Characteristics of bulk InGaAsSbN/GaAs grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE)

Bulk, lattice-matched dilute-nitride-antimonide materials were grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) for integration into multi-junction solar cells. Bulk nominally lattice-matched films of InGaAsN and InGaAsSbN with band gap energies in the 1–1.3 eV range are characterized for background carrier concentration and luminescent properties, two factors of importance for solar cell applications. The intrinsic carbon and free carrier (hole) concentration is found to be sensitive to the selection of the gallium metalorganic source and the gas-phase MOVPE growth conditions. Variable temperature (40–300 K) steady-state photoluminescence (PL) measurements of InGaAsSbN indicate that carrier localization occurs at low temperature, similar to that commonly observed for InGaAsN materials. Carrier lifetimes of up to ∼202 ps were obtained from double heterostructures incorporating InGaAsSbN materials using time-resolved photoluminescence (TR-PL) spectroscopy.

Highlight► We grow bulk lattice-matched dilute-nitride-antimonide materials by MOVPE. ► Dilute-nitride-antimony material applies for integration into multi-junction solar cells. ► The intrinsic carbon concentration is sensitive to the selection of the gallium MO source. ► Carrier lifetimes of up to ∼202 ps were obtained from InGaAsSbN DH structures.