InAs-based bipolar transistors grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Large mobilities and electron saturation velocity make InAs a promising material for high speed devices. Investigations into materials characteristics of doped InAs show nonideal behavior with standard molecular beam epitaxy dopants, silicon, and beryllium. Critical thicknesses for cracking of AlxIn1-xAs on InAs were empirically determined as a function of x. Mesa pn junctions in InAs show no effects of surface Fermi level pinning and exhibit good rectification with low reverse leakage. Bipolar junction transistor and heterojunction bipolar transistor devices are presented, along with their dc electrical characteristics. Common emitter current gains of 100 have been achieved in these bipolar devices. (C) 2002 American Vacuum Society.