Molecular-beam epitaxial growth and characterization of InSb on Si

InSb layers have been grown on Si substrates by MBE. Room-temperature electron mobilities are 48,000 and 39,000 sq cm/V sec for 3.2 micron-thick InSb with and without GaAs buffers, respectively. The corresponding carrier concentrations are (2.2 and 2.7) x 10 to the 16th/cu cm. A sample with an 8 micron thickness has room-temperature mobilities as high as 55,000 sq cm/V sec with carrier concentrations of about 2.0 x 10 to the 16th/cu cm. A sharp band-edge transmission spectrum is observed at room temperature for the 8 micron layer.