Very high carbon δ-doping concentration in AlxGa1-xAs grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy using trimethylaluminum as a doping precursor

Abstract

Using trimethylaluminum (TMAl) or trimethylgallium (TMGa) as a doping precursor, carbon δ-doped AlxGa1-xAs has been grown in metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Compared to TMGa, TMAI exhibits very high carbon δ-doping efficiency. The best hole profile of carbon δ-doped Al0.3Ga0.7As grown at 580 °C using TMAl as a doping precursor has a peak hole density of 1.6×1019 cm-3 for a full width at half-maximum of 85 Å with most of the incorporated carbon atoms being electrically active. When TMGa is used as the doping precursor, the hole density of carbon δ-doped AlxGa1-xAs significantly increases with an increase of the Al mole fraction. By comparison, the use of TMAl almost induces independence of the hole density on the Al mole fraction. The hole density of carbon δ-doped Al0.3Ga0.7As weakly increases when reducing the δ-doping temperature regardless of the doping precursors. The hole density of carbon δ-doped Al0.3Ga0.7As grown at 580 °C is proportionally associated with the moles of TMGa or TMAl totally input during a δ-doping step. Using heavily carbon δ-doped layers in Al0.3Ga0.7As, a carbon δ-doped pipi doping superlattice possessing a bulk-doped-like hole profile with an average hole density of 1.1×1019 cm-3 is therefore demonstrated as an alternative with unique advantages over other conventional carbon bulk-doping approaches. Show more