Arsenic diffusion coefficients were measured in HgCdTe at 350-degrees-
C within the single phase field. The diffusion coefficients displayed
a strong dependence on Hg pressure, increasing by more than 1 x 103 wi
th decreasing Hg pressure. These measurements were performed by growin
g As doped HgCdTe films by Hg-rich liquid phase epitaxy on undoped or
In-doped base layers, where the growth temperature ranged between 330
and 350-degrees-C. Use of these low growth temperatures under Hg-rich
conditions permitted attainment of virtual step profiles in As, with n
egligible diffusion into the base layers. These provided ideal startin
g points for subsequent diffusion anneals. Diffusion of arsenic under
selected low Hg pressures was then employed to tune the positioning of
the p/n junction for double layer heterojunction films, by locating i
t ahead of the heterointerface. Formation of valence band barriers to
the photogenerated minority carriers across the junction could thus be
avoided. When on the other hand, diffusion experiments were performed
under Hg saturated conditions, the heterointerface moved at a faster
rate than the p/n junction, leading to the formation of valence band b
arriers.