Comparative studies of structural and photoluminescence properties between tensile-strained In0.39Ga0.61As and GaAs0.64Sb0.36 layers grown on InP (0 0 1) substrates

Abstract Tensile-strained InGaAs and GaAsSb layers have potential as strain-compensation layers for tunneling field-effect-transistors containing compressively strained InGaAs channel layers. Here, we compare structural and photoluminescence properties between 1% tensile-strained InGaAs and GaAsSb layers grown on InP substrates. Surface roughening on the GaAsSb layer with increasing layer thickness proceeded much more slowly than on the InGaAs layer. Differences in the morphological evolution between the InGaAs and GaAsSb layers were strongly reflected in the experimental results obtained by x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence measurements. Cross-sectional TEM observations revealed that surface morphologies of the InGaAs and GaAsSb layers depend on whether facets are formed on the surface or not.