Abstract

A new type of semiconductor microcrystallites-doped glass has been fabricated by ion beam sputtering of GaAs/glass composite targets. The deposition of such a material was a preliminary step toward the fabrication of semiconductor doped glass, which would demonstrate large optical nonlinearities at wavelengths compatible with the emission wavelengths of solid-state lasers and laser diodes. GaAs, which is known to exhibit large optcial nonlinearities at the wavelengths close to the material bandgap (870 nm), was then selected as the doping semiconductor. Physical properties and characteristics of the deposited thin films were studied by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and Raman spectroscopy. Results of ESCA demonstrated that concentration of the doping semiconductor is relatively high, at least on the sample surface. Identification of the Ga and As compounds present in the films were also performed using ESCA. In particular, GaAs, Ga₂CO₃ and AS₂O₃ were found on the surface of the samples while only GaAs was present in the core of the films. Raman spectroscopy studies lead to detection of the characteristic GaAs phonon peaks in the films. This demonstrates that the GaAs microcrystallites are present in the fabricated films. Finally, real and imaginary parts of the complex refractive index of the films were determined using optical ellipsometry technique.

© 1990 Optical Society of America