OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES HAVING A DILUTE NITRIDE LAYER
Optoelectronic devices having GaInNAsSb, GaInNAsBi or GaInNAsSbBi active layers are disclosed. The optoelectronic devices have an active or absorbing layer, with a bandgap within a range from 0.7 eV and 1.2 eV. The active layer is coupled to a multiplication layer. The multiplication layer is designed to provide a large optical gain with a high signal-to-noise ratio at low light levels at wavelengths up to 1.8 μm.
1 . A semiconductor optoelectronic device, comprising:
a substrate;
a first barrier layer overlying the substrate;
a multiplication layer overlying the first barrier layer;
wherein the multiplication layer comprises Ga 1-x In x N y As 1-y-z (Sb,Bi) z , wherein 0≤x≤0.4, 0≤y≤0.07, and 0≤z≤0.2.
an active layer overlying the multiplication layer, wherein,
the active layer comprises a lattice matched or pseudomorphic dilute nitride material; and
the dilute nitride material has a bandgap within a range from 0.7 eV and 1.2 eV; and
a second barrier layer overlying the active layer.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer independently comprises a doped III-V material.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises GaAs, AlGaAs, Ge, SiGeSn, or buffered Si.
4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a charge layer overlying the multiplication layer and underlying the active layer.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the active layer comprises GaInNAs, GaNAsSb, GaInNAsSb, GaInNAsBi, GaNAsSbBi, GaNAsBi, or GaInNAsSbBi.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the active layer comprises Ga 1-x In x N y As 1-y-z (Sb,Bi) z , wherein 0≤x≤0.4, 0<y≤0.07, and 0<z≤0.2.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiplication layer comprises a linearly graded bandgap across the thickness of the layer and is characterized by a minimum bandgap and a maximum bandgap.
8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the minimum bandgap is within a range from 0.7 eV to 1.3 eV and the maximum bandgap is within a range from 0.8 eV to 1.42 eV.
9 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the difference between the minimum bandgap and the maximum bandgap is from 100 meV to 600 meV.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein,
the multiplication layer comprises one or more interlayers wherein each of the interlayers comprises Ga 1-x In x N y As 1-y-z (Sb,Bi) z ; and
the multiplication layer is characterized by a minimum bandgap and a maximum bandgap.
11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein at least one or more interlayers has a linearly graded bandgap across the interlayer thickness.
12 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the minimum bandgap is within a range from 0.7 eV to 1.3 eV and the maximum bandgap is within a range from 0.8 eV to 1.42 eV.
13 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the difference between the minimum bandgap and the maximum bandgap is from 100 meV to 600 meV.
14 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the Ga 1-x In x N y As 1-y-z (Sb,Bi) z composition of the linearly graded interlayer varies from 0≤x≤0.4, 0≤y≤0.07 and 0<z≤0.2, to 0≤x≤0.4, 0≤y≤0.07, and 0<z≤0.2.
15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein,
the multiplication layer comprises two or more interlayers; and
at least one of the two or more interlayers comprises a constant bandgap across the thickness of the interlayer.
16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein each of the two or more interlayers has a constant bandgap across the interlayer thickness.
17 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiplication layer comprises:
a first interlayer comprising a first Ga 1-x1 In x1 N y1 As 1-y1-z1 (Sb,Bi) z1 composition; and
a second interlayer comprising a second Ga 1-x2 In 2 N y2 As 1-y2-z2 (Sb,Bi) z2 composition,
wherein the first Ga 1-x1 In x1 N y1 As 1-y1-z1 (Sb,Bi) z1 composition is different than the second Ga 1-x2 In x2 N y2 As 1-y2-z2 (Sb,Bi) z2 composition; and
wherein each of the first interlayer and the second interlayer have a constant bandgap across the thickness of the respective interlayer.
18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein,
the first Ga 1-x1 In x1 N y1 As 1-y1-z1 (Sb,Bi) z1 composition has a first bandgap within a range from 0.7 eV to 1.3 eV; and
the second Ga 1-x2 In x2 N y2 As 1-y2-z2 (Sb,Bi) z2 composition has a second bandgap within a range from 0.8 eV to 1.42 eV.
19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the difference between the first bandgap and the second bandgap is from 100 meV to 600 meV.
20 . The device of claim 18 , wherein,
the first Ga 1-x1 In x1 N y1 As 1-y1-z1 (Sb,Bi) z1 composition is 0≤x1≤0.4, 0≤y1≤0.07 and 0<z1≤0.2; and
the second Ga 1-x2 In x2 N y2 As 1-y2-z2 (Sb,Bi) z2 composition is 0≤x2≤0.4, 0≤y2≤0.07, and 0<z2≤0.2.
21 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiplication layer comprises a superlattice structure.
22 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an avalanche photodetector
23 . A method of forming a semiconductor optoelectronic device, comprising:
forming a first barrier layer overlying a substrate;
forming a multiplication layer overlying the first barrier layer, wherein the multiplication layer comprises Ga 1-x In x N y As 1-y-z (Sb,Bi) z , wherein 0≤x≤0.4, 0≤y≤0.07, and 0<z≤0.2;
forming an active layer overlying the multiplication layer, wherein,
the active layer comprises a pseudomorphic dilute nitride material; and
the dilute nitride material has a bandgap within a range from 0.7 eV and 1.2 eV; and
forming a second barrier layer overlying the active layer.