Growth of InGaAs structures using in situ electrochemically generated arsine

Abstract

The use, transportation, and storage of the hazardous gas, arsine, raise serious safety issues. Consequently, there is considerable interest in the generation of arsine on demand from less hazardous substances. We report the first use of in situ generated arsine for III-V epitaxy. The gas has been generated electrochemically at an arsenic cathode in an aqueous electrolyte and used to supply a hydride vapor phase epitaxy reactor. InGaAs/InP test structures were grown on InP substrates and were similar to comparison structures grown using tank arsine. Recessed-gate enhanced Schottky metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors were fabricated and exhibited well-behaved current-voltage characteristics.

Arsenic Chemistry

“…Indium (III) arsenide (InAs) and mixed indium-gallium arsenides (InGaAs) have similar applications (Chen and Cho, 1992;Leem et al, 2003;Höglund et al, 2006). These compounds are synthesized with volatile arsenic compounds (Chen and Cho, 1992;Leem et al, 2003;Höglund et al, 2006;Buckley et al, 1990;Ikejiri et al, 2007). …”

(Europe Section Heinz Gerischer Award) The Long Reach of Electrochemistry: Semiconductors, Metallization and Energy Storage

“…In 1990, I collaborated with Valdez, Cadett, and Mitchell in using electrochemically generated arsine in a hydride VPE reactor. 14,69 This was the first demonstration of III-V epitaxy using an in-situ arsine source. The electrochemical cell used is shown schematically in Figure . 11.…”

“…Although metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) eventually became the vapor phase technique of choice, Chloride vapour phase epitaxy (VPE) and Hydride VPE were initially used for epitaxy of III-V semiconductors. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]68 Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) was developed by Al Cho in 1970 and provides an extremely useful technique for the growth of very thin layers. 16…”

“…My PhD research with the late L. D. (Declan) Burke began in 1971 and I discuss a few examples of our work on oxygen electrochemistry on ruthenium and iridium from that era. [2][3][4][5][6] This is followed by some examples of research on lithium batteries and compound semiconductors at Bell Laboratories [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] beginning in 1979. I then discuss some of our work at the University of Limerick on electrochemical etching and nanopore formation on III-V semiconductors, [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] a particularly appropriate topic for this presentation in view of Professor Gerischer's 31 extensive pioneering contributions to semiconductor electrochemistry.…”

On‐Demand Electrochemical Generation of Arsine

“…The results demonstrate that a broad range of arsine concentrations and flow rates can be achieved with an electrochemical arsine generator system to meet the requirements of technologies employing this material. Recently, the prototype on-demand generator system described here has been used to supply high-purity arsine to a VPE process for the growth of InGaAs materials and fabrication of InP/InGaAs field-effect transistors (10).…”