Low frequency noise in single GaAsSb nanowires with self-induced compositional gradients

Nanotechnology. 2016 Sep 23;27(38):385703. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/27/38/385703. Epub 2016 Aug 16.

Abstract

Due to bandgap tunability, GaAsSb nanowires (NWs) have received a great deal of attention for a variety of optoelectronic device applications. However, electrical and optical properties of GaAsSb are strongly affected by Sb-related defects and scattering from surface states and/or defects, which can limit the performance of GaAsSb NW devices. Thus, in order to utilize the GaAsSb NWs for high performance electronic and optoelectronic devices, it is required to study the material and interface properties (e.g. the interface trap density) in the GaAsSb NW devices. Here, we investigate the low frequency noise in single GaAsSb NWs with self-induced compositional gradients. The current noise spectral density of the GaAsSb NW device showed a typical 1/f noise behavior. The Hooge's noise parameter and the interface trap density of the GaAsSb NW device were found to be ∼2.2 × 10(-2) and ∼2 × 10(12) eV(-1) cm(-2), respectively. By applying low frequency noise measurements, the noise equivalent power, a key figure of merit of photodetectors, was calculated. The observed low frequency noise properties can be useful as guidance for quality and reliability of GaAsSb NW based electronic devices, especially for photodetectors.