Epitaxial growth of GaP by remote plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Epitaxial films of gallium phosphide, GaP, have been grown by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on GaP and Si substrates. Atomic hydrogen and phosphorus hydrides are generated from molecular hydrogen and phosphorus vapor in a remote radio-frequency plasma. Trimethylgallium is injected downstream from the plasma region where mixing and interaction with activated species extracted from the plasma occur. Homo- and heteroepitaxial GaP films have been produced on GaP and Si substrates respectively, at growth temperatures of 590 °C and higher. Chemical depth profiles of GaP/Si heterostructures indicate that reduced growth temperatures promote abrupt chemical interfaces and improve heterostructure electrical properties. Both homo- and heterodiodes have been fabricated from the above epitaxial structures, and their respective properties are discussed.