A steady-state procedure of liquid phase epitaxy

A turning-shifting technique is reported permitting the deposition of epitaxial layers at constant temperatures and with small melting volumes. Basic parameters of GaAs are studied and the development of crystal growth is followed up in dependence on temperature.     

Luminescence of (GaAl)As layers grown by temperature gradient liquid phase epitaxy

In this paper the growth of Al_xGa_1–xAs layers with nearly constant composition along their thickness is described. By means of electroluminescence and cathodoluminescence measurements recombination mechanisms connected with the presence of Si are discussed. The aging behaviour of the light emitting diodes is supposed to depend on the AlAs content of the layers and to be connected with the diffusion of acceptors in the p-n junction region.     

Correlation of ordering formation and surface structure in (GaIn)P using modulated MOVPE

Modulated metalorganic vapour phase epitaxial growth (MOVPE) is used to clarify the role of the surface conditions on the ordering behaviour in ternary (GaIn)P layers. The alternating deposition of GaP and InP layers with individual thicknesses of up to one monolayer is successfully used for the growth of (GaIn)P bulk layers lattice matched to (100) GaAs substrates with various off-orientations. The layer quality and the degree of ordering are investigated using high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), respectively. The application of modulated growth conditions for the deposition of (GaIn)P bulk layers has a strong influence on the degree of ordering achieved in the intermediate growth temperature regime where the highest degree of ordering occurs under continuous MOVPE. Beside a new boundary structure observed in layers grown under modulated flux conditions, the successful growth of highly ordered (GaIn)P layers grown using the modulated MOVPE technique support the model that up to 2 monolayers of the (GaIn)P growth surface are involved in the ordering formation process.     

MOVPE growth of spontaneously ordered (GaIn) and (AlIn)P layers lattice matched to GaAs substrates

A systematic study of the metal-organic vapour-phase epitaxial growth of (GaIn)P and (AlIn)P layers deposited on GaAs substrates with (001) and (110) orientation is presented. Special attention has been paid to the growth on (001)-oriented wafers with different misorientations to the growth direction. The influence of the growth conditions on the properties of the epitaxial layers such as lattice mismatch, alloy composition, photoluminescence (PL) wavelength, FWHMs of PL peaks and atomic ordering is discussed. Layers with mirrorlike surfaces and various degrees of order could be deposited at growth temperatures T_g ranging from 595 °C to 750 °C for (GaIn)P and 720 °C to 800 °C for (AlIn)P. In addition to the influence of T_g on the Ga incorporation during the (GaIn)P growth we found the Ga distribution coefficient k_Ga to be affected by the misorientation of the substrates. k_Ga correlates presumably with the number of kinks and steps on the substrate surface. Transmission electron diffraction (TED) and PL investigations show that the degree of order — often described by the ordering paramter η — depends strongly on T_g the ordering is more pronounced when the layers are deposited on substrates misoriented towards the (1 11) lattice plane. Strong ordering has been observed for (GaIn)P samples grown at 680 °C on substrates 2° misoriented towards the [1 10] direction and at 650 °C on substrates 6° misoriented towards the same direction. For the (AlIn)P samples striking ordering has been found when they were grown at 720 °C.     

Peculiarities of liquid phase epitaxy in GaInPAs/InP lattice-matched heterostructures

The temperature phase stability of Ga_xIn_1−xP_yAs_1−y solid solution has been analyzed. A simple solution theory with the temperature-independent interaction parameters in solid and liquid phases has been used. The absence of miscibility gaps for all the compositions of the solid solution, lattice-matched to InP at a growth temperature of 640°C, has been demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. The influence of the elastic deformations on the Ga_xIn_1−xP_yAs_1−y (λ_g = 1.4 μm) solid solution parameters has been observed assuming the model of the layer coherent conjugation in heterostructures.     

Nature of dislocations promoting growth in liquid phase epitaxy of gallium arsenide

Dislocations promoting growth in the course of liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) of GaAs layers on GaAs substrates are analysed by X-ray topography. The Burgers vectors are determined by comparing double-crystal back-reflection images with calculated misorientations taking into account surface relaxation. Any dislocation which generates a spiral of elementary steps is found to have a Burgers vector component parallel to the macroscopic growth direction. The nature of these growth promoting dislocations may be between pure screw and pure edge type. Defects which might be responsible for the generation of the observed concentric growth step patterns are below the detection limit of current X-ray topography.     

A simple optical method of measuring the tilt bias angle of liquid crystals

A simple optical method based on refractive indices measurement for determining the tilt bias angle of liquid crystals is described. The required refractive indices n_o, n_e and n_θ are measured by (i) Abbe's refractometer and by (ii) optical wedge method. The tilt bias angle by this technique can be determined to accuracy of ± 0.2° in the high tilt angle range (20° to 40°). This method is rather simple and quick and does not require any external magnetic field and/or knowledge of other physical constant of liquid crystals, as are necessary in some of the earlier reported methods.     

Isothermal liquid phase epitaxy of A 3 B 5 compounds under excessive vapor pressure of the B 5 component

A mathematical model has been developed of isothermal epitaxial growth of A³B⁵ films on the A³B⁵ substrates from flux by creating the excessive pressure of diatomic vapors of the B ⁵ component. The model is based on the diffusion equation with the nonlinear boundary condition at the evaporation surface and the thirdkind condition at the crystallization surface. The problem is solved numerically on a computer.     

MOVPE Growth and Characterisation of Zn‐Doped (GaIn)P Layers with Respect to Surface Structure and Ordering

(GaIn)P grown on (001)GaAs substrates by metal‐organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) is highly ordered material. In this work the effect of Zn doping on the epitaxial crystal growth, the ordering behaviour and the surface morphology is investigated. Zn‐doped (GaIn)P layers, grown with phosphine (PH₃), tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) and ditertiarybutylphosphine (DitBuPH) as phosphorous precursors, reveal a strong drop of the binary growth rate of InP r_InP with increasing Zn/III ratio, whereas r_GaP remains nearly constant. The Zn doping efficiency and the ordering behaviour are observed to be dependent on the misorientation of the substrates. Finally, the surface morphology as a function of the different parameters was analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and no considerable change of the growth mechanism was found for Zn‐doped layers in comparison to undoped layers.     

Design of a sheet forming apparatus for overflow fusion process by numerical simulation

The overflow fusion process is an important method for the manufacture of glass sheets and is currently used for the production of TFT/LCD display devices. The design of the forming apparatus is critical for obtaining very high surface quality glass to allow the successful application of semiconductor type materials. However, there is only little work presented in the literatures, because of difficulties and expansions in experiments. In this study, a numerical model for simulation of molten glass flow through an isopipe during the overflow fusion process was carried out. An explicit finite difference algorithm with the surface tracking method has been proposed. The effect of the geometry of the forming apparatus, flow rate and viscosity of molten glass on the flow patterns during overflow was investigated. It was found that the stability and flatness of the sheet glass was influenced by the design of the forming apparatus, and the flow rate and viscosity of molten glass flow. The tilt angle at the bottom the of a trough should be high enough (5–7°) to avoid the accumulation of molten glass. The smaller root angle (<50°) was better for recombination of two stream of glass. High flow velocity will induce an unsteady flow profile along the wall of the isopipe. A precise control of the working temperature was needed for maintaining an equal thickness along the isopipe.     

A simple method to study hemihydrate phosphoric acid crystals growth process

A simple method is introduced in this study to better understand the growth process of hemihydrate phosphoric acid crystals. Using the proposed approach, large particles (>2 mm) can be produced reflecting the true state of the phosphoric acid particulate system. In contrast to previous studies, the principles for the crystallization curves were divided into two regions, based on the consumption of the phosphoric acid in solution. To maintain a constant crystal growth rate, a programmed cooling requirement was needed. In this reported study, the influence of a complexing agent (EDTA) on the crystallization process of phosphoric acid was also investigated. The results of this study showed that the presence of EDTA affected the metastable zone widths, as well as the kinetics of crystal growth.     

Liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) of GaN on c- and r-faces of AlN substrates

We present the optical properties of MBE-grown GaAs–AlGaAs core–shell nanowires (NWs) grown on anodized-aluminum-oxide (AAO) patterned-Si (1 1 1) substrate using photoluminescence and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The GaAs NWs were grown via the vapor–liquid–solid method with Au-nanoparticles as catalysts. Enhancement in emission of at least an order of magnitude was observed from the GaAs–AlGaAs core–shell NWs as compared to the bare GaAs NWs grown under similar conditions, which is an indication of improved radiative efficiency. The improvement in radiative efficiency is due to the passivating effect of the AlGaAs shell. Variation in bandgap emission energy as a function of temperature was analyzed using the semi-empirical Bose–Einstein model. Results show that the free exciton energy of the GaAs core–shell agrees well with the known emission energy of zinc blende (ZB) bulk GaAs. Further analysis on the linear slope of the temperature dependence curve of photoluminescence emission energy at low temperatures shows that there is no difference between core–shell nanowires and bulk GaAs, strongly indicating that the grown NWs are indeed predominantly ZB in structure. The Raman modes show downshift and asymmetrical broadening, which are characteristic features of NWs. The downshift is attributed to lattice defects rather than the confinement or shape effect.     

Model for defect-free epitaxial lateral overgrowth of Si over SiO2 by liquid phase epitaxy

A growth model for defect-free epitaxial lateral overgrowth by liquid phase epitaxy is presented. Growth in the pure step flow mode and a preferential development of (111) planes in liquid phase epitaxy permit one to quantitatively predict the overgrowth. The shape and size of the Si lamellae which grow over SiO₂ depend on the crystallographic orientations of the substrate growth face and of the seeding windows. Overgrowth experiments with Si on oxidized, (111)- and (100)-oriented Si wafers serve to verify the model. Growth experiments from In and Bi solutions in temperature intervals between 950 and 800°C yield overgrowth widths up to 120 μm and aspect ratios of 40:1 on (111) oriented wafers.     

Some correlations in liquid phase growth (I)

In this work we consider some circumstances of the growth process of an n-component solid phase from an n-component liquid phase and provide some general relationships, which must be observed in this growth process. In more detail we treat the two extreme cases: growth when (∂C/∂t = 0) — the stationary case; growth when (∂C/∂x = 0) — no concentration gradients in the liquid phase. In our opinion these theoretical considerations will simplify the investigations of multicomponent systems.     

Growth of ZnTe layers on (111) GaAs substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

ZnTe layers were grown on (111) GaAs substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy using dimethylzinc and diethyltelluride as the source materials. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that epitaxial ZnTe layers can be obtained on (111) GaAs substrates. X-ray rocking curves, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence measurements showed that the crystal quality of ZnTe layers depends on the substrate temperature during the growth. A high-crystalline quality (111) ZnTe heteroepitaxial layer with strong near-band-edge emission at 550 nm was obtained at a substrate temperature of 440 °C.     

Growth of Zn3As2 on GaAs by liquid phase epitaxy and their characterization

Zn₃As₂ epitaxial layers were grown on GaAs (1 0 0) substrates by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) using Ga as the solvent. Zinc mole fraction in the growth melt was varied from 1.07×10^?2 to 6×10^?2. X-ray diffraction spectrum exhibits a sharp peak at 43.3° characteristic of Zn₃As₂ crystalline layer. The peak intensity increases with increase in zinc mole fraction in the growth melt. The compositions of the as-grown Zn₃As₂ layers were confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. Surface morphology was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the thickness of the epilayers was also determined. The Hall measurements at 300 K indicate that Zn₃As₂ epilayers are unintentionally p-doped. With an increase of zinc mole fraction in the growth melt, carrier concentration increases and carrier mobility decreases. Infrared optical absorption spectroscopy showed a sharp absorption edge at 1.0 eV corresponding to the reported band gap of Zn₃As₂.     

Some correlations in liquid phase growth (II)

In the present work some general relationships are given for the process of liquid phase epitaxy, and here are considered the most widely used methods: 1) Equilibrium cooling technique; 2) Step cooling technique; 3) Supercooling technique.