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Evolution of surface morphology from Stranski–Krastanov growth mode to step-flow growth mode in InSbBi thin films

Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A
Publication Date
Page Number
052701
Volume
43
Issue
5

The incorporation of dilute concentrations of bismuth (Bi) into traditional III–V alloys leads to a significant reduction in bandgap energy, making InSbBi a promising candidate for long-wavelength (<0.17 eV) infrared photosensors. InSbBi offers potential as a platform for exploring spin dynamics and quantum phenomena due to its strong spin–orbit coupling. Despite this promise, the material quality of InSbBi alloys remains inferior to that of conventional III–V semiconductors, primarily due to the substantial challenges associated with incorporating Bi into InSb and producing high-quality InSbBi with varying Bi compositions. In this study, we address these issues by developing a molecular beam epitaxy approach to grow smooth InSbBi thin films with tunable Bi incorporation up to 1.8% of the group V sublattice, through dynamic adjustment of Sb flux and careful control of the interplay between growth temperature and the Bi flux. This work paves way for the development of high-quality InSbBi thin films for applications in photodetection, spintronics, and related quantum technologies.