Ga1-xInxSb-MOVPE growth and thermodynamic model

The aim of this paper was to prepare good-quality Gal,li,Sb ternary layers using MOVPE growth. The quality of the layer surfaces was inspected by atom ic force microscopy. The experimental results obtained were compared with t he calculated deposition diagrams. The composition of grown ternary layers was determined using x-ray microanalysis. Dependence of the solid-phase com position on the gaseous-phase composition in the ternary system was compare d with the calculated results on the bases of the thermodynamic model. It i s well known that chemical thermodynamics is a very useful tool in modellin g and optimization of CVD processes and a number of studies dealing with th e thermodynamics of MOVPE of A(III)B(V) semiconductors has been published i n the literature (for example, Jordan A S 1995 J. Electron. Mater 24 1649, Li J, Zhang W, Li C and Du Z 1999 J. Co,st. Growth 207 20, Koukitu A, Kumag ai Y and Seki H 2000 Phys. Status Solidi a 180 115 and Lu D C and Duan S 20 00 J. Cryst. Growth 208 73). On the basis of the concept of local equilibri um between the growing layer and the gaseous phase in close vicinity it is possible to identify stable condensed phases and predict their composition.