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

http://antonirogalski.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Infrared-detectors-Status-and-trends.pdf

Infrared detectors: status and trends

I. Introduction (Preface, Nanostructures in Si Inversion Layers, Nanostructures in GaAs-AlGaAs Heterostructures, Basic Properties). 
II. Diffusive and Quasi-Ballistic Transport (Classical Size Effects, Weak Localization, Conductance Fluctuations, Aharonov-Bohm Effect, Electron-Electron Interactions, Quantum Size Effects, Periodic Potential). 
III. Ballistic Transport (Conduction as a Transmission Problem, Quantum Point Contacts, Coherent Electron Focusing, Collimation, Junction Scattering, Tunneling). 
IV. Adiabatic Transport (Edge Channels and the Quantum Hall Effect, Selective Population and Detection of Edge Channels, Fractional Quantum Hall Effect, Aharonov-Bohm Effect in Strong Magnetic Fields, Magnetically Induced Band Structure).

/pdf/quantum-transport-in-semiconductor-nanostructures-1n3dkljf6x.pdf

Quantum Transport in Semiconductor Nanostructures

Publisher Summary Quantum transport is conveniently studied in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) because of the combination of a large Fermi wavelength and large mean free path. Semiconductor nanostructures are unique in offering the possibility of studying quantum transport in an artificial potential landscape. This is the regime of ballistic transport in which scattering with impurities are neglected. The chapter presents a self-contained account of these three novel transport regimes in semiconductor nanostructures. The study of quantum transport in semiconductor nanostructures is motivated by more than scientific interest. The fabrication of nanostructures relies on sophisticated crystal growth and lithographic techniques that exist because of the industrial effort toward the miniaturization of transistors. Conventional transistors operate in the regime of classical diffusive transport, which breaks down on short length scales. The discovery of novel transport regimes in semiconductor nanostructures provides options for the development of innovative future devices.

/pdf/quantum-transport-in-semiconductor-nanostructures-3vpunw3uta.pdf

D X centers, deep levels associated with donors in III‐V semiconductors, have been extensively studied, not only because of their peculiar and interesting properties, but also because an understanding of the physics of these deep levels is necessary in order to determine the usefulness of III‐V semiconductors for heterojunction device structures. Much progress has been made in our understanding of the electrical and optical characteristics of D X centers as well as their effects on the behavior of various device structures through systematic studies in alloys of various composition and with applied hydrostatic pressure. It is now generally believed that the D X level is a state of the isolated substitutional donor atom. The variation of the transport properties and capture and emission kinetics of the D X level with the conduction‐band structure is now well understood. It has been found that the properties of the deep level when it is resonant with the conduction band, and is thus a metastable state, are similar to its characteristics when it is the stable state of the donor. And it has been consistently found that there is a large energy difference between the optical and thermal ionization energies, implying that this deep state is strongly coupled to the crystal lattice. The shifts in the emission kinetics due to the variation in the local environment of the donor atom suggest that the lattice relaxation involves the motion of an atom (the donor or a neighboring atom) from the group‐III lattice site toward the interstitial site. Total energy calculations show that such a configuration is stable provided that the donor traps two electrons, i.e., has negative U. Verification of the charge state of the occupied D X level is needed as well as direct evidence for its microscopic structure.

Deep donor levels (DX centers) in III‐V semiconductors

We report the first measurement of the conduction‐band discontinuity ΔEc for molecular beam epitaxial grown N‐n In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As heterojunction using the C‐V profiling technique outlined by Kroemer et al. We find ΔEc=(0.50±0.05) eV @297 K corresponding to (71±7)% ΔEg. An interface charge density σi of (4.0±0.8)×1011 cm−2 was also obtained. A knowledge of ΔEc is of importance for quantifying carrier confinement in double heterostructure lasers fabricated from these ternary compounds.

Measurement of the conduction‐band discontinuity of molecular beam epitaxial grown In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As, N‐n heterojunction by C‐V profiling

The first successful preparation of optically pumped and current injection Ga0.47In0.53As/Al0.48 In0.42As multiquantum well lasers is reported. These devices, operating at room temperature in the 1.5–1.6‐μm range, have been prepared by molecular beam epitaxy with well thicknesses as low as 80–90 A and barrier thicknesses as low as 30 A. In the broad area devices with a total active layer thickness of 0.14 μm we have observed threshold current density as low as 2.4 kA/cm2.

1.5–1.6‐μm Ga0.47In0.53As/Al0.48In0.52As multiquantum well lasers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Interband magneto-optical absorption in the Faraday and the Voigt configurations has been studied near liquid-He temperature in ${\mathrm{In}}_{0.53}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{0.47}$As grown by liquid-phase epitaxy on InP. Using a quasi-Ge model analysis with exciton corrections, the interband data has yielded ${E}_{g}=0.813\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001$ eV, ${m}_{0}(\frac{1}{{m}_{c}}+\frac{1}{{m}_{\mathrm{hh}}})=26.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5$, ${m}_{0}(\frac{1}{{m}_{c}}+\frac{1}{{m}_{\mathrm{lh}}})=44.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0$, and ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{3}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{2}=0.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2$. Using ${E}_{p}=25.3$ eV and $\ensuremath{\Delta}=0.36$ eV (from linear interpolation between InAs and GaAs) and $\frac{{m}_{c}}{{m}_{0}}=0.041$ (from earlier intraband measurements), the present interband data has yielded a set of parameters for the quasi-Ge model; in particular, ${m}_{\mathrm{hh}}\ensuremath{\simeq}0.47{m}_{0}$ and ${m}_{\mathrm{lh}}\ensuremath{\simeq}0.050{m}_{0}$. A precise determination of ${E}_{p}$ requires a direct measurement of $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ and ${g}_{c}$.

Interband magnetoabsorption of In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As

Low-field magnetoresistance measurements are made on the two-dimensional (2D) electron gas in $\mathrm{GaAs}/{\mathrm{Al}}_{x}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\mathrm{As}$ heterostructures to study the size effects on weak localization and the phase-breaking rate ($\frac{1}{{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}$) as a function of sample width ($W$) and potential probe spacing ($L$). When $L$ and $W$ are larger than $\ensuremath{\pi}{l}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$ and $\ensuremath{\pi}{L}_{T}$, where ${l}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$ is the phase-breaking length and ${L}_{T}$ is the thermal diffusion length, $\frac{1}{{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}$, deduced from experiment using the 2D localization theory, has some agreement with the theoretical 2D phase-breaking rate due to electromagnetic fluctuations and disagrees with the energy relaxation rate. When $Wl\ensuremath{\pi}{l}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$ and $\ensuremath{\pi}{L}_{T}$, both the localization effect and the determined $\frac{1}{{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}$ are one dimensional. When $L$ is small and comparable to ${l}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$ a new dimensional crossover for localization is observed. In such small samples, we also observe the predicted conductance fluctuations of order $\frac{{e}^{2}}{h}$.

Dephasing time and one-dimensional localization of two-dimensional electrons in GaAs / Al x Ga 1 − x As heterostructures

A photovoltaic infrared detector based on photoemission from a single modulation doped GaAs‐AlGaAs quantum well is presented. The modulation doping provides a built‐in field which allows unbiased operation. We show results from a device which is sensitive to 180 meV (7 μm wavelength) light, with a bandwidth of 20 meV, for which we estimate the quantum efficiency to be 1%. We demonstrate that the detector may be tuned to different wavelengths by varying the width of the well.

Kambiz Alavi

Papers

Measurement of the conduction‐band discontinuity of molecular beam epitaxial grown In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As, N‐n heterojunction by C‐V profiling

1.5–1.6‐μm Ga0.47In0.53As/Al0.48In0.52As multiquantum well lasers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Interband magnetoabsorption of In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As

Dephasing time and one-dimensional localization of two-dimensional electrons in GaAs / Al x Ga 1 − x As heterostructures

Photovoltaic quantum well infrared detector