Molecular Beam Epitaxial Growth and Characterization of Metastable Compound Semiconductors for Infrared Detector Applications
Abstract
The emphasis of our research under this program is to obtain device quality narrow gap materials. During this initial phase of research, all the fundamental work necessary for future achievement of high quality metastable materials has been completed. This work includes the growth of all the various buffer layer materials such as InAs, InSb, GaSb, and AlSb, the calibration of the Auger system for quick feedback of alloy composition, and the in-situ RHEED oscillation calibration of growth rate. During this buffer layer studies, we found that the growth of InAs and AlSb are compatible in the temperature range of 450-500 C. AlSb/InAs/AlSb double-barrier resonant tunneling structures have therefore been grown and measured. Peak-to-valley ratios of 1.8:1 at room temperature and 9:1 at 77K have been measured. Most importantly, the small effective mass of InAs makes it possible to demonstrate quantum effects in a 24 nm well, the longest coherent distance ever reported for double-barrier tunneling structures. We have also estimated that an AlSb/InAs resonant tunneling transistor can significantly outperform similar devices based on AlGaAs/GaAs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 25, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA205175
Entities
People
- Wen I. Wang
Organizations
- Columbia University