Recent developments in the MOVPE growth of low H content ZnSe-based compounds and heterostructures

The origin of unintentional hydrogen (H) incorporation during metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) of ZnSe-based compounds is reviewed and discussed. Hydrogen enters in MOVPE-grown ZnSe as a result of alkyls surface reactions, effectively passivating intentional nitrogen (N) acceptors in p-doped ZnSe during the fabrication of blue-light emitting diodes and laser diodes. The existence of a marked trade-off between the proclivity of common Se alkyls to incorporate H and their thermal stability is pointed out. Current strategies to overcome this process limitation are then described along with results achieved and technological drawbacks. The use of a novel class of VI-group alkyl precursors of the form R₂X₂ [where X=Se, S and R is an ethyl (Et) or methyl (Me) radical] is proposed as an alternative solution. These alkyls allow a reduction of H incorporation in ZnSe-based materials, whilst retaining the low temperatures required for the growth of device quality wide band-gap II–VI compounds. Dimethyldiselenide (Me₂Se₂) and diethyldisulphide (Et₂S₂) allow the pyrolytic MOVPE growth of Zn(S)Se compounds below 400 °C. Mass spectrometry fragmentation experiments performed on the alkyl molecular ions allowed to investigate their relative bond strengths and likely decomposition paths. The reduced thermal stability of these alkyls is attributed to a weakening of the XC bonds in the R₂X₂ molecule induced by the stronger XX bond. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis showed that as-grown ZnSe have [H]≈(1–3)×10¹⁷ cm⁻³, i.e. among the lowest ever reported for MOVPE-grown layers. The functional validation of the new S and Se alkyls is completed by the structural and optical characterisation of Zn(S)Se-based heterostructures grown on (100)GaAs. High-resolution X-ray diffraction studies are presented along with cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements and compared to what reported in the literature. The epilayer structural properties compare well with that of molecular beam epitaxy and MOVPE grown Zn(S)Se heterostructures. CL spectra of ZnSe epilayers appear of good quality, with pronounced band-edge emissions and reduced deep level contributions. Specific emissions in the spectra of ZnS and ZnSe confirm the occurrence of several impurities in the layers, whose origin can be in part attributed to the yet insufficient purity of the novel alkyls.