Homogeneous Large-Scale Synthesis of GaAs/GaInNAs/GaAs Nanowires on a Si Wafer for Devices Operating in the Near-Infrared Region

Abstract

The synthesis of semiconductor nanowires (NWs) with near-infrared light-absorbing and light-emission properties is presented. Gallium (Ga)-induced vapor–liquid–solid growth is used to produce GaAs/GaInNAs/GaAs core–multishell NWs on a 2 in. Si(111) wafer using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The GaInNAs shell consists of 11% indium (In) and varying compositions of nitrogen (N) of up to 1.9%. The NWs serve as an antireflective material, showing that the entire substrate is black. Photoluminescence measurements at room temperature validate the expansion of the operating wavelength into the near-infrared region as the N content in the NWs increases. The GaInNAs sample with 11% In and 1.2% N shows homogeneous luminescence at 1100 nm across the entire 2 in. Si substrate. The reflectance of the NW samples is low, less than 2%, and the absorption edge can be controlled by modifying the composition of In and N indicating the potential application of large-scale photoelectric conversion, such as solar cells.