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

Physical and chemical properties of solid materials are strongly. influenced by the chemical composition of internal interfaces, One of the crucial parameters affecting interfacial chemistry is the atomic structure of the interface. Due to its importance. a considerable amount of work was done to elucidate the relationship between structure and chemical composition of interfaces. This article reviews the present understanding of an important and fundamental part of this relationship, namely, the structural aspects of grain boundary segregation. After a brief outline of grain boundary structure and geometry. thermodynamic approaches to describe grain boundary segregation are summarized and their application to materials is discussed. covering particular sites at a single grain boundary as well as the role of interfaces in polycrystals. Both the experimental evidence of grain boundary segregation anisotropy and the theoretical results of computer simulations of grain boundary segregation are summar...

Thermodynamics and structural aspects of grain boundary segregation

Optical characterisation of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces

Indium surface segregation in strained GaInAs quantum wells grown on GaAs by MBE

Photoluminescence experiments were performed as a function of temperature and excitation intensity in order to investigate the optical properties of In0.1Ga0.9As/GaAs quantum wells grown on vicinal GaAs(001) substrates with different miscut angles. The misorientation of the surface played an important role and influenced the intensity, efficiency, energy, and full width at half maximum of the optical emission, as well as the segregation of indium atoms. It is shown that at high temperature the optical properties of InGaAs quantum wells grown on vicinal substrates are slightly inferior to ones of the same structure grown a nominal surface because of the faster escape of the carriers.

Influence of the temperature and excitation power on the optical properties of InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells grown on vicinal GaAs(001) surfaces

Spatially resolved photoluminescence line scans were performed to determine the local stresses in AlGaAs laser diodes designed for high-power operation at 808 nm. In this approach, the sign and magnitude of the local stress are deduced from the spectral shift of the peak associated with band-to-band transitions in the n-type GaAs substrate. The sensitivity of the technique (minimal equivalent hydrostatic stress that can be detected) can reach 10 MPa or better. Correlations between solder-induced stress distribution in the devices and estimated lifetimes are demonstrated.

Microphotoluminescence mapping of packaging-induced stress distribution in high-power AlGaAs laser diodes

In situ ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) measurements have been performed at GaInAs/GaAs (100) interfaces. The high depth resolution of the UPS technique applied to the specific case of GaInAs/GaAs heterostructures [core‐level photoelectron escape depth λ≊2.1 monolayers (MLs)] is shown, yielding quantitative informations on the Ga/In atomic profiles at the ML scale. A surface segregation model is developped and the phenomenological segregation energy is obtained by UPS. This energy is used to generate potential energy profiles in a calculation of the energy of photoluminescence (PL) lines in GaInAs/GaAs quantum wells; the quantitative agreement with measured PL lines is very good.

In situ core‐level photoelectron spectroscopy study of indium segregation at GaInAs/GaAs heterojunctions grown by molecular‐beam epitaxy

Different applications of the micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) mapping technique to the evaluation of semiconductor devices are described in this paper, based on detailed analyses of the PL spectral line-shape. The applications covered are connected to the general field of reliability investigations for III–V semiconductor high-power devices, like GaAs-based microwave transistors or laser diode arrays. Derived from a study of the local PL peak-shifts, whose origin can be thermal or mechanical, two types of application of the technique are shown: (a) local temperature maps on either individual devices or circuits under operation; and (b) local mechanical stress maps in high-power laser diode arrays, in relation to the packaging process for these devices. The most remarkable feature in these studies is the spatial resolution reached (in the range of 1 μm), together with the fact that the technique is non-invasive and does not require any specific preparation of the samples/devices to be investigated. Typical outputs are evaluations of the impact of the technology chosen (either at the level of the semiconductor chip itself or for the packaging solution) in terms of lifetime limitation, or else valuable experimental data for the validation of models used for the design of such devices.

Micro-photoluminescence for the visualisation of defects, stress and temperature profiles in high-power III–V's devices

Spatially resolved photo-luminescence (PL) line-scans were performed in a specific optical micro-probe to determine the soldering-induced local stresses in GaAs/GaAlAs laser diode arrays designed for high-power operation at 808 nm. In this approach, the sign and magnitude of the local stress are deduced from the spectral shift associated with band-to-band transitions in the GaAs substrate. The sensitivity (minimal equivalent hydrostatic stress that can be detected) is better than 10 MPa. The spatial resolution of the micro-PL technique (of the order of 1 micrometer), together with the short acquisition times, allows for detailed investigations of the stress profiles along the whole laser bars with a large number of data points. Different aspects of the mechanical stress distribution at the various steps of the process could thus be revealed. Finally, correlations between solder-induced stress distribution and estimated lifetimes were established. In particular, > defects, which are known as a failure mechanism on this type of devices, were observed only on the laser bars for which the micro-PL indicates the strongest compressive stress. This leads to consider the micro-PL approach proposed here as a cost- effective screening technique for the high-power GaAs/GaAlAs laser diode arrays.

Spatially resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements have been performed on GaAs/GaInAs/GaAlAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors to determine the local temperature on both sides of the gate with spatial resolution of about 1 μm and temperature resolution better than 1 °C. This local temperature is deduced from the energy shift of one of the peaks in the PL spectra. Asymmetry in the temperature distribution between the drain and source sides is observed. The experimental temperature values have also been compared with predictions from an analytical model to determine the thermal resistance in these devices.

J. P. Landesman

Papers

Microphotoluminescence mapping of packaging-induced stress distribution in high-power AlGaAs laser diodes

In situ core‐level photoelectron spectroscopy study of indium segregation at GaInAs/GaAs heterojunctions grown by molecular‐beam epitaxy

Micro-photoluminescence for the visualisation of defects, stress and temperature profiles in high-power III–V's devices

Microphotoluminescence mapping of packaging-induced stress distribution in high-power AlGaAs laser diodes

Local channel temperature measurements on pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors by photoluminescence spectroscopy