Semiconductor Optical Communication

Components and Devices

Lecture 8: Epitaxial growth - I
(Techniques)

Prof. Utpal Das

Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering,
Laser Technology Program,
Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

http://www.iitk.ac.in/ee/faculty/det_resume/utpal.html
 Synthesis & Processing:
Much of the processing and synthesis of semiconductor
lasers parallels that used in conventional Integrated Circuits.
Patterning, as in IC’s, is done primarily through
photolithography. Ion implantation and metallization are also
similar to that in IC’s, but different temperature constraints and
material properties of GaAs or InP.
A more significant departure is required for growing thin
epitaxial alloy films often required for compound semiconductor
devices. Techniques such as Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE),
Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), and Metal-Organic Chemical
Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) are employed in growing epitaxial
heterostructures for compound materials including GaAs,
AlGaAs, InGaAs, InP, InGaAsP, etc. For Si mostly VPE is used.
EPITAXY: Epi (top)-Taxis (to deposit)
Growing a crystalline layer over a crystalline substrate.
Overview of the competing technologies
Epitaxial Growth Techniques
 Epitaxial Growth (CBE)
LPE VPE MBE MOCVD CBE
A)Excellent A)Quality not A)Extremely A)Good A)Best
Quality, great but narrow Layers, Quality not as compromise
Simple moderate, Quality is good, thin a layer as between MBE &
Setup. Rugged Characterizing MBE but close, MOCVD
instruments can Infinite Source
be mounted on the
chamber.
B)Thin B)High B) Expensive, B) Highly toxic B) Expensive,
Structure is temperature Limited Source, gases, Carbon
not possible. Growth. Not production Precautions Contamination,
Surface Sharp oriented. needed Not many
uneven. interfaces not P Compounds very Disadvantages.
possible. difficult.
 Liquid-Phase Epitaxy (LPE)
H2 Temperature ramp
Gasket Seal
Quartz
Growth Furnace
H2
Mo Push Rod
Mo Fixed Rod
Thermocouple
O-Ring Seal Furnace Heater
Furnace
Control Graphite Etch and Growth
Cover Solution Liquids
A crystalline layer of material is
Mo Push
grown from a saturated liquid Rod
solution. The process takes place
in a high-purity carbon boat, which
contains the substrate in the lower Substrate
Graphite
Graphite Substrate
part and a series of bins with
Crucible Carrier
melted materials in each bin. For
example, one bin might hold gallium (Ga), another aluminum (Al), and another
gallium arsenide (GaAs). The substrate is placed in contact with each bin in turn,
the temperature is reduced, and an exact thickness of material is crystallized.
Typical VPE Epitaxial Growth systems
Gas Showerhead
Substrates
Gas Inlet
Carrousel
Water cooled
RF Induction
Heating

Pumped
Gas Outlet
Carrousel
rotation
 VPE
In vapor-phase epitaxy (VPE), the material to be deposited is
transported as part of a gaseous compound, a halogen such as gallium chloride
(GaCl3), or an organometallic compound, such as trimethyl gallium
[(CH3)3Ga]. When the vapor touches the substrate, it reacts, depositing the
material to grow the crystal. When the vapor touches the substrate, it reacts,
depositing the material to grow the crystal.
Kinetics of Growth for III-V compounds

Mass Limited
Transport By
Growth Rate (Log)

Desorption Limited Chemical

Kinetics

~ 1/850 ~ 1/500
Inverse Temperature
 Review questions
1. Which system should one use for the growth of InxGa(1-x)AsyP(1-y) ?
What are the disadvantages of this growth system?

2. Why is VPE system not popular for the growth of InxGa(1-x)AsyP(1-y)

communication device applications?

3. Which growth system is suitable for obtaining highest quality

material ? What are the disadvantages of this system?

4. How should one select the growth temperature for a particular

semiconductor?

5. Between MBE and MOCVD, which is more suitable in obtaining

better electronic devices (Should have less non-compensated
unintentional doping)

6. Which growth system should one choose if both optical devices and
electronic devices are to be integrated on the same chip?