Organometallic vapor-phase homoepitaxy of gallium arsenide assisted by a downstream hydrogen afterglow plasma in the growth region
Date
1992
Authors
Pihlstrom, B. G., author
Thompson, L. R., author
Sheng, T. Y., author
Collins, George J., author
American Institute of Physics, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
In situ generated arsenic hydrides are reacted downstream with trimethylgallium (TMGa), both in the presence of and in the absence of a downstream hydrogen afterglow plasma. The homoepitaxial activation energy dramatically changes from 62 kcal/mol for the pure thermal to 21 kcal/mol for the plasma-assisted growth. The carbon incorporation mechanism for the plasma-assisted growth at temperatures less than 400 °C has a distinct activation energy for carbon incorporation of 23 kcal/mol, independent of V-III ratios. At temperatures above 400 °C, the level of carbon incorporated in the films reaches a level that appears to be dependent on the gas-phase precursor V-III ratio. The activation energy of the low-temperature region is consistent with the surface decomposition of arsenic hydrides.