The use of organometallic group-V sources for the metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy growth of In 0.48Ga 0.52P/GaAs and In 0.53Ga 0.47As/InP heterojunction bipolar device structures

Abstract

This paper describes the use of tertiarybutylarsine (TBA) and tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) as replacements for arsine and phosphine in MOMBE/CBE for the production of device structures with state-of-the-art performance. The growth system used for this work is based on the use of elemental group-III and dopant sources, and employs thermal crackers for the low pressure precracking of TBA and TBP. Device structures fabricated in the In 0.48Ga 0.52P/GaAs materials system include single- and double-heterojunction bipolar transistors (SHBTs and DHBTs). Current gains as high as 2690 have been obtained with these transistors. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements of the emitter-base junctions of these transistors reveals the absence of deep level traps, in contrast to similar devices fabricated using AlGaAs/GaAs. Device structures fabricated in the In 0.53Ga 0.47As/InP materials system include SHBTs, DHBTs, and resonant tunneling bipolar transistors (RTBTs). In 0.53Ga 0.47As/InP SHBTs with record maximum oscillation frequencies (ƒ max) of > 180 GHz have been produced with high breakdown voltages BV CEO and BV CBO of 8.1 and 17 V, respectively. In addition, DHBTs with ƒ T=134 GHz and ƒ max=137 GHz have been fabricated. Resonant tunneling bipolar transistors, consisting of a structured AlAs/In x Ga 1− x As resonant tunneling double barrier vertically integrated into the emitter of an InP/InGaAs double heterojunction bipolar transistor structure, have been demonstrated. These transistors have room temperature peak-to-valley current ratio of approximately 20, current gain of 100, and breakdown voltage exceeding 5 V, allowing the demonstration of the first room temperature resonant tunneling transistor integrated circuits.