Optimized Heteroepitaxial Growth of Semiconductors

Abstract

A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is H2, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), H2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.

1 . A method of performing heteroepitaxy, comprising:
 exposing a substrate to
 a carrier gas, 
 a first precursor gas, 
 a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe (or Ga 2 Se 3 ), CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe (or Ga 2 Te 3 ), HgTe, GaSb, GaSe, InSb, AlSb, AlAs, InAs, CdS, ZnS, GaN, AlN and some of their ternaries such as GaAsP, HgCdTe, etc. directly on the substrate; 
   wherein the substrate comprises one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe (or Ga 2 Se 3 ), CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe (or Ga 2 Te 3 ), HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, ZnS, GaN, AlN, Si, CaF 2 , BaF 2 , and LiNbO 3  (including PPLN);   wherein the carrier gas is H 2 ,   wherein the first precursor gas is HCl,   the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and   wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH 3  (arsine), PH 3  (phosphine), H 2 Se (hydrogen selenide), H 2 Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH 3  (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H 2 S (hydrogen sulfide), NH 3  (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride);   flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element;   exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and   changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 flowing the ternary-forming gasses through the furnace at a 1tf:2tf ratio of about 1:0;   heating the substrate to about 500° C.-900° C.; and   gradually changing the 1tf:2tf ratio toward 0:1 over a time period of 1 min-10 hours.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Ga, wherein the substrate is GaP (gallium phosphide), the first ternary-forming gas is PH 3 , the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is GaAs (gallium arsenide). 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Ga, wherein the substrate is GaP (gallium phosphide), the first ternary-forming gas is PH 3  (phosphine), the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is GaAsP (gallium arsenide phosphide). 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Ga, wherein the substrate is ZnSe (zinc selenide), the first ternary-forming gas is H 2 Se, the second ternary-forming gas comprises AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is GaAs (gallium arsenide). 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is In, wherein the substrate is ZnTe (zinc telluride), the first ternary-forming gas is H 2 Te, the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is InAs (indium arsenide). 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Ga, wherein the substrate is cubic phase zinc blende gallium selenide Ga 2 Se 3 , the first ternary-forming gas is H 2 Se, the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is GaAs (gallium arsenide). 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Al, the substrate is GaAs (gallium arsenide), the first ternary-forming gas is AsH 3 , the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is AlAs (aluminum arsenide). 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is In, the substrate is GaSb (gallium antimonide), the first ternary-forming gas is SbH 3 , the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is InAs (indium arsenide). 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Al, the substrate is InAs (indium arsenide), the first and the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is AlAs (aluminum arsenide). 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Al, the substrate is GaSb (gallium antimonide), the first ternary-forming gas is SbH 3 , the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is AlAs (aluminum arsenide). 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Ga, the substrate is CaF 2  (calcium fluoride), the first ternary-forming gas is HF, the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsenide), and the heteroepitaxial growth is GaAs (gallium arsenide). 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The method of performing heteroepitaxy of  claim 1 , wherein the Group II/III element is Ga, the substrate is one of LiNbO 3  (lithium niobate) or periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), the first ternary-forming gas is AsH 3 , the second ternary-forming gas is AsH 3  (arsine), and the heteroepitaxial growth is one of GaAs (gallium arsenide) or OP-GaAs.