Volume MBE production trends for GaSb-based IR photodetector structures

After years of progress, GaSb based mid-wave infrared (MWIR) devices have moved from development into manufacturing. To accommodate this maturation, the Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) growth of the MWIR photodetector structures has progressed to a production mode. By necessitating many repetitions of a given growth structure, the increase in volume has enabled the use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) techniques to improve command over critical parameters, and thereby improve the yield and throughput. These products have been grown on GaSb substrates using large format, multi-wafer platens for 100 mm and 125 mm diameter substrates in a Veeco Gen2000 MBE system. The material properties were measured by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), High-Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HRXRD), Photoluminescence (PL), and diode performance (turn-on voltage, dark current (JD), Quantum Efficiency (QE), and cutoff wavelength). Analysis of the run-to-run data will be presented to exhibit the manufacturability of these structures.