Analysis of cadmium mercury telluride and related materials

Abstract

The roles of various analytical techniques for both matrix element composition and impurity content of cadmium mercury telluride and related materials are reviewed from the viewpoint of a user. The main techniques considered are infrared (IR) transmission, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), X-ray flourescence (XRF), electrolyte electroreflectance (EER), Rutherford backscattering (RBS), spark source mass spectrometry (SSMS), laser scan mass spectrometry (LSMS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The role of these techniques in the analysis of bulk materials, epitaxial layers and device structures is considered. It is shown that whilst SIMS can uniquely provide analytical information with excellent depth and lateral resolution, some compositional and purity information can also be achieved more cost-effectively using developments of what may be considered more “traditional” techniques. Laser scan mass spectrometry is shown to be an interesting alternative to SIMS for high sensitivity general analyses when depth and spatial distributions are not required.