Growth optimization studies to develop InAs/GaInSb superlattice materials for very long wavelength infrared detection

In order to develop ternary antimonide-based superlattice (SL) materials for very long wavelength infrared (VLWIR) detection, systematic growth optimization studies were performed to produce high quality ternary materials. For the studies, a SL structure of 47.0 Å InAs/21.5 Å Ga0.75In0.25Sb was selected to create a very narrow band gap. Results indicate that an epitaxial process developed can produce a precisely controlled band gap around 50 meV, but the material quality of grown SL layers is particularly sensitive to growth defects formed during the growth process. Since Group III antisites and strain-induced dislocations are the dominant structural defects responsible for the low radiative efficiencies, our optimization strategies to eliminate these defects have focused on stabilizing III/V incorporation during surface reconstruction by manipulating the growth surface temperature and balancing the residual strain of the SLs by adjusting the As/Sb flux ratio. The optimized ternary SL materials exhibited an overall strong photoresponse over a wide wavelength range up to ∼15 μm that is important for developing VLWIR detectors. A quantitative analysis of the lattice strain, performed at the atomic scale by aberration corrected transmission electron microscopy, provided valuable information about the strain distribution at the interfaces that was important for optimizing the strain balancing process during SL layer growth.