Rational Design of Monocrystalline (InP)_yGe_5–2y/Ge/Si(100) Semiconductors: Synthesis and Optical Properties

In this work, we extend our strategy previously developed to synthesize functional, crystalline Si5–2y(AlX)y {X = N,P,As} semiconductors to a new class of Ge–III–V hybrid compounds, leading to the creation of (InP)yGe5–2y analogues. The compounds are grown directly on Ge-buffered Si(100) substrates using gas source MBE by tuning the interaction between Ge-based P(GeH3)3 precursors and In atoms to yield nanoscale “In–P–Ge3” building blocks, which then confer their molecular structure and composition to form the target solids via complete elimination of H2. The collateral production of reactive germylene (GeH2), via partial decomposition of P(GeH3)3, is achieved by simple adjustment of the deposition conditions, leading to controlled Ge enrichment of the solid product relative to the stoichiometric InPGe3 composition. High resolution XRD, XTEM, EDX, and RBS indicate that the resultant monocrystalline (InP)yGe5–2y alloys with y = 0.3–0.7 are tetragonally strained and fully coherent with the substrate and possess a cubic diamond-like structure. Molecular and solid-state ab initio density functional theory (DFT) simulations support the viability of “In–P–Ge3” building-block assembly of the proposed crystal structures, which consist of a Ge parent crystal in which the P atoms form a third-nearest-neighbor sublattice and “In–P” dimers are oriented to exclude energetically unfavorable In–In bonding. The observed InP concentration dependence of the lattice constant is closely reproduced by DFT simulation of these model structures. Raman spectroscopy and ellipsometry are also consistent with the “In–P–Ge3” building-block interpretation of the crystal structure, while the observation of photoluminescence suggests that (InP)yGe5–2y may have important optoelectronic applications.