Simulation studies of liquid phase epitaxial growth of In_1-xGa_xAs_yP_1-y

Abstract

Liquid phase epitaxial growth of In_1-xGa_xAs_yP_1-y, a well known quaternary compound semiconductor, has been studied systematically. A numerical simulation technique has been employed to construct the concentration profiles of Ga, As, and P atoms in an In-rich melt at successive equally spaced layers in front of an InGaAsP crystal growing by LPE. The growth rate has been calculated using the concentration gradients established at the solid-liquid interface. The composition and the thickness of the grown InGaAsP solid layer have been studied as a function of growth parameters, such as cooling rate, system temperature, and growth time. It is observed that the thickness of the grown solid depends on the cooling rate, whereas the solid compositions do not show any dependence on the cooling rate. Our theoretical findings have been compared with experimentally reported values and the results are discussed in detail.