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The properties of molecular beam epitaxy-grown InSb1−xBix alloys are investigated. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry shows that the Bi content increases from 0.6% for growth at 350 °C to 2.4% at 200 °C. X-ray diffraction indicates Bi-induced lattice dilation and suggests a zinc-blende InBi lattice parameter of 6.626 Å. Scanning electron microscopy reveals surface InSbBi nanostructures on the InSbBi films for the lowest growth temperatures, Bi droplets at intermediate temperatures, and smooth surfaces for the highest temperature. The room temperature optical absorption edge was found to change from 172 meV (7.2 μm) for InSb to ∼88 meV (14.1 μm) for InSb0.976Bi0.024, a reduction of ∼35 meV/%Bi.

The incorporation of N in molecular-beam epitaxy of GaNxSb1−x alloys with x ⩽ 0.022 has been investigated as a function of temperature (325–400°C) and growth rate 0.25–1.6 μmh−1. At fixed growth rate, the incorporated N fraction increases as the temperature is reduced until a maximum N content for the particular growth rate reached. At each temperature, there is a range of growth rates over which the N content is inversely proportional to the growth rate; the results are understood in terms of a kinetic model. The systematic growth rate- and temperature-dependence enables the N content and resulting band gap to be controlled