IMPURITY GETTERING EFFECT IN PR2O3-ADDED INGAAS LIQUID-PHASE EPITAXY

InGaAs epilayers were grown on semi-insulating (SI) InP substrates by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) with a rare-earth (RE) compound Pr2O3 added into the growth melt during the epitaxial process for the first time. Without the growth melt baking process, the corresponding Hall measur ements indicate that the background concentration of these InGaAs-grow n layers will decrease from a value of 1.6 x 10(16) cm(-3) to 2.0 x 10 (15) cm(-3). Their corresponding 77K mobility also increases significa ntly from a value of 15321 cm(2)/V.s to 32171 cm(2)/V.s. The X-ray dif fraction measurements, secondary ion mass measurements (SIMS) and phot oluminescence (PL) spectra of Pr2O3-added InGaAs epitaxial layers all demonstrate that the grown layers exhibit pure crystalline quality. Fi nally, InGaAs/InGaAs/InP pin diodes were fabricated, and a smaller lea kage current and better response for the Pr2O3-added samples were repo rted.