Antimonide layers

When without the plots of Fig. 3.9b, the microstructure of Fig. 3.9a might provide undisputable evidence for the simultaneous occurrence of all the platinum antimonides between platinum and antimony in the course of isothermal annealing a Pt-Sb reaction couple. Layer thickness-time plots clearly show, however, that this is far from being the case. The PtSi layer is seen to shrink. Therefore, though no crack is visible due to application of pressure, the Pt-Sb couple was evidently split at some (uncertain) moment of time into at least two independent couples in which the other platinum antimonide layers could readily occur. Generally, in perfect reaction couples any compound layer survived in the initial linear stage of interaction can hardly be expected to shrink on its own during the further course of the reaction. 

If antimony and arsenic are present ia the feed, copper and iron react to form the respective antimonides and arsenides known as speiss (specific gravity 6.0). If it is preferred to remove copper ia a speiss layer, the sulfur ia the siater must be reduced and the addition of scrap iron may be necessary to encourage speiss formation. Matte and speiss are usually sent to a copper smelter for recovery of the metals. 

Razeghi M (2003) Overview of antimonide based III-V semiconductor epitaxial layers and their applications at the center for quantum devices. European Physical Journal-Applied Physics 23(3), 149-205... 

The antimonides are important for several emitter and detector applications, although high speed devices also have been demonstrated for these material systems. A variety of substrates such as GaAs, InP, GaSb and InAs are available. By varying the composition, the near-IR to mid-IR wavelengths can be covered. Through the use of strained layer quantum well structures, the far IR becomes accessible. 

QW strained layer superlattices of AIGaAs, SiGe or antimonide alloys (out to 16 pm). 

Table 4.1-43 Phonon wavenumbers of aluminium compounds aluminium nitride (300 K, from Raman scattering) aluminium Phosphide (from Raman spectroscopy) aluminium arsenide (from Raman spectroscopy 0.5 p.m layer of AlAs on GaAs T = 31K) aluminium antimonide (from Raman spectroscopy)...

Mengoli G, Musiani MM, Paolucci F (1991) Synthesis of indium antimonide (InSb) and indium gallium antimonide (In Gai. Sb) thin films from electrodeposited elemental layers. J Appl Electrochem 21 863... 

For infrared microspectroscopy, single-element detectors are used for point and mapping measurements. More recently, array detectors have been applied for spectroscopic imaging in the infrared. In infrared focal plane arrays, the monolithic silicon design used in CCDs is replaced by a hybrid construction. In a hybrid detector, photon detection occurs in a semiconductor layer (indium antimonide, mercury cadmium telluride, and doped-silicon are typical detector materials), while the readout and amplification stages are carried out in a silicon layer. The two layers are electrically connected at each pixel through indium bump-bonds . Other innovations such as microbolometer arrays also show promise for spectroscopic imaging applications. 

Antimonide-related Strained-layer Heterostructures (ed.) M.O. Manasreh, 1997, in Optoelectronic Properties of Semiconductors, Superlattices, Vol. 3, Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

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