CBE growth of AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures and their device applications

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 1990-10, Vol.105 (1), p.124-134
• Main Author: Houng, Yu-Min
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Physics
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-0248(90)90350-T

We demonstrate that the chemical beam epitaxial (CBE) technique is suitable for growing high quality AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures for high-speed and photonic device applications. Substantial improvements in electrical and optical properties of Al x Ga 1- x As were achieved using triisobutylaluminum (TIBAl) instead of triethylaluminum source. Highly uniform Al x Ga 1- x As:Si and Al x Ga 1- x As:C films with very low surface defect density were grown. The electrical and optical properties of these materials are comparable to those of high quality organometallic vapor phase epitaxial (OMVPE) Al x Ga 1- x As. CBE grown 0.25 °m gate length modulation-doped field effect transistors (MODFET) have been fabricated. MODFETs having f T greater than 38 GHz and a 1.7 dB noise figure with 10 dB associated gain at 18 GHz are reported. Device quality AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), electro-optic modulator and light emitter array structures grown by CBE technique were also demonstrated.