High Bi content GaSbBi alloys

The epitaxial growth, structural, and optical properties of GaSb _1-xBi_x alloys have been investigated. The Bi incorporation into GaSb is varied in the range 0 <x <9.6% by varying the growth rate (0.31-1.33 μm h^-1) at two growth temperatures (250 and 275 °C). The Bi content is inversely proportional to the growth rate, but with higher Bi contents achieved at 250 than at 275°C. A maximum Bi content of x=9.6% is achieved with the Bi greater than 99% substitutional. Extrapolating the linear variation of lattice parameter with Bi content in the GaSbBi films enabled a zinc blende GaBi lattice parameter to be estimated of 6.272 Å. The band gap at 300K of the GaSbBi epitaxial layers decreases linearly with increasing Bi content down to 410 ± 40 meV (3 μm) for x = 9.6%, corresponding to a reduction of ∼35 meV/%Bi. Photoluminescence indicates a band gap of 490 ± 5 meV at 15K for x = 9.6%. © 2014 Authors.