We present a comprehensive, up-to-date compilation of band parameters for the technologically important III–V zinc blende and wurtzite compound semiconductors: GaAs, GaSb, GaP, GaN, AlAs, AlSb, AlP, AlN, InAs, InSb, InP, and InN, along with their ternary and quaternary alloys. Based on a review of the existing literature, complete and consistent parameter sets are given for all materials. Emphasizing the quantities required for band structure calculations, we tabulate the direct and indirect energy gaps, spin-orbit, and crystal-field splittings, alloy bowing parameters, effective masses for electrons, heavy, light, and split-off holes, Luttinger parameters, interband momentum matrix elements, and deformation potentials, including temperature and alloy-composition dependences where available. Heterostructure band offsets are also given, on an absolute scale that allows any material to be aligned relative to any other.

Band parameters for III–V compound semiconductors and their alloys

First-principles calculations have evolved from mere aids in explaining and supporting experiments to powerful tools for predicting new materials and their properties. In the first part of this review we describe the state-of-the-art computational methodology for calculating the structure and energetics of point defects and impurities in semiconductors. We will pay particular attention to computational aspects which are unique to defects or impurities, such as how to deal with charge states and how to describe and interpret transition levels. In the second part of the review we will illustrate these capabilities with examples for defects and impurities in nitride semiconductors. Point defects have traditionally been considered to play a major role in wide-band-gap semiconductors, and first-principles calculations have been particularly helpful in elucidating the issues. Specifically, calculations have shown that the unintentional n-type conductivity that has often been observed in as-grown GaN cannot be a...

First-principles calculations for defects and impurities: Applications to III-nitrides

We present a comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of band parameters for all of the nitrogen-containing III–V semiconductors that have been investigated to date. The two main classes are: (1) “conventional” nitrides (wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN, InN, and AlN, along with their alloys) and (2) “dilute” nitrides (zinc-blende ternaries and quaternaries in which a relatively small fraction of N is added to a host III–V material, e.g., GaAsN and GaInAsN). As in our more general review of III–V semiconductor band parameters [I. Vurgaftman et al., J. Appl. Phys. 89, 5815 (2001)], complete and consistent parameter sets are recommended on the basis of a thorough and critical review of the existing literature. We tabulate the direct and indirect energy gaps, spin-orbit and crystal-field splittings, alloy bowing parameters, electron and hole effective masses, deformation potentials, elastic constants, piezoelectric and spontaneous polarization coefficients, as well as heterostructure band offsets. Temperature an...

Band parameters for nitrogen-containing semiconductors

Gallium nitride (GaN) and its allied binaries InN and AIN as well as their ternary compounds have gained an unprecedented attention due to their wide-ranging applications encompassing green, blue, violet, and ultraviolet (UV) emitters and detectors (in photon ranges inaccessible by other semiconductors) and high-power amplifiers. However, even the best of the three binaries, GaN, contains many structural and point defects caused to a large extent by lattice and stacking mismatch with substrates. These defects notably affect the electrical and optical properties of the host material and can seriously degrade the performance and reliability of devices made based on these nitride semiconductors. Even though GaN broke the long-standing paradigm that high density of dislocations precludes acceptable device performance, point defects have taken the center stage as they exacerbate efforts to increase the efficiency of emitters, increase laser operation lifetime, and lead to anomalies in electronic devices. The p...

/pdf/luminescence-properties-of-defects-in-gan-4hjs241x7f.pdf

Luminescence properties of defects in GaN

The role of extended and point defects, and key impurities such as C, O, and H, on the electrical and optical properties of GaN is reviewed. Recent progress in the development of high reliability contacts, thermal processing, dry and wet etching techniques, implantation doping and isolation, and gate insulator technology is detailed. Finally, the performance of GaN-based electronic and photonic devices such as field effect transistors, UV detectors, laser diodes, and light-emitting diodes is covered, along with the influence of process-induced or grown-in defects and impurities on the device physics.

Gan : processing, defects, and devices

Field-plated short-gate-length GaN HEMTs were developed for superior large-signal performance at millimeter-wave frequencies 100-mum-wide devices achieved 86 W/mm power density at 40 GHz Scaled-up, pre-matched 105-mm-wide devices generated 54 & 52 W output power with associated PAE of 36 & 31 % at 30 and 35 GHz, respectively A 15-mm-wide device produced 8 W at 30 GHz with 31 % PAE, representing the state-of-the-art for GaN HEMTs at millimeter-wave frequencies

8-watt GaN HEMTs at millimeter-wave frequencies

Phase-matched optical second-harmonic (SH) generation was observed in GaN and AlN slab waveguides. Phase matching was achieved by waveguide modal dispersion. By tuning the output wavelength of an optical parametric amplifier, several phased-matched SH peaks were observed in the visible spectrum covering blue to red wavelengths. The peak positions are in agreement with the values calculated using the dispersive refractive indices of the film and substrate materials.

Phase-matched optical second-harmonic generation in GaN and AlN slab waveguides

A solid state light emitting device comprising an emitter structure having an active region of semiconductor material and a pair of oppositely doped layers of semiconductor material on opposite sides of the active region. The active region emits light at a predetermined wavelength in response to an electrical bias across the doped layers. An absorption layer of semiconductor material is included that is integral to said emitter structure and doped with at least one rare earth or transition element. The absorption layer absorbs at least some of the light emitted from the active region and re-emits at least one different wavelength of light. A substrate is included with the emitter structure and absorption layer disposed on the substrate.

Rare earth doped layer or substrate for light conversion

Nitrogen-related shallow centers and defect- and impurity-related deep centers in nitrogen doped bulk n-type 4H–SiC were characterized by high temperature Hall effect and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements. Two nitrogen centers at E c −0.048 and −0.098 eV, with a concentration close to each other, and a poorly resolved deep donor level, with activation energy of 0.58 eV, were found by fitting the Hall-effect data. A dominant DLTS deep center is observed at E c −0.61–0.63 eV due to electric field effect, with a concentration of ∼1.2×10 15  cm −3 . The center is believed to be the Z 1 center (also called Z 1 / Z 2 (4H)), which is often observed in as-grown and implanted or irradiated 4H–SiC epilayers and is speculated to be a vacancy-type defect. Correlation between the Hall effect deep donor and Z 1 suggests that Z 1 is donor-like.

Characterization of deep centers in bulk n-type 4H–SiC

A semiconductor structure includes a first layer of a nitride semiconductor material, a substantially unstrained nitride interlayer on the first layer of nitride semiconductor material, and a second layer of a nitride semiconductor material on the nitride interlayer. The nitride interlayer has a first lattice constant and may include aluminum and gallium and may be conductively doped with an n-type dopant. The first layer and the second layer together have a thickness of at least about 0.5 μm. The nitride semiconductor material may have a second lattice constant, such that the first layer may be more tensile strained on one side of the nitride interlayer than the second layer may be on the other side of the nitride interlayer.

Adam William Saxler

Papers

8-watt GaN HEMTs at millimeter-wave frequencies

Phase-matched optical second-harmonic generation in GaN and AlN slab waveguides

Rare earth doped layer or substrate for light conversion

Characterization of deep centers in bulk n-type 4H–SiC

Thick nitride semiconductor structures with interlayer structures