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At least 937 records · Page 52
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DOE OSTI2013

Determination of the thickness and spectral dependence of the refractive index of Al{sub x}In{sub 1-x}Sb epitaxial layers from reflectance spectra

A nondestructive method for measuring the thicknesses of epitaxial layers of Al{sub x}In{sub 1-x}Sb alloys based on interference effects in reflectance spectra measured in a wide wavelength range (1-28 {mu}m) is implemented. The studied 0.9-3.3 {mu}m thick Al{sub x}In{sub 1-x}Sb layers are grown on highly lattice-mismatched GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The found thicknesses are in good agreement with the independent data of scanning electron microscopy. The spectral dependence of the refractive index n(E) of Al{sub x}In{sub 1-x}Sb layers is measured both for the regions of transparency and fundamental absorption. The refractive index for the case of E < E{sub 0} was calculated by a double-oscillator model using a refined experimental dependence of the band gap on the composition E{sub 0}(x). The experimental data on the n(E) of Al{sub x}In{sub 1-x}Sb for energies E > E{sub 0} are found based on the interference pattern.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Low-temperature growth of silicon epitaxial layers codoped with erbium and oxygen atoms

The fabrication technology and properties of light-emitting Si structures codoped with erbium and oxygen are reported. The layers are deposited onto (100) Si by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using an Er-doped silicon sublimation source. The partial pressure of the oxygen-containing gases in the growth chamber of the MBE facility before layer growth is lower than 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -10} Torr. The oxygen and erbium concentrations in the Si layers grown at 450 Degree-Sign C is {approx}1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 19} and 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3}, respectively. The silicon epitaxial layers codoped with erbium and oxygen have high crystal quality and yield effective photoluminescence and electroluminescence signals with the dominant optically active Er-1 center forming upon postgrowth annealing at a temperature of 800 Degree-Sign C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Specific features of the spectra and relaxation kinetics of long-wavelength photoconductivity in narrow-gap HgCdTe epitaxial films and heterostructures with quantum wells

The spectra and relaxation kinetics of interband photoconductivity are investigated in narrow-gap Hg{sub 1-x}Cd{sub x}Te epitaxial films with x = 0.19-0.23 and in structures with HgCdTe-based quantum wells (QWs), having an interband-transition energy in the range of 30-90 meV, grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on GaAs (013) substrates. A long-wavelength sensitivity band caused by impurities or defects is found in the spectra of the structures with quantum wells in addition to the interband photoconductivity. It is shown that the lifetimes of nonequilibrium carriers in the structures with QWs is less than in bulk samples at the same optical-transition energy. From the measured carrier lifetimes, the ampere-watt responsivity and the equivalent noise power for a film with x = 0.19 at a wavelength of 19 {mu}m are estimated. When investigating the relaxation kinetics of the photoconductivity at 4.2 K in high excitation regime, it is revealed that radiative recombination is dominant over other mechanisms of nonequilibrium-carrier recombination.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Magnetoabsorption in narrow-gap HgCdTe epitaxial layers in the terahertz range

The magnetoabsorption and photoconductivity spectra are investigated in the terahertz (THz) range at a temperature of T = 4.2 K for n-Hg{sub 1−x}Cd{sub x}Te bulk epitaxial layers of various compositions (both semiconductor and semimetallic) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Within the framework of the Kane 8 · 8 model, the electron and hole Landau levels are calculated. It is shown that, in contrast to the results of previous investigations, all observed resonance lines are related to transitions between the Landau levels of free carriers (the cyclotron resonance in the conduction band and the transitions between heavy-hole and electron Landau levels), which is evidence of the high purity and structural perfection of the samples. The possibility of using zero-gap Hg{sub 1−x}Cd{sub x}Te solid solutions as THz photodetectors tunable by magnetic field is shown.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Anisotropy of the solid-state epitaxy of silicon carbide in silicon

A new method for the solid-state synthesis of epitaxial layers is developed, in which a substrate participates in the chemical reaction and the reaction product grows not on the substrate surface, as in traditional epitaxial methods, but inside the substrate. This method offers new opportunities for elastic-energy relaxation due to a mechanism operating only in anisotropic media, specifically, the attraction of point defects formed during the chemical reaction. The attracting point centers of dilatation form relatively stable objects, dilatation dipoles, which significantly reduce the total elastic energy. It is shown that, in crystals with cubic symmetry, the most favorable arrangement of dipoles is the 〈111〉 direction. The theory is tested by growing silicon carbide (SiC) films on Si (111) substrates by chemical reaction with carbon monoxide CO. High-quality single-crystal SiC-4H films with thicknesses of up to 100 nm are grown on Si (111). Ellipsometric analysis showed that the optical constants of the SiC-4H films are significantly anisotropic. This is caused not only by the lattice hexagonality but also by a small amount (about 2–6%) of carbon atoms remaining in the film due to dilatation dipoles. It is shown that the optical constants of the carbon impurity correspond to strongly anisotropic highly oriented pyrolytic graphite.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Surface photovoltage method for the quality control of silicon epitaxial layers on sapphire

The surface photovoltage method is used to study “silicon-on-sapphire” epitaxial layers with a thickness of 0.3–0.6 μm, which are used to fabricate p-channel MOS (metal—oxide-semiconductor) transistors with improved radiation hardness. It is shown that the manner in which the photoconductivity of the epitaxial layer decays after the end of a light pulse generated by a light-emitting diode (wavelength ∼400 nm) strongly depends on the density of structural defects in the bulk of the structure. This enables control over how a “silicon-on-sapphire” structure is formed to provide the manufacturing of MOS structures with optimal operating characteristics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Ge/GeSn heterostructures grown on Si (100) by molecular-beam epitaxy

The growth of GeSn layers by molecular-beam epitaxy on Si (100) wafers coated with a germanium buffer layer is investigated. The properties of the fabricated structures are controlled by reflection high-energy electron diffraction, atomic-force microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Rutherford backscattering, and Raman scattering. It is shown that GeSn layers with thicknesses up to 0.5 μm and Sn molar fractions up to 0.073 manifest no sign of plastic relaxation upon epitaxy. The lattice constant of the GeSn layers within the growth plane is precisely the same as that of Ge. The effect of rapid thermal annealing on the conversion of metastable elastically strained GeSn layers into a plastically relaxed state is examined. Ge/GeSn quantum wells with Sn molar fraction up to 0.11 are obtained.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Growth of EuO/Si and EuO/SrO/Si heteroepitaxial structures by molecular-beam epitaxy

Epitaxial EuO thin films with thickness up to 60 nm have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy both on SrO sublayers and directly on Si (001) substrates. Crystal structure has been controlled in situ by reflection high energy electron diffraction. Ex situ studies by X-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering have confirmed high crystalline quality of the films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Molecular beam epitaxy of III-P{sub x}As{sub 1−x} solid solutions: Mechanism of composition formation in the sublattice of a group V element

The effect of substrate temperature, As{sub 2} and P{sub 2} molecular flux densities, and growth rate on the composition of III-P{sub x}As{sub 1−x} solid solution layers prepared by molecular beam epitaxy is experimentally investigated. Experimental data in a wide range of growth conditions are analyzed. The results obtained are presented in the form of a kinetic model for describing the process of formation of the composition in the Group V sublattice of the III-P{sub x}As{sub 1−x} solid solution upon molecular beam epitaxy. The model can be used for choosing the growth conditions of the III-P{sub x}As{sub 1−x} (001) solid-solution layers of a specified composition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Control over the morphology of AlN during molecular beam epitaxy with the plasma activation of nitrogen on Si (111) substrates

The results of studies of the growth kinetics of AlN layers during molecular beam epitaxy with the plasma activation of nitrogen using Si (111) substrates are presented. The possibility of the growth of individual AlN/Si (111) nanocolumns using growth conditions with enrichment of the surface with metal near the formation mode of Al drops, at a substrate temperature close to maximal, during molecular beam epitaxy with the plasma activation of nitrogen (T{sub s} ≈ 850°C) is shown. The possibility of growing smooth AlN layers on a nanocolumnar AlN/Si (111) buffer with the use of T{sub s} ≈ 750°C and growth conditions providing enrichment with metal is shown.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Acceptor states in heteroepitaxial CdHgTe films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy

The photoluminescence method is used to study acceptor states in CdHgTe heteroepitaxial films (HEFs) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. A comparison of the photoluminescence spectra of HEFs grown on GaAs substrates (CdHgTe/GaAs) with the spectra of CdHgTe/Si HEFs demonstrates that acceptor states with energy depths of about 18 and 27 meV are specific to CdHgTe/GaAs HEFs. The possible nature of these states and its relation to the HEF synthesis conditions and, in particular, to the vacancy doping occurring under conditions of a mercury deficiency during the course of epitaxy and postgrowth processing are discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Molecular-beam epitaxy of heterostructures of wide-gap II–VI compounds for low-threshold lasers with optical and electron pumping

The paper presents basic approaches in designing and growing by molecular beam epitaxy of (Zn,Mg)(S,Se)-based laser heterostructures with multiple CdSe quantum dot (QD) sheets or ZnCdSe quantum wells (QW). The method of calculation of compensating short-period ZnSSe/ZnSe superlattices (SLs) in both active and waveguide regions of laser heterostructures possessing the different waveguide thickness and different number of active regions is presented. The method allowing reduction of the density of nonequilibrium point defects in the active region of the II–VI laser structures has been proposed. It utilizes the migration enhanced epitaxy mode in growing the ZnSe QW confining the CdSe QD sheet. The threshold power density as low as P{sub thr} ∼ 0.8 kW/cm{sup 2} at T = 300 K has been demonstrated for laser heterostructure with single CdSe QD sheet and asymmetric graded-index waveguide with strain-compensating SLs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Liquid-phase epitaxy of the (Si{sub 2}){sub 1−x−y}(Ge{sub 2}){sub x}(GaAs){sub y} substitutional solid solution (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.91, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.94) and their electrophysical properties

(Si{sub 2}){sub 1−x−y}(Ge{sub 2}){sub x}(GaAs){sub y} substitutional solid solutions (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.91, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.94) are grown by liquid-phase epitaxy from a Pb-based solution-melt on Si substrates with the (111) crystallographic orientation. The chemical composition of the epitaxial films is studied by X-rays probe microanalysis, and the distribution profile of solid solution components is determined. Spectral dependences of the photosensitivity and photoluminescence of the n-Si-p(Si{sub 2}){sub 1−x−y}(Ge{sub 2}){sub x}(GaAs){sub y} heterostructures are studied at room and liquid-nitrogen temperatures. Two maxima are found in the photoluminescence spectra of the (Si{sub 2}){sub 1−x−y}(Ge{sub 2}){sub x}(GaAs){sub y} films (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.91, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.94) against the background of a broad emission spectrum. The fundamental maximum with an energy of 1.45 eV is caused by the band-to-band recombination of solid solution carriers, and an additional maximum with an energy of 1.33 eV is caused by the recombination of carriers with the participation of impurity levels of the Si-Si bond (Si{sub 2} is covalently coupled with the tetrahedral lattice of the solid solution host)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Vacancies in epitaxial graphene

The coherent-potential method is used to consider the problem of the influence of a finite concentration of randomly arranged vacancies on the density of states of epitaxial graphene. To describe the density of states of the substrate, simple models (the Anderson model, Haldane-Anderson model, and parabolic model) are used. The electronic spectrum of free single-sheet graphene is considered in the low-energy approximation. Charge transfer in the graphene-substrate system is discussed. It is shown that, in all cases, the density of states of epitaxial graphene decreases proportionally to the vacancy concentration. At the same time, the average charge transferred from graphene to the substrate increases.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Metamorphic distributed Bragg reflectors for the 1440–1600 nm spectral range: Epitaxy, formation, and regrowth of mesa structures

It is shown that metamorphic In{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As/In{sub 0.3}Al{sub 0.7}As distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) with a reflection band at 1440–1600 nm and a reflectance of no less than 0.999 can be fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on a GaAs substrate. It is demonstrated that mesa structures formed from metamorphic DBRs on a GaAs substrate can be regrown by MBE and microcavities can be locally formed in two separate epitaxial processes. The results obtained can find wide application in the fabrication of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with a buried tunnel junction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Increase in the diffusion length of minority carriers in Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1–x}N alloys ({sub x} = 0–0.1) fabricated by ammonia molecular beam epitaxy

The room-temperature diffusion length of minority carriers in n-Al{sub 0.1}Ga{sub 0.9}N layers grown by ammonia molecular beam epitaxy on sapphire (0001) substrates used in structures for ultraviolet photodetectors is studied. Measurements were performed using the spectral dependence of the photocurrent recorded in a built-in p–n junction for thin samples and using the induced electron-current procedure for films up to 2 µm thick. The results show that the hole diffusion length in n-AlGaN films is 120–150 nm, which is larger than in GaN films grown under similar growth conditions by a factor of 3–4. This result can be associated with the larger lateral sizes characteristic of hexagonal columns in AlGaN layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy. No increase in the hole diffusion length is observed for thicker films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Segregation of Sb in Ge epitaxial layers and its usage for the selective doping of Ge-based structures

The segregation of Sb in Ge epitaxial layers grown by the method of molecular beam epitaxy on Ge (001) substrates is investigated. For a growth temperature range of 180–325°C, the temperature dependence is determined for the segregation ratio of Sb in Ge, which shows a sharp increase (by more than three orders of magnitude) with increasing temperature. The strong dependence of the segregation properties of Sb on the growth temperature makes it possible to adapt a method based on the controlled use of segregation developed previously for the doping of Si structures for the selective doping of Ge structures with a donor impurity. Using this method selectively doped Ge:Sb structures, in which the bulk impurity concentration varies by an order of magnitude at distances of 3–5 nm, are obtained.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Epitaxially Grown Monoisotopic Si, Ge, and Si{sub 1–x}Ge{sub x} Alloy Layers: Production and Some Properties

The technology of the growth of Si, Ge, and Si{sub 1–x}Ge{sub x} layers by molecular-beam epitaxy with the use of a sublimation source of monoisotopic {sup 30}Si or {sup 28}Si and/or gas sources of monogermane {sup 74}GeH{sub 4} is demonstrated. All of the epitaxial layers are of high crystal quality. The secondary-ion mass spectroscopy data and Raman data suggest the high isotopic purity and structural perfection of the {sup 30}Si, {sup 28}Si, {sup 74}Ge, and {sup 30}Si{sub 1–x}{sup 74}Ge{sub x} layers. The {sup 30}Si layers doped with Er exhibit an efficient photoluminescence signal.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗