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The relationship between the transported ion current and the cathodic arc current is determined in a vacuum arc plasma source equipped with a curved magnetic filter. Our results suggest that the outer and inner walls of the duct interact with the plasma independently. The duct magnetic field is a critical factor of the plasma output. The duct transport efficiency is to maximize at a value of bias plate voltage in the range +10 V to +20 V and independent (within our limit of measurement) of the magnetic field strength in the duct. The plasma flux is composed of two components: a diffusion flux in the transverse direction due to particle collisions and a drift flux due to the ion inertia. The inner wall of the magnetic duct sees only the diffusion flux while the outer wall receives both fluxes. Thus, applying a positive potential to the outer duct wall can reflect the ions and increase the output current. Our experimental data also show that biasing both sides of the duct is more effective than biasing the outer wall alone.

The performance and characteristics of a cathodic arc deposition apparatus consisting of a titanium cathode, an anode with and without a tungsten mesh, and a coil producing a focusing magnetic field between the anode and cathode are investigated. The arc voltage Va is measured with a fixed arc current. The relationship between Va and the magnetic field B with and without a mesh is obtained. In addition, the relationship between the arc current Ia and Vc, the voltage to which the artificial transmission line was charged, is measured with and without the mesh to determine the minimum ignition voltage for the arc. The arc resistance increases with the focusing magnetic strength B and decreases when using the mesh. Our results indicate that the high transparency and large area of the mesh allows a high plasma flux to penetrate the anode from the cathodic arc. The mesh also stabilizes the cathodic arc and gives better performance when used in concert with a focusing magnetic field. PACC: 5275; 5230; 5280; 2925

2 μm InGaSb/AlGaAsSb strained quantum wells and a tellurium-doped GaSb buffer layer were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The growth parameters of strained quantum wells were optimized by AFM, XRD and PL at 77 K. The optimal growth temperature of quantum wells is 440 °C. The PL peak wavelength of quantum wells at 300 K is 1.98 μm, and the FWHM is 115 nm. Tellurium-doped GaSb buffer layers were optimized by Hall measurement. The optimal doping concentration is 1.127 × 1018 cm−3 and the resistivity is 5.295 × 10−3 Ω·cm.

InAs/GaSb superlattice (SL) midwave infrared photovoltaic detectors are grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaSb(001) residual p-type substrates. A thick GaSb layer is grown under the optimized growth condition as a buffer layer. The detectors containing a 320-period 8ML/8ML InAs/GaSb SL active layer are fabricated with a series pixel area using anode sulfide passivation. Corresponding to 50% cutoff wavelengths of 5.0 mu m at 77 K, the peak directivity of the detectors is 1.6 x 10(10) cm.Hz(1/2) W-1 at 77 K.

InAs/GaSb superlattice (SL) short wavelength infrared photoconduction detectors are grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs(001) semi-insulating substrates. An interfacial misfit mode AlSb quantum dot layer and a thick GaSb layer are grown as buffer layers. The detectors containing a 200-period 2ML/8ML InAs/GaSb SL active layer are fabricated with a pixel area of 800 x 800 mu m(2) without using passivation or antireflection coatings. Corresponding to the 50% cutoff wavelengths of 2.05 mu m at 77K and 2.25 mu m at 300 K, the peak detectivities of the detectors are 4 x 10(9) cm.Hz(1/2)/W at 77K and 2 x 10(8) cm.Hz(1/2)/W at 300 K, respectively.

We investigate the molecular beam epitaxy growth of GaSb films on GaAs substrates using AlSb buffer layers. Optimization of AlSb growth parameter is aimed at obtaining high GaSb crystal quality and smooth GaSb surface. The optimized growth temperature and thickness of AlSb layers are found to be 450 degrees C and 2.1 nm, respectively. A rms surface roughness of 0.67 nm over 10 x 10 mu m(2) is achieved as a 0.5 mu m GaSb film is grown under optimized conditions.