Band offsets at the GaInP/GaAs heterojunction

Abstract

Shifts and splitting of energy bands in elastically strained InGaP/GaAs(111)B epitaxial films J. Appl. Phys. 82, 1214 (1997) We have measured current-voltage curves and the temperature dependence of the zero bias conductance for a p-type Be-doped GaInP/GaAs heterojunction grown by the molecular beam epitaxy method. We have determined the valence band offset ⌬E from both measurements and find it to be 310 meV within 5% of accuracy. Similarly, we find for an n-type Si-doped sample that the conduction band offset ⌬E C is 95 meV. First-principles calculations have been carried out for the atomic and electronic structures of the interfaces. For the thermodynamically favored interfaces, the valence band offset is found not to be sensitive to atomic relaxations at the interface. The calculated values are in good agreement with the experiments.

Band alignment between GaAs and partially ordered GaInP

“…In summary, our empirical pseudopotential calculation yields for the random Ga x In 1Ϫx P (xϭ0.50-0.52)/GaAs heterostructure the conduction band offset ⌬E c ϭ81-104 meV and the valence band offset ⌬E v ϭ383-385 meV, which is in general agreement with experimental results, [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][21][22][23] and with that of previous calculations. 28,29 For the ordered Ga x In 1Ϫx P (xϭ0.50-0.52)/GaAs heterostructure, our calculation shows that the band alignment changes from type I to type II at order parameter ϭ0.46-0.54, and most of the band gap change is the result of ordering induced downward shift of the conduction band, which explains the experimental observations of Refs.…”

“…34 in general, in Ref. 11 for GaInP/GaAs, and in Ref. 35 for a similar system ͑InGaAs/ InP͒, the band offset is a bulk property and insensitive to the detail interfacial dipoles as long as the interfacial atomic positions are fully relaxed.…”

Band parameters for III–V compound semiconductors and their alloys

“…[830][831][832][833][834][835][836][837] One study obtained a small CBO for the GaInP/AlGaAs heterojunction in the low-Al-fraction limit, 838 while other recent reports have found values intermediate between the two limits. [839][840][841] Considering the persisting disagreement, we have averaged all of the available data points to obtain a composite recommended VBO of 0.31 eV for Ga 0.51 In 0.49 P. This value is near the median of the reported range, and is consistent with the latest studies. Foulon et al predicted noncommutativity for the band offset at the GaInP/GaAs interface.…”

Band offsets and stability of BeTe/ZnSe (100) heterojunctions

“…Most interestingly we find that, unlike the case of heterovalent junctions, the present isovalent abrupt interfaces are always favored over the mixed ones for the whole range of admissible chemical potentials. This behavior was already predicted for the III-V isovalent GaInP/GaAs interface, 15 so we suggest that this preference for abrupt interfaces may be generally valid for any isovalent heterojunction. Thermodynamics further gives key indications (at least as far as equilibrium energetics is concerned) on the possible origin of different offsets measured in real samples in particular growth conditions.…”