Infrared dielectric response, index of refraction, and absorption of germanium-tin alloys with tin contents up to 27% deposited by molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

The dielectric spectral response of Ge1-xSnx thin film alloys with relatively high Sn contents (0.15 ≤ x ≤ 0.27) and thickness from 42 to 132 nm was characterized by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry over the wavelength range from 0.190 to 6 μm. The Ge1-xSnx thin films were deposited on Ge substrates by molecular beam epitaxy using an electron-beam source for Ge to achieve a substrate temperature below 150 °C to prevent the surface segregation of Sn. From the measured dielectric function, the complex refractive index was calculated indicating an increase in the real index with the Sn content at mid-infrared wavelengths. The ellipsometry revealed that the band structure critical point energies red-shifted with the increasing Sn content. The optical absorption coefficient was calculated from the imaginary index and showed a strong absorption into, and beyond, the mid-infrared with the increasing Sn content.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Sep 17, 2018
Source ID
10.1063/1.5040853

Entities

People

  • Dominic Imbrenda
  • J. Kolodzey
  • Jeremy Vanderslice
  • Nalin S. Fernando
  • Rigo A. Carrasco
  • Ryan Hickey
  • Stefan Zollner

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Army Research Office
  • National Science Foundation
  • New Mexico State University
  • University of Delaware

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Nanofabrication and Microfabrication.
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Pulsed-Laser Deposition
  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Graphene