This work shows that despite a lattice mismatch of almost 20%, CdMnTe/CdTe/CdMnTe heterostructures grown directly on Si(111) have surprisingly good optical emission properties. The investigated structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy, macro-and micro-photoluminescence. Low temperature macro-photoluminescence experiments indicate three emission bands which depend on the CdTe layer thickness and have different confinement characteristics. Temperature measurements reveal that the lower energy emission band (at 1.48 eV)is associated to defects and bound exciton states, while the main emission at 1.61 eV has a weak 2D character and the higher energy one at 1.71 eV has a well-defined (zero-dimensional, 0D) 0D nature. Micro-photoluminescence measurements show the existence of sharp and strongly circularly polarized (up to 40%) emission lines which can be related to the presence of Mn in the heterostructure. This result opens the possibility of producing photon sources with the typical spin control of the diluted magnetic semiconductors using the low-cost silicon technology.
The growth interfaces of CdMnTe（CMT） crystals grown by traveling heater method（THM） were studied. Two types of polycrystalline CMT feed ingots synthesized in a traditional rocking furnace and vertical Bridgman（VB） furnace were adopted in THM growth, and the effects of the polycrystalline feed on the growth interface were revealed. The morphology of the growth interface of CMT crystal（CMT2） grown from the feed by vertical Bridgman was smoother with lower curvature compared with that of CMT crystal（CMT1） from the feed by rocking furnace. The radial Mn composition and Te inclusion distribution of the CMT wafers were analyzed and correlated to the growth interface. The Mn segregation along the radial direction and Te inclusion density of CMT2 were lower than those of CMT1. The VB method synthesized polycrystalline feed could improve the growth interface morphology, which is beneficial for decreasing the Te inclusions and Mn segregation in CMT wafers.
