Band offset transitivity in AlGaAs/InGaP/InGaAsP heterostructures an a GaAs substrate

Abstract

The conduction-band offset Delta E(c), of Al0.3Ga0.7As/In0.1Ga0.9As0.8P0.2 lattice matched to a GaAs substrate was measured by capacitance-voltage analysis. To examine the transitivity of the band offset in the AlGaAs/InGaP/InGaAsP system, the band offsets of Al0.3Ga0.7As/In0.5Ga0.5P and In0.5Ga0.5P/In0.1Ga0.9As0.8P0.2 were investigated. The value of Delta E(c) for the Al0.3Ga0.7As/In0.1Ga0.9As0.8P0.2 heterostructure, estimated by adding the measured Delta E(c) values in Al0.3Ga0.7As/In0.5Ga0.5P and in In(0.5)G(0.5)P/In0.7Ga0.9As0.8P0.2, agrees well with the value measured directly. We thus conclude that the transitivity rule holds well for the band offsets of an AlGaAs/InGaP/InGaAsP system lattice matched to a GaAs substrate. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.