A study of the preparation of epitaxy-ready polished surfaces of (100) Gallium Antimonide substrates demonstrating ultra-low surface defects for MBE growth

Abstract

Gallium Antimonide (GaSb) is an important Group III-V compound semiconductor which is suitable for use in the manufacture of a wide variety of optoelectronic devices such as infra-red (IR) focal plane detectors. A significant issue for the commercialisation of these products is the production of epitaxy ready GaSb, which remains a challenge for the substrate manufacturer, as the stringent demands of the MBE process, requires a high quality starting wafer. In this work large diameter GaSb crystals were grown by the Czochralski (Cz) method and wafers prepared for chemo-mechanical polishing (CMP). Innovative epi-ready treatments and novel post polish cleaning methodologies were applied. The effect of these modified finishing chemistries on substrate surface quality and the performance of epitaxially grown MBE GaSb IR detector structures were investigated. Improvements in the lowering of surface defectivity, maintaining of the surface roughness and optimisation of all flatness parameters is confirmed both pre and post MBE growth. In this paper we also discuss the influence of bulk GaSb quality on substrate surface performance through the characterisation of epitaxial structures grown on near zero etch pit density (EPD) crystals. In summary progression and development of current substrate polishing techniques has been demonstrated to deliver a consistent improved surface on GaSb wafers with a readily desorbed oxide for epitaxial growth.