MOCVD

MetallorganicMBE (MOMBE). tire solid source Knudsen cells in conventional MBE are replaced witli gaseous beams of organometallic precursors, directed toward a heated substrate in UHV. Compared to MOCVD, MOMBE eliminates gas phase reactions tliat may complicate tire deposition surface reactions, and provides lower growtli temperatures. 

The fundamental steps in CVD, MOCVD and MOMBE processes can be classified as follows [13] ... 

It is difficult to observe tliese surface processes directly in CVD and MOCVD apparatus because tliey operate at pressures incompatible witli most teclmiques for surface analysis. Consequently, most fundamental studies have selected one or more of tliese steps for examination by molecular beam scattering, or in simplified model reactors from which samples can be transferred into UHV surface spectrometers witliout air exposure. Reference [4] describes many such studies. Additional tliemes and examples, illustrating botli progress achieved and remaining questions, are presented in section C2.18.4. 

MOCVD. See Metal organic chemical vapor deposition. 

GaAs, GaAlAs, and GaP based laser diodes are manufactured using the LPE, MOCVD, and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technologies (51). The short wavelength devices are used for compact disc (CD) players, whereas the long wavelength devices, mostly processed by MBE, are used in the communication field and in quantum well stmctures. 

Tra.nsitorAmplifiers. Most gaUium-based field-effect transitor amplifiers (FETs) are manufactured using ion implantation (qv) (52), except for high microwave frequencies and low noise requirements where epitaxy is used. The majority of discrete high electron mobiHty transistor (HEMT) low noise amplifiers are currently produced on MBE substrates. Discrete high barrier transistor (HBT) power amplifiers use MOCVD and MBE technologies. 

Integrated Circuits. For analogue integrated circuits (ICs) as frequencies increase, requirements for epitaxy grow at the same rate. For most microwave devices with frequencies over 20 GHz, an epitaxial GaAs layer is required. MBE is preferred for HEMT stmctures with better low noise, while MOCVD is used for HBT devices (see Integrated circuits). 

InGaAsP DH InP InP (TS) yes LPE OI MOCVD small emission area geometry... 

LPE = liquid-phase epitaxy, MOCVD = metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, VPE = vapor-phase epitaxy. 

Epitaxial crystal growth methods such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) have advanced to the point that active regions of essentially arbitrary thicknesses can be prepared (see Thin films, film deposition techniques). Most semiconductors used for lasers are cubic crystals where the lattice constant, the dimension of the cube, is equal to two atomic plane distances. When the thickness of this layer is reduced to dimensions on the order of 0.01 )J.m, between 20 and 30 atomic plane distances, quantum mechanics is needed for an accurate description of the confined carrier energies (11). Such layers are called quantum wells and the lasers containing such layers in their active regions are known as quantum well lasers (12). 

This article focuses primarily on the properties of the most extensively studied III—V and II—VI compound semiconductors and is presented in five sections (/) a brief summary of the physical (mechanical and electrical) properties of the 2incblende cubic semiconductors (2) a description of the metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process. MOCVD is the preferred technology for the commercial growth of most heteroepitaxial semiconductor material (J) the physics and (4) apphcations of electronic and photonic devices and (5) the fabrication process technology in use to create both electronic and photonic devices and circuits. 

Fig. 3. Schematic of three commonly used types of MOCVD reactors where the arrows indicate gas flow (a) vertical rotating disk where (— represents an inlet to promote a laterally uniform gas flow, (b) planetary rotation, and (c) hori2ontal.

Heterostructures and Superlattices. Although useful devices can be made from binary compound semiconductors, such as GaAs, InP, or InSb, the explosive interest in techniques such as MOCVD and MBE came about from their growth of ternary or quaternary alloy heterostmctures and supedattices. Eor the successful growth of alloys and heterostmctures the composition and interfaces must be accurately controlled. The composition of alloys can be predicted from thermodynamics if the flow in the reactor is optimised. Otherwise, composition and growth rate variations are observed... 

Eig. 4. A transmission electron photomicrograph of an InAsSb—InSb superlattice grown by MOCVD. 

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