Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
The effect of substrate misorientation on the growth of GaInAsSb was studied for epilayers grown lattice matched to GaSb substrates by low-pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. The substrates were (100) misoriented 2 or 6° toward (110), (111)A, or (111)B. The surface is mirror-like and featureless for layers grown with a 6° toward (111)B misorientation, while a slight texture was observed for layers grown on all other misorientations. The optical quality of layers, as determined by the full width at half-maximum of photoluminescence spectra measured at 4K, is significantly better for layers grown on substrates with a 6° toward (111)B misorientation. The incorporation of Zn as a p-type dopant in GaInAsSb is about 1.5 times more efficient on substrates with 60 toward (111)B misorientation compared to 2° toward (110) misorientation. The external quantum efficiency of thermophotovoltaic devices is not, however, significantly affected by substrate misorientation.