Crystal growth of GaAs and AlGaAs by OMVPE using triethylarsenic as arsenic source

Abstract

Triethylarsenic (TEAs), which is much less toxic than arsine, was used as an arsenic source for organometallic vapor-phase epitaxy (OMVPE) of GaAs and AlGaAs. The lower growth rates of GaAs at higher growth temperatures were remarkably increased by a low pressure growth. AlGaAs with a mirror-like smooth surface was obtained for the first time over a wide range of growth temperatures 600–710°C, V/III ratios 3–10, and Al compositions 0—0.5. Purity of TEAs was found to be an important key for good quality AlGaAs epilayers. The growth rate of AlGaAs became lower and the Al composition higher, as the growth temperature was increased. Room temperature, pulsed operation of double heterojunction laser diodes, which were fabricated with the grown layers of GaAs and AlGaAs doped with Si or Zn, was achieved at the first trial.