Enhanced Properties of Extended Wavelength InGaAs on Compositionally Undulating Step-Graded InAsP Buffers Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Abstract

The extended wavelength InGaAs material (2.3 μm) was prepared by introducing compositionally undulating step-graded InAsyP1−y buffers with unequal layer thickness grown by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The properties of the extended wavelength InGaAs layer were investigated. The surface showed ordered crosshatch morphology and a low roughness of 1.38 nm. Full relaxation, steep interface and less than one threading dislocation in the InGaAs layer were demonstrated by taking advantage of the strain compensation mechanism. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) exhibited remarkable intensity attributed to the lower density of deep non-radiative centers. The emission peak energy with varied temperatures was in good agreement with Varshni’s empirical equation, implying high crystal quality without inhomogeneity-induced localized states. Therefore, our work shows that compositionally undulating step-graded InAsP buffers with a thinner bottom modulation layer, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, is an effective approach to prepare InGaAs materials with wavelengths longer than 2.0 μm and to break the lattice limitation on the materials with even larger mismatch.