LARGE-SCALE PRODUCTION OF INDIUM-ANTIMONIDE FILM FOR POSITION SENSORSIN AUTOMOBILE ENGINES

We use low pressure MOVPE to grow indium antimonide films on groups of eight 3 inch GaAs wafers per run. The films are used for the producti on of magnetoresistive position sensors for the car industry. To meet the narrow specifications for automotive components, the standard devi ation of the sheet resistivity, and the thickness of the films have be en reduced below 1.5%. This uniformity is the result of an optimizatio n process encompassing the determination of the best susceptor tempera ture and the optimum flow. The gas velocity was found to have a large impact on the uniformity of the layers. Rotation of the wafers and the use of an optimum gas velocity results in extremely uniform layers.