Chromium(III) sulfate-assisted thermal oxidation of GaAs

The kinetics and mechanism of thermal oxidation of GaAs caused by chromium( III) sulfate and of its decomposition products were studied. Thermoxidation generated better conditions compared to the intrinsic oxidation process fo r the deposition of insulating films and for the films to retain the volati le component of the substrate. Process bifurcation into two routes is consi dered: a cationic route (the transit action of the cation-forming element o f the extrinsic compound) and an anionic route (the effect of the anion con stituent of the activator).