II-VI Semiconductors

Fig. 8. A plot of band gap versus lattice constant for Groups 2—16 and 12—16 (II—VI) semiconductors used for the preparation of green and blue lasers.

Table 1. Physical Properties of the Cubic Zincblende Structure III—V and II—VI Semiconductors...

Sputter-induced Roughness. Sputtering single crystal semiconductors, in particular II-VI semiconductors, with Cs" ions results in surface roughening. There is currently no satisfactory explanation of this effect. This effect, and the corresponding reduction of the depth resolution, can be avoided by rotating the sample during the measurement. 

Hydrides are an important group of precursors that are used to deposit single elements such as boron or silicon. As described in Ch. 4, they are also used in conjunction with metallo-organics to form III-V and II-VI semiconductor compounds as shown in the following examples ]... 

Another disadvantage is that fragile substrates used in VLSI, such as some III-V and II-VI semiconductors materials, can be damaged by the ion bombardment from the plasma, particularly if the ion energy exceeds 20 eV. In addition, the plasma reacts strongly with the surface of the coating as it is deposited. This means that the deposition rate and often the film properties depend on the uniformity of the plasma. Areas of the substrate fully exposed will be more affected than the more sheltered ones. Finally, the equipment is generally more complicated and more expensive. 

The m-V and II-VI semiconductor compounds have excellent optical properties and are the most important group of optoelectronic materials, which are all produced by CVD for many optoelectronic applications. The properties of these materials and their CVD reactions are reviewed in Ch. 12, Secs. 3.0 and 4.0 and Ch. 13, Sec. 6.0. It is possible to tailor the bandgap, by the proper combination of these materials, to suit any given application (See Fig. 13.2 of Ch. 13). 

PBE dendrons coordinate to the surface of II-VI semiconductor nanocrystals (e.g., CdSe [33] and CdSe/ZnS core/shell structure [34, 35]) to modulate the photoluminescence of the nanocrystals [32]. Trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO)-capped II-VI semiconductor nanocrystals of several-nanometers diameter have been synthesized by a pyrolysis reaction of organometallics in TOPO [33-35]. The capping ligand (TOPO) can be replaced by stronger ligands such as thiol compounds [36], suggesting that dendrons bearing sulfur atom(s) at the focal point replace TOPO as well. 

Vogel, D., Kruger, P. and Pollmann, J. (1996) Self-interaction and relaxation-corrected pseudopotential for II—VI semiconductors, Phys. Rev., B54,5495-5511. 

As a final comment on terminology, we note that elemental semiconductors are formed from a single element, e.g., Si or Ge, whereas compound semiconductors are formed from two binary), three ternary), four quaternary), or, rarely, more elements. Semiconductor alloys refer to solid solutions where either one anion or one cation can substitute for another, or possibly two or more such substitutions can occur for a binary semiconductor AB a simple alloy with C would be represented as Ai CjcB. Semiconductors are often classified by the group numbers in the periodic table. Thus, for example, I-VII semiconductors include Cul and AgBr, II-VI semiconductors include ZnS, CdTe, and HgTe, III-V semiconductors include GaAs, GaN, InP, and InSb, and IVx-VIv semiconductors include PbSe and Sn02. Fundamental physical properties are compiled in a recent handbook [22]. 

Dale L. Martin, Molecular Beam Epitaxy of IV-VI Compound Heterojunctions Robert L. Gunshor, Leslie A. Kolodziejski, Arto V. Nurmikko, and Nobuo Otsuka, Molecular Beam Epitaxy of II-VI Semiconductor Microstructures... 

Ho and L. A. Kolodziejski, Gaseous Source UHV Epitaxy Technologies for Wide Bandgap II-VI Semiconductors... 

W. Paul, High Pressure in Semiconductor Physics A Historical Overview N. E. Christensen, Electronic Structure Calculations for Semiconductors under Pressure R. J. Neimes and M. I. McMahon, Structural Transitions in the Group IV, III-V and II-VI Semiconductors Under Pressure... 

Peng Q, Dong Y, Deng Z, Sun X, Li Y (2001) Low temperature elemental-direct-reaction route to II-VI semiconductor nanociystalline ZnSe and CdSe. Inorg Chem 40 3840-3841... 

Quantum dots are the engineered counterparts to inorganic materials such as groups IV, III-V and II-VI semiconductors. These structures are prepared by complex techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), lithography or self-assembly, much more complex than the conventional chemical synthesis. Quantum dots are usually termed artificial atoms (OD) with dimensions larger than 20-30 nm, limited by the preparation techniques. Quantum confinement, single electron transport. Coulomb blockade and related quantum effects are revealed with these OD structures (Smith, 1996). 2D arrays of such OD artificial atoms can be achieved leading to artificial periodic structures. 

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