Influence of Bi surfactant on tetrahedral N interstitial formation and optoelectronic properties of dilute GaAsN alloys

J Joshua J. P. Cooper (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan 1 , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109,) J Jared W. Mitchell (Department of Physics, University of Michigan 2 , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109,) Y Yury Turkulets W W. M. Linhart (Department of Semiconductor Materials Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology 3 , Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław,) O Or Haim Chaulker R R. Kudrawiec (Department of Semiconductor Materials Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology 3 , Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław,) I Ilan Shalish R Rachel S. Goldman (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan 1 , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109,)

Abstract

Dilute nitride semiconductor alloys are attractive for near- to mid-IR optoelectronic applications but their widespread implementation is hindered by efficiency-limiting non-substitutional N incorporation. Although epitaxy in the presence of surfactants has been reported to increase photoluminescence (PL) emission intensity, the impact of surfactants on N incorporation mechanisms and the resulting optoelectronic properties remains unknown. In this work, we examine the influence of a Bi surfactant on non-substitutional N incorporation and the optoelectronic properties of dilute GaAs1−xNx alloy films. For GaAs1−xNx alloy films grown with a Bi surfactant, tetrahedral N interstitial (Ntetra) formation is suppressed while the near-band edge PL emission intensity is increased, deep-level PL emission intensity is decreased, and broadening of the photoreflectance resonance is reduced. We discuss the role of the Bi surfactant-induced surface reconstruction transformation on the suppression of Ntetra incorporation, as well as its impact on key optoelectronic properties that are applicable to a variety of highly mismatched alloys.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 127, Issue 24
Published December 15, 2025
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (8)

J

Joshua J. P. Cooper

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan 1 , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109,

J

Jared W. Mitchell

Department of Physics, University of Michigan 2 , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109,

Y

Yury Turkulets

W

W. M. Linhart

Department of Semiconductor Materials Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology 3 , Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław,

O

Or Haim Chaulker

R

R. Kudrawiec

Department of Semiconductor Materials Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology 3 , Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław,

I

Ilan Shalish

R

Rachel S. Goldman

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan 1 , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109,