DX-center energy calculation with quantitative mobility spectrum analysis in n-AlGaAs/GaAs structures with low Al content

Abstract

Experimental Hall data that were carried out as a function of temperature (60-350 K) and magnetic field (0-1.4 T) were presented for Si-doped low Al content (x = 0.14) n-Al(x)Ga(1-x)As/GaAs heterostructures that were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). A 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) conduction channel and a bulk conduction channel were founded after implementing quantitative mobility spectrum analysis (QMSA) on the magnetic field dependent Hall data. An important decrease in 2DEG carrier density was observed with increasing temperature. The relationship between the bulk carriers and 2DEG carriers was investigated with 1D self consistent Schrodinger-Poisson simulations. The decrement in the 2DEG carrier density was related to the DX-center carrier trapping. With the simulation data that are not included in the effects of DX-centers, 17 meV of effective barrier height between AlGaAs/GaAs layers was found for high temperatures (T > 300 K). With the QMSA extracted values that are influenced by DX-centers, 166 meV of the DX-center activation energy value were founded at the same temperatures. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.