Molecular beam epitaxy of GaN1–xBix alloys with high bismuth content

We have analysed bismuth incorporation into GaN layers using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) at extremely low growth temperatures of less than ∼100 °C under both Ga-rich and N-rich growth conditions. The formation of amorphous GaN1−xBix alloys is promoted by growth under Ga-rich conditions. The amorphous matrix has a short-range order resembling random crystalline GaN1−xBix alloys. We have observed the formation of small crystalline clusters embedded into amorphous GaN1−xBix alloys. Despite the fact that the films are pseudo-amorphous we observe a well defined optical absorption edges that rapidly shift to very low energy of ∼1 eV.