Measurement of the Auger Recombination Rate in p-type 0.54-eV GaInAsSb by Time-Resolved Photoluminescence

Auger recombination in p-type GaSb, InAs and their alloys is enhanced due to the proximity of the bandgap energy and the energy separation to the spin split-off valence band. This can affect the device performance even at moderate doping concentration. They report electron lifetime measurements in a p-type 0.54-eV GaInAsSb alloy, commonly used in a variety of infrared devices. They have studied a series of double-capped heterostructures with varied thicknesses and doping levels, grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy on GaSb substrates. The Auger coefficient value of 2.3 x 10{sup -28} cm{sup 6}/s is determined by analyzing the photoluminescence decay constants with a systematic separation of different recombination mechanisms.