Wafer-scale correlated morphology and optoelectronic properties in GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires

Abstract

Achieving uniform nanowire size, density, and alignment across a wafer is challenging, as small variations in growth parameters can impact performance in energy harvesting devices like solar cells and photodetectors. This study demonstrates the in-depth characterization of uniformly grown GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires on a two-inch Si(111) substrate using Ga-induced self-catalyzed molecular beam epitaxy. By integrating Scanning Electron Microscopy and Time Correlated Single-Photon Counting, we establish a detailed model of structural and optoelectronic properties across wafer and micron scales. While emission intensity varies by up to 35%, carrier lifetime shows only 9% variation, indicating stable material quality despite structural inhomogeneities. These findings indicate that, for the two-inch GaAs/AlGaAs nanowire wafer, achieving uniform nanowire coverage had a greater impact on consistent optoelectronic properties than variations in material quality, highlighting its significance for scalable III-V semiconductor integration on silicon in advanced optoelectronic devices such as solar cells and photodetectors.