Peculiarities of growing Ga1–xInxAs solid solutions on GaAs substrates in the feld of a temperature gradient through a thin gas zone

Solid solution Ga_1–xIn_xAs is widely used in modern optoelectronics as a material for p-i-n photodetectors, lasers emitting in the spectral range 1.3–1.55 μm. In this paper, the features of obtaining Ga_1–xIn_xAs flms by the method of zone recrystallization with a temperature gradient, the essence of which is the sequential recrystallization of parts of the source melt moving under the action of a temperature gradient, are studied. Ga_1–xIn_xAs flms on GaAs substrates were obtained in a temperature gradient feld through a thin gas zone in a specially designed graphite cassette. The flms were prepared at a temperature of 1123 K with a temperature gradient of 30 K/cm. A 1:1 mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen was used as the carrier gas. The thickness of the gas zone between the source and the substrate was 1 mm. The deposition time for all flms was 10 min. The growth kinetics, morphology, and structure of the chemical bonds of the obtained flms have been studied. Based on the results of theoretical calculations, it was found that an increase in the concentration of indium leads to a decrease in the flm growth rate to 0.3137 µm/min. A comparison of the results of theoretical calculations with experimental results showed a discrepancy between the growth rates for flms with an indium concentration in the growth source of more than 20 %, which is primarily due to the segregation of indium on the flm surface. The flms have an RMS roughness from 9.1 to 24.2 nm. It is shown that the content of indium in the growth source signifcantly affects the properties of the grown flms and leads to a decrease in the growth rate, an increase in the elastic stresses in the layer, and a nonstoichiometric composition of the flm. It has been established that with an increase in the indium concentration in the flm, a signifcant shift in the frequency of the LO and TO phonon modes of GaAs to the left by 13 and 16 cm^–1, respectively, is observed due to the infuence of elastic mechanical stresses. The presented results show that Ga_1–xIn_xAs solid solution flms with short-range order of chemical bonds were obtained by the method of zone recrystallization in a temperature gradient..

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