The incomplete pyrolysis of PH3 is shown to have a significant effect on the growth rate and morphology of InP grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Using ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy to determine the extent of PH~ pyrolysis, the growth rate of InP is shown to increase with decreasing PH~ pyrolysis. Incomplete PH3 pyrolysis is also shown to dramatically increase the formation of growth hillocks on < I00> InP epitaxia] layers. The use of various metal catalysts to expedite PH3 pyrolysis to eliminate hillock formation during InP growth is described, and a qualitative model of PH3 induced hillock growth is presented.

Articles you may be interested inImplications of excess strain in As compound/P compound III-V multilayer superlattices grown by metalorganic vaporphase epitaxy

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Gallium contamination of normalInP epitaxial layers grown in CVD reactors designed for normalInGaAsP/normalInP multilayer structures was observed by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Defect characterization of gallium‐contaminated normalInP buffer layers by the damage‐free grooving and etching technique showed misfit dislocations and an interfacial layer containing a high density of saucer pits. Cross‐sectional transmission cathodoluminescence further indicated that these defects are nonradiative recombination centers. Results from x‐ray double‐crystal diffractometry on a successively chemically stripped normalInP buffer layer indicated that the misfit was confined to the region near the interfacial layer which was consistent with the SIMS profile where the gallium content peaked near the interfacial layer. By presaturating the reactor with PH3 , the amount of the gallium which was incorporated into the normalInP was found to be reduced. SIMS profiles of gallium on layers grown after the withdrawal of the gallium source from the reactor indicated that the indium melt was cross contaminated even though the reactor was designed to physically exclude the gallium source from the indium source. Small amounts of As, Fe, Si, Cr, and Zn were also found. The possible mechanisms which lead to the cross contamination are discussed. The evidence seems to support the suggestion that Ga is incorporated preferentially in the growth of ternary and quaternary compounds. In a four‐layer laser structure consisting of normaln‐normalInPfalse(normalbufferfalse)/normalInGaAsPfalse(normalactivefalse)/normalp‐normalInPfalse(normalcapfalse)/p+‐normalInGaAsPfalse(normalcontactfalse) layers, both gallium and arsenic contamination were observed in normalp‐normalInP and normaln‐normalInP regions by Auger spectroscopy.

Be is implanted into an n-InGaAs epitaxial layer. Both electrical and atomic profiles indicate that Be in-diffusion occurs during annealing, resulting in a p layer thicker than that desired. A co-implant of P or As with Be significantly reduces this Be in-diffusion resulting in shallow (2000 Å) p+-n junctions with 4×1018 cm−3 surface hole concentration and 70% electrical efficiency.