A comparative precursor study of the growth behavior of InSb using metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy

The growth behavior of InSb using triethylantimony (TESb) in combination with either triethylindium (TEIn) or trimethylindium (TMIn) was studied. Single-phase InSb growth was only observed between 435 and 485 °C. Dependence of InSb growth rate on the substrate orientation, and an exponential dependence on the growth temperature, indicates that growth occurs in the kinetically limited regime. The In and Sb precursor mole fractions were varied to assess their effects on the growth rate. InSb growth was also studied as a function of the total reactor pressure at a constant molar flow rate, and the growth rate were found to be significantly enhanced at low reactor pressures. A growth model is proposed, which includes the reaction of parasitic adducts in the gas phase, combined with surface reactions that lead to InSb growth.