ISSN:
1089-7550
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
n-type silicon-doped epitaxial layers of gallium arsenide grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) or metal-organo chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) have been investigated by measurements of the Hall effect and the strengths of the localized vibrational modes (LVM) of silicon impurities using both Fourier transform absorption spectroscopy and Raman scattering at an excitation energy of 3 eV close to the E1 band gap. Lines from Si(Ga) donors, Si(As) acceptors, Si(Ga)-Si(As) pairs, and Si-X, a complex of silicon with a native defect, were detected and correlated for the two techniques. The maximum carrier concentration [n] found for samples grown under standard conditions was 5.5×1018 cm−3. At higher doping levels Si-X becomes dominant and acts as an acceptor, so reducing [n]. An integrated absorption of 1 cm−2 in the Si(Ga) LVM line corresponds to 5.0±4×1016 atoms cm−3: a similar calibration applies to the Si(As) line, but for Si-X, an absorption of 1 cm−2 corresponds to only 2.7±1.0×1016 defects cm−3. Possible structures for Si-X are discussed but a definitive model cannot yet be proposed. MBE samples grown at 400 °C had values of [n] close to 1019 cm−3, and a negligible concentration of Si-X. On annealing, [n] decreased and Si-X defects were produced together with site switching of Si(Ga) to Si(As). These results are important to the understanding of the mechanism of silicon diffusion at low temperatures. The infrared absorption and Raman measurements are complementary. Absorption measurements made at a resolution of 0.1 cm−1 require layers greater than or equal to 1 μm in thickness doped to a level of 3×1017 cm−3 but require the prior elimination of free-carrier absorption. Raman measurements can be made on as-grown layers only 10 nm in thickness doped to a level of 2×1018 cm−3, but with a spectral resolution of only 5 cm−1.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.344224
