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

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

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

We propose the application of GaNAs as a novel material fabricated on a Si wafer. It is a direct-transition type semiconductor, and can be lattice-matched to Si. Therefore, it is valid for use in the active region of light-emitting devices fabricated on Si. In this letter, GaNAs with a low N content is grown on a GaAs wafer to explore the gas-source molecular beam epitaxy under which a N radical is used as the N source. As a consequence, GaNAs with a N content up to 1.5% is grown, even though the conductance of the N-radical beam cell is fixed at a very low value. The bowing parameter of the bandgap is experimentally evaluated at 18 eV.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.33.L1056/pdf

Gas-Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy of GaNxAs1-x Using a N Radical as the N Source

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diodes with GaInNAs-GaAs quantum-well (QW) active layers are demonstrated for the first time. GaInNAs permits the realization of a long-wavelength vertical-cavity laser grown directly on a GaAs substrate. Room-temperature (RT) pulsed operation is achieved, with an active wavelength near 1.18 /spl mu/m, threshold current density of 3.1 kA/cm/sup 2/, slope efficiency of /spl sim/0.04 W/A, and output power above 5 mW for 45-/spl mu/m-diameter devices. Laser oscillation is observed for temperatures at high as 95/spl deg/C.

GaInNAs-GaAs long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diodes

We have successfully operated GaInNAs laser diodes with a pulsed current at room temperature. The lowest threshold current density was about 0.8 kA/cm2, and the lasing wavelength was about 1.2 µ m. Characteristic parameters such as internal quantum efficiency and the gain constant were measured, and excellent high-temperature performance was observed. The characteristic temperature was 127 K in the temperature range from 25 to 85° C.

Room-Temperature Pulsed Operation of GaInNAs Laser Diodes with Excellent High-Temperature Performance

We have obtained a high characteristic temperature (T0) of 215 K from a 1.3 µm GaInNAs/GaAs single-quantum-well laser under pulsed operation at 20°C to 80°C. To our knowledge, this T0 is the highest yet reported for 1.3 µm band edge emitters suitable for optical-fiber communication systems. The use of GaInNAs as an active layer is, therefore, very promising for the fabrication of long-wavelength laser diodes with excellent high-temperature performance.

A 1.3-µm GaInNAs/GaAs Single-Quantum-Well Laser Diode with a High Characteristic Temperature over 200 K

A 1.3-µm-range GaInNAs/GaAs single-quantum-well laser was tested for 1000 hours at 24°C under an auto-current-control condition. No degradation was observed. The threshold current fell slightly (14%). The lasing wavelength was stable. The lack of rapid degradation under an auto-power-control condition at a high temperature (50°C) suggests that a reliable GaInNAs laser diode with a practical lifetime may soon be realized.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.38.L1355/pdf

Masahiko Kondow

Papers

Gas-Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy of GaNxAs1-x Using a N Radical as the N Source

GaInNAs-GaAs long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diodes

Room-Temperature Pulsed Operation of GaInNAs Laser Diodes with Excellent High-Temperature Performance

A 1.3-µm GaInNAs/GaAs Single-Quantum-Well Laser Diode with a High Characteristic Temperature over 200 K

A 1.3-µm GaInNAs Laser Diode with a Lifetime of over 1000 Hours