Growth Of Cadmium Mercury Telluride (CMT) By Mercury-Rich Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE)

J A Berry; S P. S. Sangha; M J Hyliands

doi:10.1117/12.938547

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22 November 1986 Growth Of Cadmium Mercury Telluride (CMT) By Mercury-Rich Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE)

J A Berry, S P. S. Sangha, M J Hyliands

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Proceedings Volume 0659, Materials Technologies for Infrared Detectors; (1986) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.938547
Event: 1986 International Symposium/Innsbruck, 1986, Innsbruck, Austria

Abstract

Epitaxial layers of cadmium telluride and cadmium mercury telluride are currently being grown by use of two vertical 'infinite melt' liquid phase epitaxy dipping furnaces. In one system, CdTe is being grown from mercury solvent at 250-300°C under an atmosphere of pure hydrogen at one bar pressure. In the second furnace, CdHgTe layers are produced from a mercury-rich melt at 460-500°C under a hydrogen atmosphere at up to fifteen bar pressure. Both furnaces are remotely controlled and feature extremely accurate and sensitive pressure control systems. The combination of a dipping furnace and large (10 kg) mercury-rich melt offers many potential advantages over more conventional small scale LPF systems employing tellurium-rich melts. For example - 1) Melt wipe-off problems are drastically reduced. 2) Impurity levels can be cut since mercury is readily available in an extremely pure form. 3) Etch-back of CdTe substrates is much slower and more easily controlled, giving good interfaces. 4) Both n- or p-type layers can, in principle, be grown without recourse to annealing. 5) The melt is maintained at temperature over many months aiding both run-to-run uniformity and a high through-put of material. The design of the furnaces will be described, and results obtained from measurements of the layers produced will be presented and discussed.

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J A Berry, S P. S. Sangha, and M J Hyliands "Growth Of Cadmium Mercury Telluride (CMT) By Mercury-Rich Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE)", Proc. SPIE 0659, Materials Technologies for Infrared Detectors, (22 November 1986); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.938547

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