Structural and optical studies of GaAs1-xBix and p-Bi203 for optoelectronic devices

In this thesis, the optical and structural properties of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown dilute GaAs1−xBix/GaAs (001)- and (113)B-oriented heterostructures and the laser-induced oxidation dynamics and kinetics of bismuth are investigated. A general method for determining the polarised Raman backscattering selection rules for an arbitrary (hhk)-oriented zincblende-type crystal surface is first presented, allowing for a full interpretation of the first-order Raman spectrum of strained (001) and (113)B GaAs1−xBix alloys. The introduction of Bi in GaAs induces a two-mode behaviour (GaAs-like and GaBi-like phonon bands) and disorder-activated GaAs-like phonons. .