Structural and optical properties of GaSbBi/GaSb quantum wells [Invited]

GaSbBi/GaSb quantum wells (QWs) with Bi content up to 10.1% were grown using molecular beam epitaxy. High crystalline quality and clear interfaces were confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The Bi distribution was investigated using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) reveals that the peak energy redshifts at a rate of 32 meV/Bi%, consistent with the theoretical predication using the 8-band kp model. From the temperature dependent PL, it was found that the temperature-insensitivity of the transition from the GaSbBi QW improved with increasing Bi content

Contactless electroreflectance and theoretical studies of band gap and spin-orbit splitting in InP1-xBix dilute bismide with x <= 0.034

Contactless electroreflectance is applied to study the band gap (E-0) and spin-orbit splitting (Delta(SO)) in InP1-xBix alloys with 0 < x <= 0.034. The E-0 transition shifts to longer wavelengths very significantly (-83 meV/% Bi), while the E0 + Delta(SO) transition shifts very weakly (-13 meV/% Bi) with the rise of Bi concentration. These changes in energies of optical transitions are discussed in the context of the valence band anticrossing model and ab initio calculations. Shifts of E-0 and E-0 + Delta(SO) transitions, obtained within ab-initio calculations, are -106 and -20 meV per % Bi, respectively, which is in a good agreement with experimental results

Indium-incorporation enhancement of photoluminescence properties of Ga(In) SbBi alloys

Ga(In)SbBi alloys grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on GaSb substrates with up to 5.5% In and 1.8% Bi were studied by temperature- and power-dependent photoluminescence (PL) and compared to previous photoreflectance (PR) results. High energy (HE) and low energy (LE) PL peaks were observed and attributed respectively to Ga(In)SbBi bandgap-related emission and native acceptor-related emission. For GaSbBi below 100 K, the HE peak is at slightly lower energy than the bandgap determined from PR, indicating carrier localization. This phenomenon is significantly weaker in PL of GaInSbBi alloys, suggesting that the presence of indium improves the optical quality over that of GaSbBi

High Bi content GaSbBi alloys

The epitaxial growth, structural, and optical properties of GaSb 1– x Bi x alloys have been investigated. The Bi incorporation into GaSb is varied in the range 0 < x ≤ 9.6% by varying the growth rate (0.31–1.33 μm h−1) at two growth temperatures (250 and 275 °C). The Bi content is inversely proportional to the growth rate, but with higher Bi contents achieved at 250 than at 275 °C. A maximum Bi content of x = 9.6% is achieved with the Bi greater than 99% substitutional. Extrapolating the linear variation of lattice parameter with Bi content in the GaSbBi films enabled a zinc blende GaBi lattice parameter to be estimated of 6.272 Å. The band gap at 300 K of the GaSbBi epitaxial layers decreases linearly with increasing Bi content down to 410 ± 40 meV (3 μm) for x = 9.6%, corresponding to a reduction of ∼35 meV/%Bi. Photoluminescence indicates a band gap of 490 ± 5 meV at 15 K for x = 9.6%

Optical and spin properties of localized and free excitons in GaBi ₓAs₁-ₓ /GaAs multiple quantum wells

Raman spectroscopy and magneto-photoluminescence measurements under high magnetic fields were used to investigate the optical and spin properties of GaBiAs/GaAs multiple quantum wells (MQWs). An anomalous negative diamagnetic energy shift was observed at higher temperatures and higher laser intensities, which was associated to a sign inversion of hole effective mass in these structures. In addition, an enhancement of the polarization degree with decreasing of laser intensity was observed (experimental condition where the emission is dominated by localized excitons). This effect was explained by changes of spin relaxation and exciton recombination times due to exciton localization by disorder

GaSbBi alloys and heterostructures: fabrication and properties

International audienceDilute bismuth (Bi) III-V alloys have recently attracted great attention, due to their properties of band-gap reduction and spin-orbit splitting. The incorporation of Bi into antimonide based III-V semiconductors is very attractive for the development of new optoelectronic devices working in the mid-infrared range (2-5 µm). However, due to its large size, Bi does not readily incorporate into III-V alloys and the epitaxy of III-V dilute bismides is thus very challenging. This book chapter presents the most recent developments in the epitaxy and characterization of GaSbBi alloys and heterostructures