Rare earth ions in LPE III-V semiconductors

Abstract

InP : Yb LPE layers have been grown by a supercooling process at high growth temperatures up to 800°C. The Yb concentrations in the In growth melts ranged between 0.001 and 0.005 mole fraction. Photoluminescence and Hall measurements gave information about the incorporation behaviour of the rare earth ion Yb 3+ (4f 13) and about its influence on the electrical properties of InP. Time resolved photoluminescence measurements at low temperatures indicated a lifetime of about 12 μs of the excited Yb 3+ state. LPE grown InP:Yb p-n electroluminescence diodes were fabricated, which emit the intracentre Yb luminescence at 1 μm wavelength. High purity InP layers could be grown, using Yb in low concentrations to remove residual impurities from the growth melts. Net carrier concentrations N D - N A of 2 × 10 14 cm −3 at 300 K (1.5 × 10 14 cm −3 at 77 K) and carrier mobilities of 5700 cm 2/V·s at 300 K (90,000 cm 2/V·s at 77 K) could be achieved.