Nitrogen incorporation rate, optimal growth temperature, and AsH3-flow rate in GaInNAs growth by gas-source MBE using N-radicals as an N-source

We have investigated the conditions for growing GaInNAs by gas-source MBE using N-radicals as an N-source. The optimal growth temperature of GaInNAs with good surface morphology and PL characteristics was clarified: at higher growth temperature, the surface morphology degraded. On the other hand, PL intensity became weak at temperatures lower than the optimal one. This trend is similar to that in GaInAs grown by MBE. AsH3-flow rate mainly affected crystal quality of GaInNAs rather than incorporation of nitrogen atoms. It was also confirmed experimentally that the N-radicals produced by RF-discharge are incorporated in the epitaxial layer like dopant atoms, indicating that their sticking coefficient is about one. This result is unlike that for the MOCVD growth using dimethylhydrazine as an N-source. These results are crucial to further improve the crystal quality of GaInNAs. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.