Boron and Nitrogen in GaAs and InP Melts Equilibrated with B<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB> Flux

Abstract

The boron and nitrogen contents of GaAs and InP melts equilibrated with B 2 O 3 flux were examined at 1523 and 1373 K, respectively, using a chemical equilibrium technique. GaAs or InP was melted with B 2 O 3 flux in a silica ampoule with and without a BN crucible. The boron content decreased with increasing nitrogen content in both of the melts equilibrated with B 2 O 3 flux and BN. The solubility product of BN in the melts was expressed as a function of nitrogen content. The relationship between the boron and nitrogen contents of a GaAs melt coexisted with BN agreed well with that in the residue after LEC crystal growth of GaAs. The boron content of the GaAs melt coexisted with silica was much larger than that of the GaAs melt with BN. It was suggested that the reduction of B 2 O 3 by silicon introduced into the melt from silica led the increase of boron content.