GaAspohjaisia

GaAs-based devices are electronic and optoelectronic components built from gallium arsenide (GaAs) and related alloys such as aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) or indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs). These materials are valued for their direct bandgap, which enables efficient light emission, and for high electron mobility, which supports high-speed electronic operation. GaAs-based structures are typically grown as epitaxial layers on GaAs substrates or on lattice-matched alternatives such as AlAs or AlGaAs, using techniques like metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Heterostructures such as GaAs/AlGaAs are common in devices that require well-defined quantum wells and high performance.

Key applications include light-emitting diodes and laser diodes that operate in the visible to near-infrared range, photodetectors, and high-speed electronics such as heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and other high-frequency devices. GaAs-based lasers have been used in optical storage, медицина applications, and short-range fiber-optic links, while GaAs solar cells have seen extensive use in space missions due to their high efficiency and radiation hardness. In addition, GaAs and its alloys are used in photodetectors and infrared sensors.

Advantages of GaAs-based devices include fast switching speeds, high electron mobility, and efficient light emission with relatively straightforward fabrication of certain optoelectronic structures. Limitations include higher material and processing costs compared with silicon, lattice-matching constraints, and the toxicity concerns associated with arsenic-containing compounds. Ongoing research seeks to improve integration with silicon and to extend GaAs-based technology to new applications and platforms.