Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE):

A Versatile Technique for growing Thin Epitaxial Semiconductor Structures

Yuwei Xun
ECE 249, Spring 2002
Instructor: Prof. Peter Burke
Outline
• Introduction
• Equipment
• Processes
–sources
–materials
–parameters
–interface
–mechanism
• Products
• Example
• Development trends
• Summary
 Introduction
Early stages:

•Three-temperature method (1958)

•Surface kinetic of the interaction (1960s)
•Surface chemical processes extensively studied (1970)
1980s:
•Introduction of gas-source
•Pulsed beam growth
•The observation of oscillations in intensity in RHEED pattern
•Coupling of MBE-related operations with UHV processing steps
1990s:
•Multidimensional quantum well (MD-QW)
•Lattice-mismatched pseudomorphic epitaxial growth
 Introduction
MBE:
An epitaxial process involving the reaction of one or more thermal beams of atoms or
molecules with a crystalline surface under ultrahigh-vacuum condition.

Capability:
• Precise control in both chemical composition and doping profiles

• Precise fabrication of semiconductor heterostructures having thin layers

from a fraction of a micron down to a monolayer
Features:
• Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) (~ 10-11 Torr)
• Growth Rate of 1 µm/Hr or 1 Atomic Layer/Sec
• High-Purity Elemental Charge Materials
• Real-time Monitoring Tools
 Equipment

III-V MBE system delivered commercially by VG Semicon.

M.A. Herman, molecular beam epitaxy, 1996
 Equipment

Dual Growth Reactor Systems

Applied Epi, Veeco Instruments, Inc.
Equipment
Set-up

1. Generation zone
2. Mixing zone
3
3. Crystallization zone
2
1

three-zone arrangement
 Mechanism

• Absorption to the
surface

• Surface migration
and dissociation

• Incorporation into
the crystal lattice

• Thermal desorption

M.A. Herman, molecular beam epitaxy, 1996

 Mechanism

Ga and As atoms arranged in

zinc blende crystal structure. MBE growth mechanism.
 Substrate

From IQE website

 Source
Veeco Instruments, Inc.

Standard effusion cell

Solid Source
• each cell is loaded with a charge material, usually a pure element
like gallium or arsenic, which is solid at room temperature.
• The gaseous atomic or molecular beam is generated by heating
the charge in the effusion cell in the growth chamber.
• The effective beam pressure or flow rate of the gas, called the
beam flux, is varied by adjusting the effusion cell temperature.
• A shutter is used to “shut off” the beam; in fact, with the shutter
closed, the beam is deflected away from the substrate and pumped
away through the growth chamber.
 Source
Gas Source
• CBE (Chemical Beam Epitaxy)
• MOMBE (Metal-organic MBE)
• GS-MBE (Gas Source MBE)

Veeco Instruments, Inc.

• the charge material - a molecular species that contains the desired element - is a gas at
room temperature. (Liquids with an appreciable vapor pressure at or near room temperature
may also be used.)
• A standard gas handling system connects the external gas canister to the growth chamber.
• Beam fluxes may be changed almost instantly by adjusting the gas flow valves. When the
valve is closed, no charge material enters the chamber.
• The source used to introduce the gas may be a "cracker" which is used to thermally
decompose the gas, e.g. . Or it may be an "injector" which operates at a sufficiently high
temperature to prevent condensation and maintain a stable flux
Materials
Veeco Instruments, Inc.
Materials
• most MBE work has focused on
“III-V” (three-five) materials.
The III-V materials are
combinations of elements from
Group III of the periodic table,
gallium (Ga), indium (In), and
aluminum (Al), and the Group V
elements arsenic (As),
phosphorus (P), antimony (Sb),
and nitrogen (N).
• “II-VI” materials using the
Group II elements zinc (Zn),
cadmium (Cd), and mercury
(Hg), and the Group VI elements
sulfur (S), selenium (Se), and
tellurium (Te).
 Materials
Crystal structure

Zincblende lattice

S.M. Sze, Semiconductor device, 2002

 Growth parameters

• Pressure

• Temperature

• Source type

• Element ration

• Molecular weight

Impingement rate: φ = P(2πmkT) -1/2

Carl Wilmsen et al, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, 1999
Growth parameters
Substrate temperature
Which of the competing pathways dominates the
growth will depend strongly on the temperature of the
substrate.

• At a low temperature, atoms will stick where they

land without arranging properly - leading to poor
crystal quality.
• At a high temperature, atoms will desorb
(reevaporate) from the surface too readily - leading to
low growth rates and poor crystal quality.
• At a appropriate intermediate temperature, the
atoms will have sufficient energy to move to the
proper position on the surface and be incorporated
into the growing crystal.
 Crystal quality

As-grown After annealing

• The formation of In-N cluster reduces the strain in the alloy, likely as a result of nitrogen movement.
• Defects are removed quickly by annealing.
• The threshold current density decreases significantly as rapid thermal annealing temperature
increases, while the lasing wavelength slightly blueshifts.

Sarah Kurtz et al, applied physics letters, vol. 78, no. 6, 2001
 Crystal quality
• Clear QW structure with well
defined interfaces
• QW width fluctuation is small
• Some contrast modulation within
the QW
• This contrast could be related to
strain and/or composition
modulations
• Thus carrier localization may be
induced
• The origin of localization may be
attributed to the formation of In-N
rich clusters

M.A. Pinault et al, applied physics letters, vol. 78, no. 11, 2001
 Interface structure

S.M. Sze, Semiconductor device, 2002

 Interface structure

Matched strained relaxed

Critical layer thickness

S.M. Sze, Semiconductor device, 2002

 Interface structure
Matched Strained
GaInNAs

Compression
GaInNAs

GaAs Tension

In : N ~ 3 :1 In : N > 3 : 1
In atom increases lattice constant for GaAs while N atom decreases it

S.M. Sze, Semiconductor device, 2002

 Interface structure

GaAs

GaAs layer grown on (100) Si showing interface dislocations

Mario Dagenais et al, integrated optoelectronics, 1995

 Products

MATERIAL DEVICES APPLICATIONS

SYSTEMS
GaAs • MESFETs • Mobile Telephony
AlGaAs • HEMTs • Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
InGaP • PHEMTs • Satellite Systems
InGaAs • HBTs • Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS)
InSb • Lasers • Paging
• Wireless LAN / Wireless Cable
• Automotive Radar
 Products
Veeco Instruments, Inc.

Electronic Devices:
Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor Optoelectronic Devices:
(HBT) structure. Laser structure.

GaInNAs/GaAs MQW
 Example
Precursors: metal Ga, metal In, arsine
gas, nitrogen gas
Substrate: (100)-oriented Si-doped n-
type GaAs
Temperature: 350-550°C
Growth rate: 38 nm/min for GaInNAs
and 30nm/min for GaAS
Flow rate: 1-10 sccm for AsH3, and
0.04-1.00 sccm for N2
RF power: 300-400W
Distance from the radical-cell exit plate
Growth of GaInNAs/GaAs to the substrate 15 cm
single quantum well
Masahiko Kondow et al, IEEE J. selected topics in quantum electronics, vol. 3 no. 3 1997
 Example

GaAs

GaInNAs

GaAs
10 nm

Schematic cross section of the TEM image of a GaInNAs/GaAs SQW

GaInNAs –GaAs SQW laser diode

Masahiko Kondow et al, IEEE J. selected topics in quantum electronics, vol. 3 no. 3 1997
 Example

Adding N

∆Ec GaInNAs

Eg

Masahiko Kondow et al, IEEE J. selected topics in quantum electronics, vol. 3 no. 3 1997
 Example

• Promising material for long-wavelength semiconductor

lasers (1.3~1.55µm)
• Promising material for high temperature performance

Masahiko Kondow et al, IEEE J. selected topics in quantum electronics, vol. 3 no. 3 1997
 Development trends
MBE

Theory of MBE Experimental crystal Surface science for Device technology

growth MBE application
Microstructure high
Studies on growth speed devices
by computer Low dimensional In-growth surface
simulation structures analysis
VLSI structures
Surface particle Multi-element material Preparation and
systems preservation of Monolithically
interaction quantum integrated
mechanics surface structures
Composite structures optoelectronic
(MIS, SOS MIM) structures
Structural properties
of submicron and
multiplayer system New growth equipment
 Summary
• MBE is a process for making compound semiconductor materials
with great precision and purity. These materials are layered one
on top of the other to form semiconductor devices such as
transistors and lasers.

• To make each layer, ultra-pure elements are delivered to a

surface (the substrate wafer) as a beam of gas. The atoms or
molecules in the gas deposit on the substrate to form the growing
solid layer. Beam intensity (called the flux) is adjusted for precise
control of layer composition. layers only a few atoms thick can be
produced reliably because the growth rate is sufficiently slow.

• MBE growth produces complex structures of varying layers which

are further processed to produce a range of electronic and
optoelectronic devices, including high speed transistors, light-
emitting diodes, and solid state lasers.

• MBE proves to be an effective and powerful technique both for

research into new materials and layer structures, and for
producing high-performance devices.