The role of Sb in the molecular beam epitaxy growth of 1.30–1.55μm wavelength GaInNAs/GaAs quantum well with high indium content

Epitaxial High-Yield Intrinsic and Te-Doped Dilute Nitride GaAsSbN Nanowire Heterostructure and Ensemble Photodetector Application

“…Although DS samples grown with a stem exhibited increased vertical NW density (Figure c), they were slightly tapered with substantial 2D growth that is attributed to the rapid consumption of droplets under N and Sb fluxes. Two reasons are speculated for this effect: (1) enhanced surfactant effect of Sb in the melt under a N-flux, forming a barrier for the incorporation of other growth species in the droplet and (2) replacement of Sb by N atoms at the NW sidewall surfaces that is attributed to N and Sb exchanging sites due to the surfactant nature of Sb, which leads to its diffusion toward the NW surface with smaller N atoms diffusing inward to occupy Sb vacancies . This interdiffusion is likely to promote the reduction of the Ga adatom diffusion length, leading to lowering of the replenishment rate of the melt suppressing the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism.…”

“…Two reasons are speculated for this effect: (1) enhanced surfactant effect of Sb in the melt under a N-flux, forming a barrier for the incorporation of other growth species in the droplet 14 and (2) replacement of Sb by N atoms at the NW sidewall surfaces that is attributed to N and Sb exchanging sites due to the surfactant nature of Sb, which leads to its diffusion toward the NW surface with smaller N atoms diffusing inward to occupy Sb vacancies. 15 This interdiffusion is likely to promote the reduction of the Ga adatom diffusion length, leading to lowering of the replenishment rate of the melt suppressing the vapor−liquid−solid (VLS) mechanism. As a result, the axial growth rate is reduced, while the radial growth rate is facilitated through a step-mediated growth mode.…”

High-density InSb-based quantum dots emitting in the mid-infrared

“…The observation of a low density of large QDs is due to the larger In-adatoms diffusion length [11] onto Sb-terminated surfaces and to the well-known surfactant behaviour of Sb atoms during MBE of III-V compounds [12,13]. This element, in fact, is a large atom and tends to delay or prevent the 2D-3D transition during strained layer heteroepitaxy.…”

Effect of antimony on the deep-level traps in GaInNAsSb thin films

“…13,21 On the other hand, improved interface-properties after Sbirradiation have been confirmed by the formation of atomically flat interface between GaInNAs/GaAs single or multiple quantum well. 22,23 In addition, reflection highenergy electron diffraction (RHEED) and atomic force microscope (AFM) have been routinely used to confirm better surface reconstruction and surface morphology in the Sb-mediated GaInNAs films. 21,23 Better surface morphology might be resulted from the improved interfaceproperties at the GaInNAs(Sb)/GaAs hetero interface.…”