Optoelectronic properties of eutectic-metal-bonded (EMB) GaAs-AlGaAs structures on Si substrates

Abstract

Device-quality GaAs---AlGaAs thin-film hetero-structures have been obtained on Si substrates using a novel approach called eutectic-metal-bonding (EMB). The optoelectronic material properties of the thin-films have been evaluated by a variety of techniques including, Raman spectroscopy, room temperature photoluminescence (PL), and cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging. Transient PL measurement indicates that the minority-carrier lifetime in an EMB GaAs-on-Si thin-film is about 40 times higher than that in state-of-the-art hetero-epitaxial GaAs-on-Si layer. The PL characteristics of the EMB GaAs-on-Si structures have been used to obtain the long-wavelength dispersion values for GaAs thin-film structures. The minority carrier device quality of these thin-films have been evaluated using dark log I–V measurements on n+?p GaAs diodes, spectral-response characterization and solar cell performance data.