloy composition of the triple quantum wells 3×InGaAsN/GaAs grown by atmospheric pressure metal organic vapour phase epitaxy AP MOVPE. Dependence of the structural and optical parameters of the investigated heterostructures on the growth temperature and the nitrogen source concentration in the reactor atmosphere was analyzed. Material quality of the obtained InGaAsN quantum wells was studied using high resolution X-Ray diffraction HRXRD, contactless electro-reflectance spectroscopy CER, photoluminescence PL, secondary ion mass spectrometry SIMS, photocurrent PC and Raman RS spectroscopies, deep level transient spectroscopy DLTS and transmission electron microscopy TEM.

Influence of rapid thermal annealing on optical properties of (In, Ga)(As, N)/GaAs quantum wells

Dilute nitride (In, Ga)(As, N) alloys grown on GaAs substrate are a very attractive materials for optoelectronics. In this work we compare the optical properties of (In, Ga)(As, N)/GaAs triple quantum well grown by atmospheric pressure metal organic vapour phase epitaxy. As grown and annealed structures were investigated by means of photoluminescence and contactless electroreflectance spectroscopies. Energies of fundamental transition from each measurement were determined and compared, moreover the value of Stokes shift was assigned and discussed.

Structural Characterization of Doped Thick Gainnas Layers - Ambiguities and Challenges

Abstract GaInNAs alloys are mostly used as an active part of light sources for long wavelength telecom applications. Beside this, these materials are used as thin quantum wells (QWs), and a need is to grow thick layers of such semiconductor alloys for photodetectors and photovoltaic cells applications. However, structural characterization of the GaInNAs layers is hindered by non-homogeneity of the In and N distributions along the layer. In this work the challenges of the structural characterization of doped thick GaInNAs layers grown by atmospheric pressure metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (APMOVPE) will be presented

Investigation of deep-level defects in InGaAsN/GaAs 3xQWs structures grown by AP-MOVPE

We have investigated deep-level defects in InGaAsN/GaAs 3xQW structures by means of conventional as well as high-resolution deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). The three samples were grown by atmospheric pressure metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (AP-MOVPE) in different growth temperatures (566°C, 575°C and 585°C). The DLTS measurements revealed four electron traps E1 (0.17-0.24 eV), E2 (0.36-0.38 eV), E3 (0.46-0.49 eV) and E4 (0.81-0.84 eV) and one hole trap H1(0.8 eV) in our structures. The electron trap E1 was associated with N-related complexes while the other electron traps with native defects, usually observed in GaAs-based structures EL6, EL3 and EL2, respectively. Finally, the trap E2 and H1, observed in the structure grown at lowest temperature, were associated with the same trap, which can act as both an electron and hole trap. It was thus concluded that E2/H1 may be a generation-recombination center.

Reverse engineering of AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs structures composition by reflectance spectroscopy

The paper presents the application of non-modulation reflectance method for composition profiling of epitaxial AlxGa−xAs/GaAs structures. This non-destructive method is based on spectral measurements and theoretical reflectance spectrum matching. This is a very accurate and sensitive method of determining the Al composition in AlxGa1−xAs layers and structures with resolution down to 1 nm. In this work, the authors describe theoretic principles of this method and present experimental results of characterization of different AlGaAs structures to prove the potential of the worked out method.

LP-MOVPE growth and properties of high Si-doped InGaAs contact layer for quantum cascade laser applications

Abstract The work presents doping characteristics and properties of high Si−doped InGaAs epilayers lattice−matched to InP grown by low pressure metal−organic vapour phase epitaxy. Silane and disilane were used as dopant sources. The main task of investigations was to obtain heavily doped InGaAs epilayers suitable for usage as plasmon−confinement layers in the construction of mid−infrared InAlAs/InGaAs/InP quantum−cascade lasers (QCLs). It requires the doping concentration of 1×1019 cm–3 and 1×1020 cm–3 for lasers working at 9 μm and 5 μm, respectively. The electron concentration increases linearly with the ratio of gas−phase molar fraction of the dopant to III group sources (IV/III). The highest electron concentrations suitable for InGaAs plasmon−contact layers of QCL was achieved only for disilane. We also observed a slight influence of the ratio of gas−phase molar fraction of V to III group sources (V/III) on the doping efficiency. Structural measurements using high−resolution X−ray diffraction revealed a distinct influence of the doping concentration on InGaAs composition what caused a lattice mismatch in the range of –240 ÷ –780 ppm for the samples doped by silane and disilane. It has to be taken into account during the growth of InGaAs contact layers to avoid internal stresses in QCL epitaxial structures.

Epitaxial regrowth of InP/InGaAs heterostructure on patterned, nonplanar substrates

Abstract The main goal of the studies on epitaxial regrowth process of InP on patterned substrates is to gain knowledge about growth rates and interface quality on various areas to improve the fabrication technology for future applications. Prepared samples were measured at every step of the process by scanning electron microscope (SEM), optical microscope with dark field and phase contrast modes, atomic force microscope (AFM) and also using optical profilometer WLI (White Light Interferometer). Fabrication steps were divided into three main groups. First was the epitaxial growth of 5 µm thick InP layer. Next was patterning, which was made by applying a mask film on the epilayer. Shapes of the mesas after wet chemical etching with photoresist as a mask as well as the shapes of mesas slopes were irregular on the whole substrate area. These problems were solved by the use of silicon nitride mask. The mesas shapes and their slopes became then regular, independently of etching depth. Second fabrication step was etching of selected area. Couple of solutions were examined, but in details HCl:H3PO4 mixture in various proportions, which gave the best results in mesas shapes and orientations relative to the substrate. After that, the etching mask material was removed from the epilayer using a buffered hydrofluoric acid (BHF). The last step was epitaxial regrowth. To see how the epitaxial growth process was performed on different areas of patterned substrate it was suggested using a “sandwich”, which consisted of 50 layers of indium phosphide and indium gallium arsenide. This idea helped to understand the phenomena occurring during the epitaxial growth on that kind of substrate. The highest growth rate occurred on the top of the mesas and the lowest on their slopes. Described experiments are introduction to the studies on epitaxial growth of buried heterostructure (BH).