ABSTRACT
Experimental results on the synthesis and transport properties of Sb/GaSb heterostructures and multilayers are presented, in which we have observed negative differential resistance in semimetal/semiconductor double barrier structures, and Aharanov-Bohm oscillations in a split-path Sb nanostructure. The ability to sandwich the semimetal between finite-barrier materials raises interesting possibilities for quantum confinement effects in the semimetal. Tight binding calculations of the band structure of Sb/Ga(Al)Sb superlattices indicate that an indirect narrow gap appears in such structures with thin (≈ 65 Å) Sb layers. Such materials are of significant interest for non linear optical applications. Our studies indicate the possibility of incorporating Sb into the InAs/GaSb/AlSb family of heterostructures, raising numerous possibilities for new electronic devices. We discuss one possible structure with potential application in metal-base transistors and ultra-low-resistance interconnects based on a InAs/GaSb/Sb "Super-Type-II" heterostructure.
