Method for growing a HgCdTe epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate
US5399503A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 22, 1993 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 22, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/971
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for growing an epitaxial layer of a group II-VI tenary or quaternary compound on a substrate. In particular a HgCdTe semiconductor layer is grown on a substrate such as sapphire which does not interdiffuse with the materials in the semiconductor layer. Initially a crystalline CdTe semiconductor layer is formed on the substrate and then the substrate with the CdTe layer thereon is placed into an enclosure along with a Hg-Cd-Te source that is rich in Te. The substrate and the source are then heated so as to establish three-phase equilibrium conditions in the enclosure whereby vapors from the source are transported to the CdTe layer and the latter is converted into a ternary semiconductor compound having the composition Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te. The substrate with the Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te epitaxial layer thereon is useful as a sensing device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.