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

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

GaInNAs was proposed and created in 1995 by the authors. It can be grown pseudomorphically on a GaAs substrate and is a light-emitting material having a bandgap energy suitable for long-wavelength laser diodes (1.3-1.55 /spl mu/m and longer wavelengths). By combining GaInNAs with GaAs or other wide-gap materials that can be grown on a GaAs substrate, a type-I band lineup is achieved and, thus, very deep quantum wells can be fabricated, especially in the conduction band. Since the electron overflow from the wells to the barrier layers at high temperatures can he suppressed, the novel material of GaInNAs is very attractive to overcome the poor temperature characteristics of conventional long-wavelength laser diodes used for optical fiber communication systems. GaInNAs with excellent crystallinity was grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy in which a nitrogen radical was used as the nitrogen source. GaInNAs was applied in both edge-emitting and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) in the long-wavelength range. In edge-emitting laser diodes, operation under room temperature continuous-wave (CW) conditions with record high temperature performance (T/sub 0/=126 K) was achieved. The optical and physical parameters, such as quantum efficiency and gain constant, are also systematically investigated to confirm the applicability of GaInNAs to laser diodes for optical fiber communications. In a VCSEL, successful lasing action was obtained under room-temperature (RT) CW conditions by photopumping with a low threshold pump intensity and a lasing wavelength of 1.22 /spl mu/m.

GaInNAs: a novel material for long-wavelength semiconductor lasers

GaN and related materials (especially AlGaN) have recently attracted a lot of interest for applications in high power electronics capable of operation at elevated temperatures. Although the growth and processing technology for SiC, the other viable wide bandgap semiconductor material, is more mature, the AlGaInN system offers numerous advantages. These include wider bandgaps, good transport properties, the availability of heterostructures (particularly AlGaN/GaN), the experience base gained by the commercialization of GaN-based laser and light-emitting diodes and the existence of a high growth rate epitaxial method (hydride vapor phase epitaxy) for producing very thick layers or even quasi-substrates. These attributes have led to rapid progress in the realization of a broad range of GaN electronic devices, including heterostructure field effect transistors (HFETs), Schottky and p–i–n rectifiers, heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs). This review focuses on the development of fabrication processes for these devices and the current state-of-the-art in device performance, for all of these structures. We also detail areas where more work is needed, such as reducing defect densities and purity of epitaxial layers, the need for substrates and improved oxides and insulators, improved p-type doping and contacts and an understanding of the basic growth mechanisms.

Fabrication and performance of GaN electronic devices

Epitaxial growth of single-crystal gadolinium oxide dielectric thin films on gallium arsenide is reported. The gadolinium oxide film has a cubic structure isomorphic to manganese oxide and is (110)-oriented in single domain on the (100) gallium arsenide surface. The gadolinium oxide film has a dielectric constant of approximately 10, with low leakage current densities of about 10(-9) to 10(-10) amperes per square centimeter at zero bias. Typical breakdown field is 4 megavolts per centimeter for an oxide film 185 angstroms thick and 10 megavolts per centimeter for an oxide 45 angstroms thick. Both accumulation and inversion layers were observed in the gadolinium oxide-gallium arsenide metal oxide semiconductor diodes, using capacitance-voltage measurements. The ability to grow thin single-crystal oxide films on gallium arsenide with a low interfacial density of states has great potential impact on the electronic industry of compound semiconductors.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/283/5409/1897.full.pdf

Epitaxial cubic gadolinium oxide as a dielectric for gallium arsenide passivation

A study of the luminescence properties of epitaxial GaP containing atomic N grown by molecular beam epitaxy using NH3 and PH3 as the column V sources was conducted. The 77 K photoluminescence spectra of the N‐doped epitaxial GaP showed a continuous redshift, from 5691 A (2.18 eV) to 6600 A (1.88 eV), resulted when the N concentration exceeded ∼5–7×1019 cm−3. This energy shift was found to be consistent with energy gap predictions using the dielectric theory of electronegativity for the GaP1−xNx system. The data also indicate that the emission intensity was maximum for N∼1×1020 cm−3, and then monotonically decreases with increasing N content. This is consistent with the formation of an indirect band‐gap semiconductor.

Luminescence quenching and the formation of the GaP1−xNx alloy in GaP with increasing nitrogen content

We have established an in situ technique, the strain-induced lateral-layer ordering (SILO) process, whereby lateral composition modulation perpendicular to the growth direction occurs spontaneously during growth by gas source molecular beam epitaxy, producing lateral quantum wells. We have combined this new growth technique with standard quantum well laser growth technology to produce GaInP/AlGaInP strained multiple quantum wire (MQWR) heterostructure lasers. Transmission electron microscopy confirms the presence of laterally ordered MQWR arrays with a linear density of 10/sup 6/ cm/sup -1/. Emission spectra from these MBWR heterostructures exhibit quantized energies and significant polarization anisotropies. Photoluminescence emission energies are analyzed using an approximate strained quantum wire calculation. Electroluminescence spectra are studied both above and below the lasing threshold. Threshold current densities as low as 250 A/cm/sup 2/ are obtained under pulsed conditions at 77 K. The energies, polarizations, and threshold current densities vary according to the orientation of the contact stripe with respect to the MBWR array. These effects are explained in terms of the quantum wire potential, the strain fields present in the MQWR active region, and their effects on the band structure and the optical gain. >

AlGaInP multiple quantum wire heterostructure lasers prepared by the strain-induced lateral-layer ordering process

Growth of lattice matched GaInAsP on (100) InP was achieved using all solid source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Two valved cracking cells, one for phosphorus and the other for arsenic, were employed to supply the column V fluxes. The ability to obtain lattice matched conditions to InP was found to be highly reproducible and readily achievable using two valved cracking cells. X‐ray diffraction and photoluminescence measurements showed run‐to‐run variations in the arsenic/phosphorus mole fractions of less than 1%. Lattice matched Ga0.30In0.70As0.68P0.32 layers displayed 300 K luminescence full width at half maximums as low as 40.6 meV at λ∼1.43 μm. The results suggest all solid source MBE offers a viable alternative to existing heterojunction growth technologies.

Reproducibility studies of lattice matched GaInAsP on (100) InP grown by molecular beam epitaxy using solid phosphorus

We propose a novel photodetector capable of multi-spectral channel operation. The device makes use of the ability of a quantum dot plane to capture an optical spectrum, and of a resonant-tunneling structure to perform spectrally sensitive read-out. We present a design made out in the InAs–GaAs–AlxGa1−xAs system. We also present realistic simulations of the optical channel capabilities, as well as a discussion of the possible problems of the device.

The quantum dot spectrometer

Ga2O3(Gd2O3)–GaAs heterostructures in situ fabricated using a multichamber ultrahigh vacuum (molecular beam epitaxy) system were studied by x-ray reflectivity measurement and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The oxide–GaAs interfaces were found to be very smooth with the roughness no more than 1 nm. Moreover, an interfacial roughness as small as one atomic layer of GaAs (0.33 nm) was observed using x-ray reflectivity.

K. Y. Cheng

Papers

Luminescence quenching and the formation of the GaP1−xNx alloy in GaP with increasing nitrogen content

AlGaInP multiple quantum wire heterostructure lasers prepared by the strain-induced lateral-layer ordering process

Reproducibility studies of lattice matched GaInAsP on (100) InP grown by molecular beam epitaxy using solid phosphorus

The quantum dot spectrometer

Structural properties of Ga2O3(Gd2O3)–GaAs interfaces