High Mobility Cd3As2(112) on GaAs(001) Substrates Grown via Molecular Beam Epitaxy

The three-dimensional Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 exhibits ultrahigh electron mobilities that are attractive for optoelectronic devices. However, its strong propensity to grow in the (112) orientation limits the feasibility to epitaxially integrate it into semiconductor structures that are conventionally grown in the (001) orientation. Here, we demonstrate a route to epitaxially growing high mobility Cd3As2(112) layers on GaAs(001) substrates, opening up possibilities for device design. The (001) crystallographic orientation of the GaAs substrate is switched to the (111) orientation through a strain-driven process at a CdTe/GaAs interface, resulting in a CdTe(111) buffer layer on top of which Cd3As2 can be grown. Although the CdTe(111) buffer layer templates Cd3As2 in the (112) orientation, it is not sufficient for producing Cd3As2 with high electron mobility. We therefore demonstrate additional buffer layer design principles for realizing Cd3As2(112) epilayers with similar electron mobilities to those grown on lattice-mismatched III-V (111) substrates. Finally, we outline a pathway to use this approach to grow Cd3As2(112) epilayers on Si(001) substrates, further expanding the potential to integrate Cd3As2 into electronic devices.

Automated summary

In this study, a method for epitaxially growing Cd3As2(112) layers on GaAs(001) substrates is demonstrated, and additional buffer layer design principles are proposed to achieve high electron mobility in Cd3As2. Furthermore, a pathway to grow Cd3As2(112) epitaxial layers on Si(001) substrates is outlined, further expanding the potential for integrating Cd3As2 into electronic devices.