THERMAL-STABILITY OF HEAVILY TELLURIUM-DOPED INP GROWN BY METALORGANIC MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY

The thermal stability of tellurium in InP has been examined in samples doped with Te up to an electron concentration of 1.4 x 10(20) cm(-3). Annealing was conducted using rapid thermal annealing for a period of one minute at temperatures over the range 650-800 degrees C. Secondar y ion mass spectroscopy analysis showed virtually no change in the Te profile before and after annealing, even at the highest annealing temp eratures. High resolution x-ray diffraction and Hall measurements reve aled a general decrease in the lattice strain and carrier concentratio n for annealing temperatures above 650 degrees C. No evidence of strai n relief was found in the form of cross-hatching or through the format ion of a dislocation network as examined by scanning electronmicroscop y or transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These results are most li kely due to the formation of Te clusters, though such clusters could n ot be seen by cross-sectional TEM.