Surface segregation effects of erbium in GaAs growth and their implications for optical devices containing ErAs nanostructures
Abstract
We report on the integration of semimetallic ErAs nanoparticles with high optical quality GaAs-based semiconductors, grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Secondary ion mass spectrometry and photoluminescence measurements provide evidence of surface segregation and incorporation of erbium into layers grown with the erbium cell hot, despite the closed erbium source shutter. We establish the existence of a critical areal density of the surface erbium layer, below which the formation of ErAs precipitates is suppressed. Based upon these findings, we demonstrate a method for overgrowing ErAs nanoparticles with III-V layers of high optical quality, using subsurface ErAs nanoparticles as a sink to deplete the surface erbium concentration. This approach provides a path toward realizing optical devices based on plasmonic effects in an epitaxially-compatible semimetal/semiconductor system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Mar 21, 2011
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.3565168
Entities
People
- Adam M. Crook
- Hari P. Nair
- Seth R. Bank
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Army Research Office
- University of Texas at Austin