POTENTIAL OF MOMBE CBE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PHOTONIC DEVICES IN COMPARISON WITH MOVPE/

Metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE/CBE), which has initially b een introduced as a method for fundamental research, has become a grow th technology for high quality device structures. The potential of thi s new technology as an industrial tool for the production of InP based photonic devices is discussed in comparison to metalorganic vapor pha se epitaxy (MOVPE). Economical, ecological, yield and safety aspects s how a significant advantage of MOMBE for industrial use. Furthermore, the unique MOMBE growth capabilities may open the path to the producti on of new device generations. Very high volume applications, however, will probably remain the domain of MOVPE. Thus the main industrial app lication of MOMBE will be in areas where an enabling technology for th e production of sophisticated III-V device structures is required. In addition, MOMBE offers advantages, when environmental issues are of ma jor concern, and when stringent safety and yield requirements have to be fulfilled. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.