INFLUENCE OF MERCURY PRESSURE ON LIQUIDUS TEMPERATURE AND COMPOSITIONOF LIQUID-PHASE EPITAXIAL (HG,CD)TE

During liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) growth of Hg1-xCdxTe layers from T e-rich solutions, a way of maintaining equilibrium Hg pressure over th e solution has to be set up, otherwise an excessive and uncontrolled e quilibrium temperature change may occur that is detrimental to the qua lity of epilayers and run-to-run reproducibility. In this paper, a qua ntitative calculation for the variations of the melting point and the mole fraction of the growth solution caused by the nonequilibrium Hg p ressure has been presented based on the associated solution model and phase diagram theory. Experimental data have also been given for compa rison. The obtained results can be used directly to guide the liquid p hase epitaxy growth of HgCdTe.