Laser Photochemical Vapour Deposition of Epitaxial Ge Films on GaAs from GeH4 Using NH3 as a Sensitiser

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe viability of ammonia as a sensitiser for the epitaxial growth of Ge on GaAs by laser photochemical vapour deposition (LPVD) has been investigated. Specifically NH3/GeH4/He (0.8/5/95 sccm, 5.5 Torr total pressure) mixtures have been irradiated by a 193nm ArF excimer laser in parallel geometry for substrate temperatures, Ts<400°C. As evidenced by a dramatic acceleration in Ge film growth rate, the NH3 efficiently couples the laser radiation to the GeH4 precursor molecule. The microstructures of LPVD Ge films grown with and without NH3 have been examined by TEM, and the epitaxial nature of both types of films has been verified, although some subtle differences are noted. Chemical analysis of the deposited films has been carried out using Auger spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Our results show that there is little or no nitrogen incorporation into the Ge films grown in the presence of NH3, and that hydrogen contamination in our films is minimal. The beneficial effect of NH3 on the growth rate of LPVD Ge films is attributed to the photolytic production of hydrogen atoms which efficiently decompose GeH4 by hydrogen abstraction collisions.