Compliant epitaxial growth of In[sub x]Ga[sub 1-x]As and In[sub x]Al[sub 1-x]As on In[sub 0.25]Ga[sub 0.75]As pseudosubstrates.

High-quality regrowth of In[sub x]Ga[sub 1-x]As and In[sub 0.25]Al[sub 0.75]As layers on In[sub 0.25]Ga[sub 0.75]As pseudosubstrates was demonstrated. These pseudosubstrates were formed using lateral oxidation of an underlying Al[sub 0.98]Ga[sub 0.02]As layer to improve the material quality of a relaxed In[sub 0.25]Ga[sub 0.75]As seeding layer. Using transmission electron microscopy, dislocation densities in the regrown layers were measured and found to be equal to that of the underlying pseudosubstrates (<=10[sup 6] cm[sup -2]). Doping characterization of these regrown films, using Hall-effect measurements, was also performed for both Si-doped and Be-doped materials. The doped In[sub 0.25]Ga[sub 0.75]As films showed normal carrier concentration trends as compared to doped GaAs films and In[sub 0.53]Ga[sub 0.47]As films grown on InP substrates. The doped In[sub 0.25]Al[sub 0.75]As films, however, showed lower-carrier concentrations than expected. In addition, room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements of thick (∼1 μm) In[sub 0.25]Ga[sub 0.75]As layers show emission near 1.1 μm indicating the high quality of the regrown material. Strained In[sub 0.40]Ga[sub 0.60]As quantum wells (QWs) were also grown in an In[sub 0.25]Ga[sub 0.75]As matrix. PL measurements taken at a temperature of 77 K show emission from the strained QWs at a wavelength near 1.23 μm. With further optimization, these materials promise room-temperature emission at wavelengths near 1.3 μm. © 2003 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]