Vacancy controlled interdiffusion in III–V heterostructures

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. B, Solid-state materials for advanced technology Solid-state materials for advanced technology, 1993-11, Vol.21 (2), p.281-283
• Main Authors: Gillin, W.P., Bradley, I.V., Rao, S.S., Homewood, K.P., Sealy, B.J., Howard, L.K., Smith, A.D., Briggs, A.T.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Diffusion; interface formation; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 0921-5107; 1873-4944
• DOI: 10.1016/0921-5107(93)90367-V

Interdiffusion of both the group III and group V sublattices has been studied in the InGaAs/GaAs and InGaAs/InGaAsP systems respectively using photoluminescence and consecutive annealing. By measuring the diffusion coefficients between the temperatures of 1050°C to 600°C we have been able to determine the activation energies for diffusion in both sublattices and have found them to be equal (for temperatures above 650°C) at 3.7 eV. From the effects of gallium and arsenic implantation on the interdiffusion of InGaAs/GaAs we have established that the diffusion is controlled by vacancies on both sublattices, and that except in the case of the group V diffusion below 650°C the controlling vacancies are thermally created.