GaInSb

GaInSb is a ternary III-V semiconductor alloy formed from gallium antimonide (GaSb) and indium antimonide (InSb). It is commonly described by the composition Ga1−xInxSb, where x ranges from 0 to 1, allowing the material’s properties to be tuned by the indium content. The alloy crystallizes in the zinc blende (cubic) structure, similar to its binary end members GaSb and InSb, and is typically grown on GaSb- or InSb-based substrates using epitaxial techniques.

The electronic and optical properties of GaInSb depend strongly on composition and temperature. The bandgap can be tuned from about 0.17 eV (near InSb) up to about 0.73 eV (near GaSb) at room temperature, enabling absorption in the near- to mid-infrared range. GaInSb is a direct bandgap semiconductor in the commonly used composition range, which is favorable for infrared optoelectronic devices. Carrier mobilities and effective masses vary with composition; these materials are often used to construct lattice-mmatched heterostructures with other antimonide compounds.

Growth and integration are typically achieved by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) or metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Because lattice constants vary with composition, careful control of strain and defects is required, often necessitating buffer layers or substrates chosen to minimize mismatch.

Applications of GaInSb include infrared photodetectors and laser diodes operating in mid- to long-wavelength infrared, particularly in systems designed around GaSb- and InSb-based platforms. The material is primarily used in specialized, research-driven or midsize-scale IR optoelectronic devices and photonic applications.