Photoluminescence in AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

Abstract
Photoluminescence in AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) with heavily doped GaAs layers and a p+-GaAs/n-AlGaAs heterojunction grown by molecular beam epitaxy at a low temperature of 600 °C is discussed. Each photoluminescence signal in the HBT is identified, and the relationship between performance as a transistor and photoluminescence discussed. A novel photoluminescence signal related to the p+-GaAs/n-AlGaAs heterojunction in the HBT was identified. This signal is thought to originate in the transition of the two-dimensional electrons in the notch formed at the heterojunction to the acceptor and acceptor-related defect levels.